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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, March 12, 2011

Customs House Big Band with Ruth Lambert @ Blaydon Jazz Club. March 10th.

Jill Brett, George Robinson, Alan Marshall, Tom Quillan, Chris Kaberry(saxes); Gareth Weaver, Chris Gurgi-Smith, Michael Fletcher Peter Morgan (tmb; Paul Riley-Gledhill, Kevin Eland, Ken DeVere, Bob Temple(tpts); Bill Brittain (pno); Alan Smith (bs); Roy Willis (gtr);David Francis (dms); Ruth Lambert (vcls).
In these difficult economic times Blaydon Jazz Club pushed the boat out to present the eighteen piece Customs House Big Band. The club's regulars turned out to hear a cracking band led by genial MD Peter Morgan.
The band opened with Love For Sale with Jill Brett playing some sensuous alto and Alan Marshall prominent on tenor. Simon and Garfunkel's Keep the Customers Satisfied worked, perhaps against expectations, with Brett featured once again. The award winning vocalist Ruth Lambert strolled onto stage to sing the first two of several numbers - Time After Time (Sammy Cahn/Jule Styne) and Come Fly With Me. Lambert respects the lyric yet, as with the all great singers, she interprets the material with a highly developed jazz sensibility.
All big bands should have a powerhouse trumpet player and the Customs House band is no different; up stepped Kevin Eland for a blast on Maynard Ferguson's Gravy Waltz having heard Tom Quillan set the pace with a brisk workout on tenor. The band's ensemble playing was better than ever and was heard to great effect on I Love Paris. Ms.Lambert returned to the stand to serve some Black Coffee and stayed around to sing I've Got the World on a String.
A Gordon Goodwin chart - High Maintenance - exercised the chops of all (Gurgi-Smith and Marshall featured), Cole Porter's It's All Right With Me and Woody's Woodchopper's Ball (George Robinson on clarinet) closed out the first set. MD Morgan announced that the band would beat everyone to the bar. Well, not quite everyone...
Refreshed, the second set opened with Witchcraft and the spell was cast with first class ensemble work with altoist Brett featured once more. An unfamiliar tune to this reviewer was Semi-Mental Journey by Los Angeles based composer Jim Martin. The title alone made this one a winner. It is, of course, based on the changes of Sentimental Journey. Gurgi-Smith, Quillan and Brett took the spotlight. The band breezed through Sweet Georgia Brown before vocalist Lambert returned once more for perhaps the highlight of the evening. At Last, with great tenor from Marshall, was a knock 'em dead performance from one of the finest singers in the land. The ensemble playing on In a Mellow Tone (full marks to the rhythm section of Bill Brittain & co.) was text book stuff and Lambert sang My Funny Valentine with excellent use of brushes by drummer David Francis.
One number after another, this was a winning performance by the Customs House Big Band. The jazz police loved every minute of it and they loved The Jazz Police by Gordon Goodwin! Time to go, but not before a rousing encore by the band and Ruth Lambert declaring Alright, Okay, You Win.
The band's next engagement is a two-nighter back at HQ (South Shields' Customs House). March 31st & April !st are the dates for your diary.
Blaydon Jazz Club's next concert features the impeccable Roy Williams with the Blaydon Jazz Quartet on April 14th. Please note that this one starts earlier than usual at 8:15 pm. There will be a buffet, raffle and maybe some Christmas crackers as Williams' scheduled appearance in December was cancelled due to the blizzard-like conditions in the north east. Get there early, it could be standing room only.
Russell.

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