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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.

Saturday, March 31, 2018

Strictly Smokin’ Big Band @ The Millstone - March 29

(Review by Russell). 
Easter weekend yet the band was just about at full strength, a testament to the commitment of those involved. A three-horn trumpet section plus two top-rank trombone deps, otherwise this was the A-Team ready to go on this the Strictly Smokin’ Big Band’s monthly public rehearsal night. No time to waste as MD Michael Lamb counted them in on Mexicali Nose (from Buddy Rich’s Big Swing Face) followed by Sammy Nestico’s arrangement of Hayburner. A cracking start and it’s a free admission night down at the Millstone!

A three-flute intro courtesy of Messrs Rangecroft, Robinson and Summers encouraged Alice Grace to confide: My Heart Belongs to Daddy. A nice arrangement with Steve Summers’ alto burning it up in advance of a Latin-feel trumpet part for Gordon Marshall. Band vocalist Grace hung around long enough to run through Teach Me Tonight. In fact, there was much more of Ms Grace with her side-kick F’reez elsewhere. An uptempo Beautiful Love, Angel Eyes with Paul Gowland’s breathy tenor, then a new chart – One Note at a Time – from the pen of American Doug Beach.
The SSBB’s pad is nothing if not varied. The reeds excelled on the Thad Jones-Mel Lewis number Groove Merchant as did ex-pat American trumpeter Pete Tanton and the SSBB’s ‘go to’ trombonist David Barnes. More vocal excellence from Alice Grace on Cole Porter’s You Do Something to Me, then a short interval, time for a natter – ‘hello’ to Brian, Jimmy, Jamie, Michael, Pete – and another pint of the Millstone’s tip-top, hard-to-find Bass.

A rip-roaring Ol’ Man River resumed hostilities with bandleader Lamb showing the way with a bold, assertive trumpet solo. More from Lamb as Alice Grace returned to ask How High the Moon? Band participation enabled our vocalist to engage in a fun call and response section on Ella’s early chart success A Tisket A Tasket. Neal Hefti then Rodgers and Hammerstein: Flight of the Foo Birds and My Favorite Things, the latter benefitting from Michael Whent’s in-the-pocket bass line and perhaps the solo of the night from Keith Robinson blowing some incisive alto.

The incomparable Alice Grace returned to see out the night singing Alright, Okay, You Win and an intriguing new chart – to these ears – from Dane Veronica Mortensen of guitarist Ole Frimer’s tune Not Just a Date. Mortensen has worked extensively with small group and big band, notably Aarhus’ Klüvers Big Band. Check out Mortensen’s work, and check out the Strictly Smokin’ Big Band’s gigs – the next public performance is a late Sunday afternoon session at Hoochie Coochie on April 22. 
Russell.                            
Strictly Smokin’ Big Band: Michael Lamb MD, Pete Tanton, Gordon Marshall trumpets; David Barnes, Mark Ferris, Chris Kurgi-Smith, Laura Davison trombones; Jamie Toms, Paul Gowland, Steve Summers, Keith Robinson, Laurie Rangecroft reeds; Pawel Jedrzejewski guitar; Graham Don piano; Michael Whent bass; Guy Swinton (drums); Alice Grace (vocals).

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