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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.
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.

Sunday, January 12, 2014

Mark Williams Trio + Claude Werner @ Jazz Café January 11

Mark Williams (gtr); Paul Susans (bs.gtr); Richard Brown (dms) + Claude Werner (ten).
(Review by Lance)
I arrived early and although there were as yet few in attendance the signs were promising. Zoe Gilby's latest CD was playing in the background which was only right and proper as two thirds of tonight's trio were on the CD. Bottles of real ale jostled with the inevitable Peroni and, whilst the walls still need jazzing up a bit, overall the feel was good. As the free admission cut off time (9pm) approached the room filled up and by the time Williams and co hit the deck running there was a respectable sized audience.
The set comprised Mark Williams' originals that served to display the jovial Irishman's facility. Shades of Schofield and Metheny (as Russell pointed out) were interspersed with passages of soulful lyricism including one incredible stretched out cadenza-like break. In particular, Weird Waltz displayed the ease with which he coped with ever changing moods and modes. Unsure what Mark's final chord was  but it must have included ruptured ninths and flatulent fifths - a well named and brilliant composition!
Not that Mark was the only driver on the bus., in one of several fine bass guitar solos, Susans defied the prevailing winds with a solo of such rare and delicate beauty that the room became enveloped in a hushed silence before erupting with tumultuous applause.
Throughout all these contrasting emotions Richard Brown was rock solid, going with the flow until his moment arrived. Richard may look the epitome of cool but, beneath that outward demeanour, lurks a volcanic interior that, when ignited, erupts with such a rhythmic complexity the listener could be fooled into thinking he had an extra arm, maybe two.
Time to re-charge our glasses, exchange the latest jazz gossip and eagerly await the second set and the pre departure arrival of Claude Werner - surely Chile's greatest gift to Newcastle and I haven't overlooked the Robledo brothers (football reference)! Claude is heading south so this was his north-east swansong.
What can I say? He leaves behind a wonderful legacy. Tenor playing that exudes emotion, technique and just so much soul.  Surely he was born with a silver saxophone in his mouth! Man and machine as one - joined at the hip and I use the word advisedly.
From the opening belter via the rhapsodic You've Changed to the final Williams  opus Booze Blues (Bloos?) the Santiago Supersax left us with a night to remember,
not least the final exchanges with Mark which saw the pair musically entwined.
Phew!
Photos.
Lance.

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