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Bebop Spoken There

Ambrose Akinmusire: “ I am certainly always aware of what the masses are doing. And when I see too many people going one way, I'm going another way - even when I don't know what's over that way". DownBeat, March, 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

Tue 19: Jam session @ The Black Swan, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free. House trio: Michael Young, Paul Grainger, Tim Johnston.

Wed 20: Vieux Carré Jazzmen @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Wed 20: Darlington Big Band @ Darlington & Simpson Rolling Mills Social Club, Darlington. 7:00pm. Free. Rehearsal session (open to the public).
Wed 20: Take it to the Bridge @ The Globe, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free.

Thu 21: Vieux Carré Jazzmen @ The Holystone, Whitley Road, North Tyneside. 1:00pm. Free.
Thu 21: Castillo Neuvo Trio + Conor Emery & His ‘Bones Band @ The Grove, Ouseburn, Newcastle. 7:30pm (7:00pm doors). £10.00. (£7.00. student).
Thu 21: Remi Banklyn + Chris Corcoran Trio @ The Globe, Newcastle. 8:00pm. £12.50. Chicago blues. An International Guitar Foundation promotion.
Thu 21: Merlin Roxby @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 8:00pm. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig. Ragtime piano.
Thu 21: Tees Hot Club @ Dorman’s Club, Middlesbrough. 8:30pm.

Fri 22: Vasilis Xenopoulos & Paul Edis @ The Gala, Durham. 1:00pm. £8.00. SOLD OUT!
Fri 22: Classic Swing @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 22: Rendezvous Jazz @ The Monkseaton Arms. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 22: New Orleans Preservation Jazz Band @ The Oxbridge Hotel, Stockton. 1:00pm. £5.00.
Fri 22: Nauta + Remy CB + Last Orders @ Hoochie Coochie, Newcastle. 8:30pm (7:30pm doors). Free.
Fri 22: Vasilis Xenopoulos-Paul Edis Quartet @ Traveller’s Rest, Darlington. 8:00pm. £15.00. Opus 4 Jazz Club.
Fri 22: Redwell @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 8:00pm. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig.

Sat 23: Jambone @ The Glasshouse, Gateshead. 6:30pm. Free (ticketed). End of term performance in the Northern Rock Foundation Hall.
Sat 23: Milne-Glendinning Band @ The Vault, Darlington. 7:00pm. Free.
Sat 23: Red Kites Jazz @ Rowlands Gill Community Centre NE39 1JB. 7:00pm. Tickets: £12.00. (gibsidecommunityfarm@gmail.com). A ‘Build a Barn’ fundraiser. BYOB, tea/coffee available.
Sat 23: New Century Ragtime Orchestra @ Gosforth Civic Theatre, Newcastle. 7:30pm. £20.00. + bf (book in person at venue - no booking fee!). Featuring pianist Martin Litton.
Sat 23: Pete Tanton’s Cuba Libre @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 8:00pm. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig.

Sun 24: Musicians Unlimited @ Park Inn, Hartlepool. 1:00pm. Free.
Sun 24: More Jam @ The Globe, Newcastle. 2:30pm. Free.
Sun 24: Luis Verde @ Queen’s Hall, Hexham. 3:00pm. Verde (alto sax); Joe Steels (guitar); John Pope (double bass); John Hirst (drums). Alto sax brilliance!
Sun 24: Elsie Franklin @ The Globe, Newcastle. 3:00pm. £10.00. Country blues. An International Guitar Foundation promotion.
Sun 24: 4B @ The Ticket Office, Whitley Bay Metro Station. 3:00pm. Free.
Sun 24: Las Vegas Live with the Rat Pack @ The Forum, Billingham.
Sun 24: Ian Millar & Dominic Spencer @ Otterburn Memorial Hall. 7:30pm. £12.00.
Sun 24: Lindsay Hannon: Tom Waits for No Man @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 7:00pm. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig. Note start time - 7:00pm.
Sun 24: Bold Big Band @ The Globe, Newcastle. 8:00pm.

Mon 25: Harmony Brass @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Mon 25: Michael Young Trio @ The Engine Room, Sunderland. 6:30pm. Free.

Sunday, October 30, 2016

CD Review: Ben Lee Quintet - In the Tree

Ben Lee (guitars), Chris Young (alto), Richard Foote (trombone), David Ferris (organ), Euan Palmer (drums).
(Review by Steve T)
'Ben studied jazz guitar at Birmingham Conservatoire'. Since he and number one son are now acquainted I should be careful what I say. It's the best album in the world ever.
But seriously, there's an awful lot about this band and this album that I like: guitar, sax, trombone, sax and trombone, Hammond (almost), no piano, no bass - sorry guys.
He's also a fine composer, comparable with anybody around, and a good few years younger than most.
As a guitarist he cites Wes and Schofield as influences and I'd like to add Mike Walker, whether Ben realises it or not, who seems to be impacting on all the young guitarists in this country at the moment.
Away from Jazz, we're told he likes Radiohead and Nirvana, the latter with a track named after them on which he unleashes far more firepower than I've ever heard from Cobain
Further resonances I hear, which he may or may not be aware of, are prog rock, and more firmly within the genre than Radiohead, and seventies fusion, including specifically the funk end of things, and if he and/or trombonist Richard Foote haven't listened to the Crusaders with Wayne Henderson and Fred Wesley’s JBs, they should.
I almost hate to mention the Zee word (yet) again but I seem to hear him everywhere in contemporary Jazz. He asked the question 'does humour belong in music' and answered it in the affirmative, rather too often some might say. I agree and as an old, pre-teenage prog rocker, Genesis and Jethro Tull were also very effective at incorporating humour into their respective musical oeuvres.
Ben introduces some jocularity on the title track with some whistling before it develops into something close to ragtime, which illustrates his flair for melody but, at track two I found it premature.
There's also some joviality on track eight, Kickin' the Chicken and the album closes with some flippancy on Skateboarding on my Own, featuring spoken word, presumably from the man himself.
I hate to mention the Bea word (yet) again but, within mass culture this trend is attributed to Yellow Submarine. As an atheist who thinks the Bea word are more over-rated than Jesus, Yellow Submarine is the second best track on Revolver, and the best track is the only 'serious' record they ever made, I found three light-hearted stabs at humour on a debut album, brave.
Despite this minor reservation, it's a fine album with lots to appeal to guitarists, jazz fans and anyone with an interest in the rich tapestry of contemporary British Jazz. 
Moreover, everybody should buy every album by every guitarist who comes out of Birmingham Conservatoire.
This one's been out a week on Brummy's own Stoney Lane Records and the band are on a limited tour until mid-January.
Steve T.

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