Total Pageviews

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.

Friday, August 01, 2014

Strictly Smokin' Big Band @ The Millstone. July 31.

Michael Lamb (MD), Gordon Marshall, Dick Stacey (tpts); Mark Ferris, Kieran Parnaby, Michael Fletcher, Matthew Fletcher, Robert "Pez" Perry (tmb); Steve Summers, Keith Robinson, Paul Gowland, Jamie Toms, Laurie Rangecroft (reeds); Chris Harrison (pno); Bradley Johnston (gtr); Michael Whent (bs); Guy Swinton (dms).
(Review by Lance).
In the upper room, the disciples of the SSBB numbered many more than the traditional twelve. The gospel had been preached even unto Cullercoats from whence many travelled overland to worship and drink goblets of Real Ale.
It was well worth the journey to the promised land for yea verily this nomadic band of musical vagabonds were in fine form. 
Lester Leaps In, Long Ago and Far Away, Blues Machine, Five Foot Two Eyes of Blue, Devil and the Deep Blue Sea, Fat Cat, Frankie and Johnny and a Trombone Guy, Sweet Georgia Brown and Hayburner made up the first set and it was a killer!
I'm currently reading books on Woody Herman and Stan Kenton. I don't normally, simultaneously, read two books but one fits into my pocket and one doesn't. This, of course, means at times I think Kenton had Four Brothers and Woody had three wives and a son called Lance. I digress. The reason I mention this is because the chap sitting next to me compared the band to Kenton and indeed the SSBB are comparable with many name bands of the past and, I'm sure, of the future.
The second set hit the ground running with Ellington's Skindeep and Do Nothing Till You Here From Me, Mulligan's (Gerry) Red Door, the Buddy Rich version of Norwegian Wood, Number 180 (AKA?). a request for Body and Soul, One Note at a Time and a "Wonderful" version of Isn't She Lovely?
Trumpet solos from the depleted section were by leader Lamb, trombone solos from the augmented section were by Parnaby and all the saxes had their say to a greater or lesser degree.
New pianist Harrison fitted in well and guitarist Johnston excelled rhythm-wise and in solo on Fat Cat.
Michael Whent kept it rooted and drummer Swinton, acoustically caged behind glass panels played with humour and announced sympathetically - whoops! wrong way round!
They're here on the last Thursday of each month but, come early - a seventeen piece band doesn't leave many seats for sitting on!
Also, catch them August 16 at the Tyne Bar down on the waterfront.
Lance.

2 comments :

Unknown said...

Thanks very much Lance. Enjoyed the 'ye olde' slant on this one!

Just to confirm trombones were Michael and Matthew Fletcher, and A. N. Other is the one and only Robert 'Pez' Perry! Also Laurie Rangecroft, not Larry!

Hopefully catch you on 16th Aug at The Tyne Bar!

Lance said...

Thanks Michael - corrections made.

Blog Archive