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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.

Saturday, October 25, 2008

Bollywood to Barbados via Basin Street - The Grand Union Orchestra at the Customs House

There are good gigs, bad gigs and gigs that simply blow you away; not least because the end result is so unexpected - that old 'Sound of Surprise' again. Tonight was just such an occasion. An occasion, I have to be honest and admit, that I only turned out for because it was free! I'd vaguely heard of the Grand Union Orchestra but never actually heard them. I heard them tonight alright; it was a night I'll never forget.
Promoted by Hindu Nari Sangh and rubber stamped by the Mayoress of South Tyneside, her Rubenesque charms encased in a sari for the evening, the Grand Union Orchestra gave a performance that left me breathless. Not totally jazz, in fact not totally anything! Imagine Machito linking up with Mingus and Charlie Haden's Liberation Orchestra. Throw in a beautiful vocalist from Bangladesh (Lucy Rahman), a bootiful Aussie tenor player (Louise Elliot), Chris Biscoe doing Johnny Hodges and some fiery trumpet from Claude Deppa and Paul Jaysinha and you've almost got the picture - almost!
Calypso, Reggae and African slave songs went into the mix as well as a rock 'n roll (ish) vocal from tabla player Yousuf Ali Khan and a steel drum happening from Trinidadian, Ken Johnson.
Leader, Tony Haynes, led from the piano occasionally moving over to trombone on some numbers.
Sixteen men and women swinging and just too many moments to remember them all.
This was world music that was out of this world and, not only was it free but there was food for the audience afterwards although I didn't actually stay to sample it! I'm sure it wouldn't be fish and chips.
I'm still up there floating on a cloud.

4 comments :

Anonymous said...

What a feast, and all for free! You never hear of such value here in York, nor I suspect, anywhere else in this country.
How are these things funded I wonder?

Anonymous said...

The presence of the Mayoress might be a clue ...

Lance said...

The event was a celebration of the abolition of slavery.
I hear Liz saying; "They haven't abolished it in York!"

Anonymous said...

That's for sure Lance!

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