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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, December 10, 2017

House of the Black Gardenia @ Billy Bootleggers - Dec 9

(Review by Russell)
A third gig of the day for your correspondent. Arriving at Billy Bootleggers during the interval sometime around ten thirty, the joint was jumpin’. The basement juke joint on Nelson Street has rapidly established itself as the place to hang out, be seen, dance, drink beer (American, buddy) and hear the best dirt-kickin’ roadhouse blues, jazz and hokum east of the Mississippi.
The beer flowing (Shipyard Brewing Company, Portland, Maine), standing (and dancing) room only all night long, the House of the Black Gardenia were about to begin their second set. Frontwoman, the fabulous Bobbi Charleston, strapped on her washboard, the boys in the band ready to go, Blue Drag then Viper Mad. The band, all waistcoats and braces, stepped right out of Steinbeck’s Grapes of Wrath to play some of the best stuff you’re ever likely to hear. Detached, dead-eye characters on the stand looked on as the revellers danced the night away. Bassist and sousaphonist Neil Hopper didn’t blink, similarly, guitarist Michael Littlefield (frontman with the King Bees) stared, vacantly, into the middle distance, looking not unlike an ‘other world’ Manouche.

 The HotBG horns wailed right side of stage. Piecing clarinet from a strictly smokin’ Keith Robinson attempted to make itself heard, Aussie trumpeter Richard Burns blew and blew, later confiding that he couldn’t hear a darn thing. Good, just as it should be! What a gig! To our left, somewhere on the floor, Ben Imrye rattled the 88s, drummer Kit Haigh wasn’t sighted all night, hidden as he was, way down in the engine room hole – Billy Bootleggers is one hell of a tight juke joint!

Make no mistake, Bobbi Charleston is the focal point. Star quality, great vocals and, if there is such a thing, a washboard virtuoso. Charleston exclaimed I Wish I Could Shimmy Like My Sister Kate as a dance floor full of budding Kates shimmied the night away. Baby Don’t Tear My Clothes pleaded Ms Charleston. A gentleman would never consider doing such a thing, would he? The HotBG is as good as it gets and Billy Bootleggers just can’t get enough of ’em. Weed Smoker’s Dream closed a brilliant performance. The next time House of the Black Gardenia hit your local dive bar be there, a good time is guaranteed.                        
Russell.

Bobbi Charleston (washboard & vocals), Richard Burns (trumpet), Keith Robinson (clarinet & tenor saxophone), Keiran Parnaby (trombone), Michael Littlefield (guitar & vocals), Ben Imrye (keyboards & vocals), Neil Hopper (double bass & sousaphone) & Kit Haigh (drums)  

1 comment :

Patti said...

Mr Be Bop Spoken Here reviewer has surpassed himself here - an ace review of an even 'acer' gig. This was a storming session - a fabulous atmosphere in the joint to start with, and a hotter than hades lowdown and dirty jazz band! The joint was jumping!

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