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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

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.

Saturday, February 21, 2015

The Road to Hong Kong with Colin Aitchison - Part Four.

Q: Ned Kelly’s, it sounds a fun place. Is it purely jazz or do you have to do a bit of everything?
A: Ned Kelly’s is 80%  Dixieland, the rest, 10% Swing & Latin Jazz with a little Be-Bop and  the other 10% are my cabaret spots, or as I call it, a little audience participation. There are times when we add a touch of Spike Jones.
Now when I say 80% Dixieland, I would not say it is "pure Dixieland". To give an example we play everything from Jelly Roll Morton’s “Black Bottom Stomp"  to  a little Latin jazz "Triste" to "Take Five". The  cabaret stuff -  well, that is me fooling around playing "Amazing Grace" on the tea-pot in 2 octaves, to doing a Louis taake on “What A Wonderful World"  with the Neds Glee Club (audience). "New York, New York" has been renamed "Mong Kok, Mong Kok" which is a notorious area here in Hong Kong. Some other fun routines are the rubber chicken on  12th Street Rag! The audience love it!
Post 1997 saw a dramatic change in the audience mix. Gone are the forces expats - we have a wonderful young Chinese following, who come to enjoy the fun and entertainment. It is a great and fun venue for office and birthday parties and celebrations of all sorts. We still host regulars from the numerous trade shows held here and of course, over the years we have had  visiting musicians and passengers from cruise ships,  US fleet personnel and US 7th fleet band
I would say our audience is a mix of locals, expats and  business people, with an age group from 18 year olds to 70+ year olds.  Neds has hosted some greats like Charlie Barnet, Rosemary Clooney, Matt Monroe, Sergio Mendes, Kenny Ball, Bob Wilber (pictured with Colin), Fred Wesley and in March this year we will have US trombonist Dan Barrett.
Q: You return to the UK on a yearly basis doing a few gigs with the local guys. Do you think you’ll ever return to stay?
A: As time goes by – cue for a song.  Every year on a return I do feel more at home.  They always say that you eventually come back to your roots, and if I was to return it would be to Tyneside. I would of course not be back to play full time. It would be just nice to play and enjoy playing when I want to. I am always deeply touched by the warm welcome that both Jeannie and I receive when we meet up with friends and musicians who have known me since I was a little boy and dad was around.
I have a couple of years to fulfil contracts in Hong Kong,  To think  that when I turned professional in 1976, and in all that time I’ve only been out of work for around one month,. I had to travel and I had to take chances and the gamble has paid off.   It will be a difficult decision to leave Asia. but yes... UK is still on the cards and if I did return, it would be to Geordie Land
Q: Unlike some musicians, you have a deep interest in the history of the music typified by your vast collection of vintage Melody Makers ?
A: What a great music paper that was, and one of my first jobs came from it. So definitely  a strong attachment.  Their reports and coverage of jazz and big bands from the 20's to the 70's  it's all there. I'm at present in the process of posting my collection on line on Flickr.  It's a time consuming task and I often find myself side tracked by wanting to read the many interesting articles that I come across. 
Colin.
(To be continued)

2 comments :

carstairs said...

When you come back you can make a start with scanning my collection of M . M and RHYTHM !
Meanwhile we look forward to July

CCJAZZMEN said...

John, would love to do that, but it is a big job, and you get so side tracked, but what great musical magazines and papers they were, and most of my jobs as a professional musician came from the MM in those days, yes looking forward to July, and some relaxed blows here and there.

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