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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.

Thursday, October 27, 2016

Krokofant + Horse Orchestra + Archipelago @ The Black Swan October 25

Krokofant: Jørgen Mathisen (sax); Tom Hasslan (guitar); Axel Skalstad (drums)
(Review by Steve H/Photos courtesy of Ken Drew)
Match and Fuse is an organisation which aims to bring bands from all over Europe to play in different countries. As an added bonus they also try and present local bands on the same bill.
This tie-in with Jazz North East and Schmazz ticked all the boxes.
Headlining were Krokofant who hail from Norway. I would describe the music as ‘Heavy Rock Jazz’.  Guitarist Hasslan could fit easily into a number of classic 70’s rock outfits such as Led Zeppelin or Deep Purple. Meanwhile, Sax player Mathisen seems to come from a far more European free jazz tradition. The 2 styles are fused together by the powerhouse drumming of Skalstad. A highly intriguing energetic set left one quite bewildered as to what they were actually witnessing but who cares? it was very enjoyable whatever the style.
Horse Orchestra: Ingimar Andersen (saxophones); Erik Kimestad Pedersen (trumpet); Petter Hängsel (trombone); Kristian Tangvik (tuba); Jeppe Zeeberg (keyboards); Nicolai Kaas Claesson (bass); Rune Lohse (drums)
Horse Orchestra are a Copenhagen based band although they are a Scandinavian alliance with members from Norway, Iceland, Sweden and Denmark. They reminded me a bit of a mini Loose Tubes.  The emphasis of the band seemed to be one of having a good time with their postmodern take on 1920’s Jazz mixed up with circus style and various other musical genres. Keyboard player Zeeberg announced the numbers with classic Scandinavian deadpan humour and the rest of the band also contributed to the general jocularity. During one number the entire brass section came to the front of the stage and maybe inspired by Edvard Munch appeared to scream rather than chant although very effective it was too.
Archipelago: Faye MacCalman (reeds); John Pope (bass); Christian Alderson (drums)
The evening began with local favourites Archipelago who seem to develop each time I see them. Tighter and rockier, although possibly lacking the rawness and wildness of previous performances, the band got proceedings off to a rollicking good start. The set included a new piece featuring MacCalman on clarinet and I look forward with eager anticipation to their continued progress.

 The final part of the evening saw the ‘Fuse’ element of promotion take over. Match and Fuse founder Dave Morecroft brought together Krokofant with the horn section from Horse Orchestra and proceeded to conduct the musicians using a ‘sound painting’ technique. What unfolded was the highlight of an already marvellous evening as Morecroft and the band conjured up a  fascinating and stimulating piece of colourful music full of bewildering rhythms and textures.
Steve H.

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