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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.

Sunday, August 21, 2016

Strictly Soakin’ Big Band @ The Tyne Bar. August 20

(Review by Russell).
Summertime down by the Ouseburn. You can bet your bottom dollar the weather will be ‘interesting’. Michael Lamb’s roaring big band played its annual outdoor gig at the Tyne Bar and, as sure as Glenn Miller is missing, the good old British weather turned-up right on cue. Clothes pegs at the ready, the Maling Street wind tunnel would surely do its best.
Make that ‘worst’. Rain, of the torrential variety, arrived ahead of the band. A raincoat, a beanie, a baseball cap…and that was the band! The audience? It would take more than an unseasonal downpour of Noah’s Flood proportions to keep them away. Wind, rain, beer, and a fantastic big band, your typical Saturday afternoon down by the river.
The band started on time. What? Yes, the Tyne Bar’s advertised start time of three thirty meant what it said, no doubt catching some on the hop. Two dozen rain-soaked tunes and a typically stoic Geordie audience loved  every minute of the Strictly Soakin’ Big Band’s two sets ranging from St Louis Blues to Hallelujah I Love Her So. F’reez shared the vocal duties with Alice Grace. F’reez…an appropriate name on a day such as this! Our man did see the funny side of things singing: Sunny and On a Clear Day being two of his features. And a togged-up Alice Grace told us she was Too Darn Hot. Yes, the one-time National Youth Jazz Orchestra star sang with the band. You Make Me Feel So Young, Time After Time, a rollicking Route 66 (a rock n’ roll James Peacock), Ms Grace sang superbly, and the crowd showed its appreciation. Star quality is star quality.   

The band roared defiantly in the face of the weather gods. The trumpet section fired; Pete Tanton’s supporting solos to vocalist Grace, the depping Dave Hignett blowing away rain clouds, with MD Michael Lamb going for it. Steve Summers (alto, soprano & bedraggled  hat – Pork Pie?) grabbed  the lion’s share of the solos, Pawel Jedrzejewski (guitar) played impressively and depping piano player, James Peacock, threatened to steal the show.

A summer holidays’ mix and match trombone section did a grand job, as did the bass and drums boys Michael Whent and Guy Swinton. The engine room partnership is never less than spot-on and this Tyne Bar gig was no different. The band, the material, the glorious weather (not), the Strictly Soakin’ Big Band (a one-off name change!) – what better way to spend a summer Saturday afternoon? 

The Strictly Smokin’ Big Band’s next gig with guest Hailey Tuck is at Hoochie Coochie on Sunday 18 September. It’s another late afternoon start, make sure you’re on time. The  doors open at four o’clock, first set at five. This will be a first opportunity to hear up and coming American singer Ms Tuck in Newcastle. It promises to be quite an occasion.                           
Russell.
Strictly Smokin’ Big Band: trumpets: Michael Lamb (MD), Pete Tanton, Dave Hignett, Stephen Wilkinson; trombones: David Barnes, Chris Kurgi-Smith, Robert 'Pez' Perry, Sarah Bolt; tenor saxophone: Jamie Toms, Alan Marshall; alto & soprano saxophones: Steve Summers; alto saxophone:  Mercedes Phillips; baritone saxophone: Alan Thompson (?); guitar: Pawel Jedrzejewski; keyboards: James Peacock; bass: Michael Whent; drums: Guy Swinton; vocals: Alice Grace & F’reez.

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