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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.

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.

Monday, June 19, 2017

Strictly Smokin' Big Band @ Hoochie Coochie - June 18










(Review by Lance).
Outside they were frying eggs on the pavement, on stage SSBB were cooking with gas. Fortunately, Hoochie's air conditioning kept us comfortably cool.
At this stage of the game, there are few plaudits left to heap on this most exciting of big bands. Two ace vocalists, a host of fine soloists and a pad played with perfect precision which, given the complexity of some of the arrangements, demands a keen eye, a good ear and, seemingly, more digital extremities than a centipede.
Much has been made of the two Rolling Stones' numbers arranged by Gerard Presencer for the Danish Radio Big Band - Paint it Black and (Satis)Faction - yet, for me, they didn't quite match the other 25 numbers despite some stunning guitar work by Pavel Jedrzejewski on the former and Michael Lamb and Jamie Toms on the latter. Having said that, the others at my table were knocked out by them!
My highlights included F'reez singing I'm Just a Shy Guy which included a breathtaking chorus by the sax section; the phrasing was as one man. Another F'reez number, Gambling Man Blues had Gowland to the fore whilst That Kind of Guy saw 'Tricky Sam' David Barnes plungering.
Alice, tall and tan and young and lovely didn't sing Ipanema but did hit the jackpot with Can't we be Friends? and some scatting on Honeysuckle Rose. There were many more showstoppers but none better than Sax Alley which saw Toms, Gowland and Summers jousting on tenor - Gowland also added his soprano to the mix. T'riffic!
The band is back at Hoochie on October 15, this time with Joe Stilgoe guesting.
Lance.
Michael Lamb (MD/trumpet); Pete Tanton, Gordon Marshall, Dick Stacey (trumpets); David Barnes, Sarah Bolt, John Flood, Keiran Parnaby (trombones); Jamie Toms, Paul Gowland, Steve Summers, Keith Robinson, Laurie Rangecroft (reeds); James Peacock (keys); Pavel Jedrzejewski (guitar); Michael Whent (bass guitar); Guy Swinton (drums); Alice Grace, F'reez (vocals).

3 comments :

Patti D (on F/b) said...

The band were on fire! Fantastic - hot and ultra tight. With Alice and F'reez sounding wonderful.

Keith Robinson (n F/b) said...

Thanks for coming down Lance and supporting the band - and your complimentary words too!

Steve T said...

I can't get no (any) satisfaction, I can't get no (any) satisfaction, but I tried, and I tried, and I tried, and I tried, I can't get no (any)...Like a song a tone deaf five year old would write.

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