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Bebop Spoken There

Ambrose Akinmusire: “ I am certainly always aware of what the masses are doing. And when I see too many people going one way, I'm going another way - even when I don't know what's over that way". DownBeat, March, 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

Tue 19: Jam session @ The Black Swan, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free. House trio: Michael Young, Paul Grainger, Tim Johnston.

Wed 20: Vieux Carré Jazzmen @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Wed 20: Darlington Big Band @ Darlington & Simpson Rolling Mills Social Club, Darlington. 7:00pm. Free. Rehearsal session (open to the public).
Wed 20: Take it to the Bridge @ The Globe, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free.

Thu 21: Vieux Carré Jazzmen @ The Holystone, Whitley Road, North Tyneside. 1:00pm. Free.
Thu 21: Castillo Neuvo Trio + Conor Emery & His ‘Bones Band @ The Grove, Ouseburn, Newcastle. 7:30pm (7:00pm doors). £10.00. (£7.00. student).
Thu 21: Remi Banklyn + Chris Corcoran Trio @ The Globe, Newcastle. 8:00pm. £12.50. Chicago blues. An International Guitar Foundation promotion.
Thu 21: Merlin Roxby @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 8:00pm. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig. Ragtime piano.
Thu 21: Tees Hot Club @ Dorman’s Club, Middlesbrough. 8:30pm.

Fri 22: Vasilis Xenopoulos & Paul Edis @ The Gala, Durham. 1:00pm. £8.00. SOLD OUT!
Fri 22: Classic Swing @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 22: Rendezvous Jazz @ The Monkseaton Arms. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 22: New Orleans Preservation Jazz Band @ The Oxbridge Hotel, Stockton. 1:00pm. £5.00.
Fri 22: Nauta + Remy CB + Last Orders @ Hoochie Coochie, Newcastle. 8:30pm (7:30pm doors). Free.
Fri 22: Vasilis Xenopoulos-Paul Edis Quartet @ Traveller’s Rest, Darlington. 8:00pm. £15.00. Opus 4 Jazz Club.
Fri 22: Redwell @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 8:00pm. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig.

Sat 23: Jambone @ The Glasshouse, Gateshead. 6:30pm. Free (ticketed). End of term performance in the Northern Rock Foundation Hall.
Sat 23: Milne-Glendinning Band @ The Vault, Darlington. 7:00pm. Free.
Sat 23: Red Kites Jazz @ Rowlands Gill Community Centre NE39 1JB. 7:00pm. Tickets: £12.00. (gibsidecommunityfarm@gmail.com). A ‘Build a Barn’ fundraiser. BYOB, tea/coffee available.
Sat 23: New Century Ragtime Orchestra @ Gosforth Civic Theatre, Newcastle. 7:30pm. £20.00. + bf (book in person at venue - no booking fee!). Featuring pianist Martin Litton.
Sat 23: Pete Tanton’s Cuba Libre @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 8:00pm. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig.

Sun 24: Musicians Unlimited @ Park Inn, Hartlepool. 1:00pm. Free.
Sun 24: More Jam @ The Globe, Newcastle. 2:30pm. Free.
Sun 24: Luis Verde @ Queen’s Hall, Hexham. 3:00pm. Verde (alto sax); Joe Steels (guitar); John Pope (double bass); John Hirst (drums). Alto sax brilliance!
Sun 24: Elsie Franklin @ The Globe, Newcastle. 3:00pm. £10.00. Country blues. An International Guitar Foundation promotion.
Sun 24: 4B @ The Ticket Office, Whitley Bay Metro Station. 3:00pm. Free.
Sun 24: Las Vegas Live with the Rat Pack @ The Forum, Billingham.
Sun 24: Ian Millar & Dominic Spencer @ Otterburn Memorial Hall. 7:30pm. £12.00.
Sun 24: Lindsay Hannon: Tom Waits for No Man @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 7:00pm. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig. Note start time - 7:00pm.
Sun 24: Bold Big Band @ The Globe, Newcastle. 8:00pm.

Mon 25: Harmony Brass @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Mon 25: Michael Young Trio @ The Engine Room, Sunderland. 6:30pm. Free.

Monday, March 31, 2014

Alex Baker Quartet @ The Forum, Darlington. March 30

Alex Baker (tenor saxophone), Dean Stockdale (piano), Amy Baker (electric bass) & Stephen Fletcher (drums)
(Review by Russell).
The Forum on Borough Road, tucked away behind Darlington Civic Theatre, presents a range of arts activities across the week including music, cinema and workshop sessions. Early Sunday evening Darlington Jazz Club opens for business. Jazz musicians from the north east and occasionally further afield play two sets to an attentive audience in the bar. This week’s guest Alex Baker (tenor saxophone) was on home ground. A local lad now living in Sheffield, Baker met up with bass playing sister Amy and the ‘award winning’ drummer Stephen Fletcher (Baker was to gently tease Fletcher about his recent success) One hour before the gig Baker made the acquaintance of pianist Dean Stockdale. 
The jazz world is perhaps unique in matching musicians at a moment’s notice and making it work. The club organisers, well aware of Stockdale’s abilities, knew they had nothing to worry about, it would be good, the one question being: how good? A pint of Yard Dog (Ferryhill’s Yard of Ale Brewery) at hand and a chat with one or two regulars as the quartet ran through a couple of charts and before we knew it the first set started bang on time. Bessie’s Blues, This was going to be good! Solar. Two tunes in, it couldn’t get any better, could it? Mature, full toned tenor playing, it is worth travelling a distance to hear Alex Baker. 
A tenor and drums intro to the next number made for one regret – the whole of the north east’s jazz community should have been at the Forum to hear it. Fletcher (the award winning drummer!) and Baker taking Giant Steps. Stockdale and Amy Baker got on board Baker’s Trane and positively kicked ass (as the Americans might say). Superb bass playing (if Amy isn’t you’re favourite bass player it is simply because you are yet to hear her), chords and more from Dean ‘McCoy’ Stockdale, Three numbers into the set and the gig had leapt to the top of the Gig of the Year list! In a Sentimental Mood took it down, the musicianship up there. The interval. The consensus – fantastic!
Second set, more great piano from Stockdale on  Afro Blue and again on Moment’s Notice. A ballad was called for. Naima showcased Baker (Alex). Majestic tenor playing, rhythm section right there. A gig celebrating the music of John Coltrane, certainly. A gig celebrating the great tenor playing of Alex Baker. More Trane – Impressions. A gig of exceptional quality, the quartet should do it again, soon. The next Darlington Jazz Club date is Sunday April 13 with guests the Strictly Smokin’ Big Band. The third Darlington Jazz Festival runs from April 24-27. Tickets will sell out. Visit the Forum’s website www.theforumonline.co.uk Check Bebop Spoken Here nearer the time for a full festival preview.          
Russell.           

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