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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.

Tuesday, December 05, 2017

The Bold Big Band @ The Dun Cow, Jesmond - December 3

(Review by Russell)
The Dun Cow in Brandling Village, Jesmond, recently reopened following extensive refurbishment. The Brandling, as was, is the new watering hole of students and anyone else who lives in the area and, indeed, further afield. An open plan public house with a conservatory extension to one end, a range of beers at the bar, just the place for a quiet Sunday evening drink.     
Bebop Spoken Here accepted an invitation to attend the inaugural performance of a new big band.
The Dun Cow’s conservatory extension transformed, for one night only, into a makeshift stage was hoping to squeeze in an eighteen-piece big band - the Bold Big Band. Five reeds, three out front, a second line of two, three trombones, the bass ’bone man in the second row, it was a little cramped! Two drummers, sharing kit and percussion duties, a guitarist at the back (heard but not seen!), and a singing bass player. Oh! And a partially obscured piano player to one side.
The Bold Big Band assembled right on time for the first of three sets. One or two familiar faces sat in the sections; Davids Hignett and Gray, trumpet and trombone respectively, Newcastle University Jazz Orchestra members, including bassist Ifede Osiyemi, and final year music students, drummer Harry Still and, heard playing tenor at a recent Jazz Café jam session, the Bold Big Band’s MD, Mr  Jimmy Jefford. About that quiet drink…make it some other time! The Bold Big Band hit the ground running, bold as, and didn’t let up all night. Spain (arr. Paul Jennings) set the standard; gloriously loud (front row seats within millimeters of the horns!), blazing solos flying around the sections, this was one mightily impressive opening! C Jam Blues, then Four (arr. Mark Taylor), step forward, no, stand up, stay where you are, there isn’t the room to go anywhere else, Ms Alexis Cairns, reeds.

The band played it loud. The audience (the place was packed) reciprocated with huge applause, a fabulous atmosphere right from the off. Bassist Ifede Osiyemi made his way to the front of stage to sing The Lady is a Tramp. More wild applause, the ladies would soon be up dancing! Buddy Rich and Herbie Hancock are in the pad of countless big bands and the Bold Big Band saw no reason not to play a couple – Big Swing Face (Mercedes Phillips, alto), then Watermelon Man. End of set one. Go to the bar, set two would soon be upon us.

No sooner had the audience caught its breath the Bold Big Band launched into the first of two big band heavyweight workouts courtesy of the Big Phat Band man, Mr Gordon Goodwin. Sing, Sang, Sung featured Ms Phillips on soprano saxophone and later the orchestra would deliver a knockout blow with a sure-fire winner from the pen of the Los Angeles-based composer, arranger and big band leader. A Beautiful Friendship had all of the many females present singing along with Ifede Osiyemi (excellent section work behind him). A wonderful moment. Jimmy Jefford lead on Mercy Mercy Mercy and the set closer, Manteca, tore it up.

Go to the bar, set three would soon be upon us. Jefford lead the way once more on Work Song. A second Big Phat Band selection – Count Bubba – highlighted the exemplary work of the sections, making it clear that this new band is going to turn heads wherever it plays. An instrumental version of This Masquerade was, perhaps, a little hurried and a vocal wouldn’t have gone amiss. Sammy Nestico’s arrangement of Just in Time brought the evening almost to a close…almost. The Bold Big Band went out, all guns blazing, on Gordon Goodwin’s The Jazz Police. The Dun Cow was up and dancing! A new band has well and truly announced its arrival on the scene. You’ll be hearing more from the Bold Big Band, that’s for sure. A truly memorable debut. 
Russell
PS: Full personnel to follow when confirmed.

1 comment :

Patti said...

And what a fabulous, storming debut this was - big band heaven in Brandling Village!

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