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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.

Friday, November 21, 2014

John Wilson Orchestra - Cole Porter in Hollywood. Sage Gateshead.

John Wilson (cond/md/arr etc.); Anna-Jane Casey/Scarlet Strallon/Matthew Ford/Richard Morrison (vcls); +full orchestra).
(Review by Lance).
A lovely afternoon listening to some of Cole Porter's finest songs expertly arranged by John Wilson (of Gateshead) and sung by four of the finest interpretors of the idiom.
BSH's Elizabeth of York (AKA as Liz) had made the journey north and thoroughly enjoyed the experience.
This wasn't a jazz gig, although there were one or two tasty sax/clarinet breaks and I think I recognised Colin Oxley on guitar, but the music of Porter is timeless and has fuelled the repertoire of most jazz musicians.
After the overture, a medley of Porter tunes, the four singers came forth for Don't Monkey With Broadway. This got the three tier full crowd in the mood for the contrasting I've Got You Under my Skin and then the superb You're The Top. Ford and Casey not only sang Porter's lyric - surely the best ever list song: -
You're the top/You're the Colosseum,/You're the top/You're the Louvre Museum/etc. - but with slight facial gestures that added to the humour of the lyric.
I swear that that song has more verses than Let's Do it which in fact they didn't do!
Space prevents me mentioning all of the highlights but Strallen's So In Love and Morrison's Where is the Life That Late I Led? - both from Kiss Me Kate - stood out. I didn't think the ballet sequence from The Pirate worked - with Gene Kelly and Judy Garland fine, but on its own? The instrumental ballet sequence that did work was the Silk Stockings score and From This Moment On, also from Kate. The latter had the vocal beginning but then went into the dance section. Nobody on stage was dancing but we in the stalls were metaphorically transformed into Bob Fosse, Tommy Rall and Bobby Van - Liz of course was Ann Miller!
Then there was the unknown You Can Do No Wrong that Andre Previn and Porter himself rated as his finest song. Not sure if it is his finest but it sure is fine - check out Judy singing it to Gene Kelly.
There was so much more - too much to mention.
The Broadway bounce of Anna-Jane, the neo-operatic charm of Scarlet, Matthew's belting baritone and Richard's dramatic tenor all combined to make this an afternoon few will forget.
All beautifully brought together by John Wilson and, of course,
Cole Porter!
Lance.

5 comments :

Liz said...

such an excellent review Lance, JW would be proud! Thanks again for a delightful afternoon spent in companionable perfection. We both chuckled in unison, did you notice?

Lance said...

We usually do - great minds and all that!

Phil Kelly said...

A wonderful afternoon at The Sage. Good to see you Lance.

Lance said...

You too Phil - envious of your Birdland T-shirt!

Liz said...

Hello Phil, good to meet you, you could auction that T shirt if times get hard!!

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