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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.

Sunday, August 23, 2009

Ron Chapman - Sand Dancer, South Shields.

Ron Chapman (solo guitar).
The waves rolled in from the sea, beating against fortified wall with the ferocity of a Buddy Rich drum solo. Not a day for swimming.
Entering the bar I hear a child crying, Sunday lunchtime chit-chat fills the air. There is much to talk about - both local soccer teams have won. Knives and forks and plates provide the rhythm to the youngster's plaintive wail. Above it all, the strains of "Moonlight in Vermont" drift gently across the room. This is what I came for. I order a drink - a lager shandy, I too am in party mode. Skilfully ignoring a couple of rug-rats I find a seat close to the music.
In a corner, perched on a high stool, Ron Chapman plays, seemingly oblivious to the surroundings.
"Vermont" segues into "Over The Rainbow" and I show my appreciation with some 'air' clapping. He nods in acknowledgment and plays "Send in the Clowns" (not I hope directed at me!). "What Are You Doing The Rest of Your Life", "Embraceable You" (or was it "Darn That Dream"? Whatever it's all nice tasteful stuff.
With Ron you don't get Montgomerylike runs or flashy flights of fancy. Ron's forté is the unexpected chord that turns the piece around into something new. He explained later that, because of arthritus he sometimes fingers a wrong chord.
The chords sounded good to me. "You Don't Know What Love Is", "As Time Goes By" and finally "Nuages". Later I chat with Ron. We find we have a lot of mutual acq.'s and he promises to post some guitar stuff for the blog. As I type I notice already my inbox filling up - watch this space. Lance. (Ron Chapman plays four lunchtimes every week, Mondays and Fridays in the Priory Pub in Tynemouth and Saturday and Sundays at the Sand Dancer in South Shields. He describes his playing as: "Solo chordal jazz in the syle of Joe Pass, Johnny Smith, Barney Kessel etc. (I hope!)")

6 comments :

Hil said...

Lance being a native of the Tynemouth area, its strange I dont know where the Priory Pub in Tynemouth is?

Could it be the Gibraltar Rock? that one speaks of?

Lance said...

The Priory Bar, to give it its correct title, is at 2 East Street and seems to be sort of opposite the Gib. Check it out on Google Earth

Hil said...

Could it perhaps be the upstairs bar in the Gib?

Tom and Lorna Weatherly will know they live right opposite.

Ron said...

No the Priory is in the main street in Tynemouth on a corner. It used to be the Percy Arms.

Lance said...

Give the Weatherley's my regards - last time I saw them was at Zoe's Corner House gig. I thought they lived on the continent now? I worked with Lorna's brother, Ronnie McLean, for many years.

Hil said...

Thanks for that Ron. I thought it was still called the "Percy"

Lorna and Tom still have their beautiful apartment with wonderful views over the mouth of the Tyne. They do however spend quite abit of time abroad during the winter months (lucky things) I will pass on your comments Lance as I do see them quite often.

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