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Bebop Spoken There

Simon Spillett: “ Bebop and hard bop came naturally to him [Tubby Hayes]". Morning Star, March 28, 2024.

The Things They Say!

Hudson Music: Lance's "Bebop Spoken Here" is one of the heaviest and most influential jazz blogs in the UK.

Rupert Burley (Dynamic Agency): "BSH just goes from strength to strength".

'606' Club: "A toast to Lance Liddle of the terrific jazz blog 'Bebop Spoken Here'"

The Strictly Smokin' Big Band included Be Bop Spoken Here (sic) in their 5 Favourite Jazz Blogs.

Ann Braithwaite (Braithwaite & Katz Communications) You’re the BEST!

Holly Cooper, Mouthpiece Music: "Lance writes pull quotes like no one else!"

Simon Spillett: A lovely review from the dean of jazz bloggers, Lance Liddle...

Josh Weir: I love the writing on bebop spoken here... I think the work you are doing is amazing.

Postage

16287 (and counting) posts since we started blogging 16 years ago. 169 of them this year alone and, so far, 41 this month (Mar 18).

From This Moment On ...

March

Fri 29: FILM: Soul @ The Forum Cinema, Hexham. 12:30pm. Jazz-themed film animation.
Fri 29: Classic Swing @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 29: Rendezvous Jazz @ The Monkseaton Arms. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 29: New Orleans Preservation Jazz Band @ The Oxbridge Hotel, Stockton. 1:00pm. £5.00.
Fri 29: Abbie Finn Trio @ The Vault, Darlington. 6:00pm. Free. POSTPONED!
Fri 29: Thundercat @ Newcastle City Hall.
Fri 29: John Logan @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 8:00pm. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig.
Fri 29: True Colours @ Barrels Ale House, Berwick. 9:00pm. Blues, jazz & swing.

Sat 30: Papa G’s Troves @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 8:00pm. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig.
Sat 30: Pete Tanton’s Cuba Libre @ Whitley Bay Library, York Road, Whitley Bay. 8:00pm.

Sun 31: 4B @ The Ticket Office, Whitley Bay Metro Station. 3:00pm. Free.
Sun 31: Ruth Lambert Trio @ Juke Shed, Union Quay, North Shields NE30 1HJ. 3:00pm. Free. Lambert, Alan Law & Paul Grainger.
Sun 31: Sid Jacobs & Tom Remon @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 7:00pm. Free. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig. USA/London jazz guitar duo.
Sun 31: Bellavana @ The Globe, Newcastle. 8:00pm.

April
Mon 01: Harmony Brass @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Mon 01: Ray Stubbs R&B All Stars @ Billy Bootlegger’s, Ouseburn, Newcastle. 3:00pm. Free.

Tue 02: Jam session @ The Black Swan, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free. House trio: Dean Stockdale, Paul Grainger, Abbie Finn.

Wed 03: Vieux Carré Jazzmen @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Wed 03: Darlington Big Band @ Darlington & Simpson Rolling Mills Social Club, Darlington. 7:00pm. Free. Rehearsal session (open to the public).
Wed 03: Take it to the Bridge @ The Globe, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free.

Thu 04: FILM: Soul @ Forum Cinema, Hexham. 2:00pm. Jazz-themed film animation.
Thu 04: Vieux Carré Jazzmen @ The Holystone, Whitley Road, North Tyneside. 1:00pm. Free.
Thu 04: Funky Drummer @ The Globe, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free.
Thu 04: Eva Fox & the Jazz Guys @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 8:00pm. Free. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig.
Thu 04: Tees Hot Club @ Dorman’s Club, Middlesbrough. 8:30pm.

Friday, January 16, 2015

CD Review: Troyka – Ornithophobia

Kit Downes (Hammond, synthesizers), Chris Montague (guitar, loops) & Josh Blackmore (drums)
(Review by Russell).
Ornithophobia is Troyka’s third studio album and their first for Naim. Petter Eldh, producer and musician (bassist with Marius Neset), is on board, reaffirming recent investigation of the dance/ trip-hop scene. Eldh’s Berlin base – influential in dance, electronica, visual arts – contributes to the trio’s ambitious reach; part mixed in the capital city, re-sampling two of the nine tracks.
Guitarist Chris Montague has a Hitchcockian phobia…birds! In an avian-free studio Gateahead-born Montague creates an avian mutant virus threatening to wipe-out the human population across London. A ghostly post-Apocalyptic landscape (the radio announcer details the inescapable transmutation, human form will cede to the avian) stretches across the album. Kit Downes’ scurrying synthesis of sound frightens poor Montague – the guitarist plays as if it his last session on Planet Earth! The terrifying guitar work is as good as it gets from any twenty first century music school graduate. Ornithophobia (composed by the ornithophobic one) is best heard in black and white (Bernard Herrman telegraph wires, an unsuspecting, sleepy fishing village). R Taylor (aka C Montague) picks up on the strange behaviour overhead. Downes won’t give a break to his terrified bandmate as drummer Josh Blackmore drills holes into his skull.
Magpies, Bamburgh and Seahouses (all composed by the ornithophobic one) must be therapy of sorts. The northeasterner knows all too well the proliferation of feathered friends on the Northumberland (Hitchcockian) coastline. Face your demons Chris! A traditional al fresco meal (fish and chips) will bring you closer than ever before to the subject of your irrational fear! Kit Downes’ The General references the blues…hear it Chris/Jimi (…And the Wind Cries). The closing number – Seahouses – takes it down, perhaps Montague has conquered his Ornithophobia.
Troyka head out on a twelve date tour in February calling at three music colleges and a students’ union along the way, perhaps indicating their target audience. Their music has wider appeal. Hearing Troyka live is key. Ornithophobia is released on January 26 on Naim Jazz Records (NaimCD210). It is available on CD, LP (180gm vinyl) and as a digital download. Visit www.naimlabel.com.          
Russell.

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