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Bebop Spoken There

Béla Fleck: “ And that's the great thing about live performances, you take people on a journey. It doesn't have to be like something else they've heard. It's not supposed to be". DownBeat, April, 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

Thu 28: Vieux Carré Jazzmen @ The Holystone, Whitley Road, North Tyneside. 1:00pm. Free.
Thu 28: Gateshead Jazz Appreciation Society @ Gateshead Central Library, Gateshead. 2:30pm.
Thu 28: Richard Herdman Quartet @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 8:00pm. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig.
Thu 28: Tees Hot Club @ Dorman’s Club, Middlesbrough. 8:30pm. Guests: Josh Bentham (alto sax); Alan Marshall (tenor sax); Neil Brodie (trumpet); Adrian Beadnell (bass); Graham Thompson (keys); Steve Hunter (drums).

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.

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.

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.

Tuesday, September 05, 2017

CD Review: Rudy Smith Quartet - Glass World

Rudy Smith (alto steel pan); Ole Matthiessen (piano); Henrik Dhyrbye (bass); Ole Streenberg (drums); Jesper Løvdal (tenor on 2 tracks); Bjarne Roupe (guitar on 1 track).
(Review by Lance).
A few years back I was part of the horn section of the Chilli Road Band, a band that was predominately a steel band with a few horns. The panners were mainly of school age and, naively, I thought that it was a great way of introducing them to music and, hopefully, eventually, a proper instrument!
Pass the sackcloth and the ashes - steel pans are proper instruments and, in the hands of Rudy Smith who is credited as being the man who transformed them into a jazz instrument, this CD proves it.
They have a unique sound - somewhere between a Fender Rhodes and a vibraphone and slot into the ensemble as easily as any other front line instrument. Here, in the company of some of Denmark's top jazzmen, Smith more than holds his own. Has he ever won a Miscellaneous Instrument gong in any of the magazine polls? He should be the automatic choice. Listen to his version of Body and Soul and you'll see what I mean. We're not talking novelty, we're talking music.
Of course, Smith isn't the only star shining on this fine album. Olie Matthiessen plays piano as well as contributing six of the nine compositions. Smith chips in with one and, calypso king Lord Kitchener provides Old Lady Walk One Mile & A Half.
Jesper Løvdal blows impressive tenor on a couple of tracks, Roupe has his say on the final track and bass and drums make their presence felt when bass and drums are needed to make their presence felt.
Now, do I go to Denmark or the Caribbean for my holidays?
Maybe I'll stay at home with a bottle of Carlsberg, a Mojita chaser and this album which is available on Stunt Records (UK distributor, Discovery) from September 22.
Lance.
PS: If you're doing the Great North Run this Sunday look out for the Chilli Road Band who will be playing at the roadside (Wardley flyover). They should spur you onto a PB or, then again, you may just want to stop running and listen!

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