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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.

Wednesday, July 25, 2018

RIP Clive Gray

Just received the sad news that one of the northeast's jazz legends passed away on Monday, July 23.
Clive Gray was renowned not only for his fine banjo playing but also his sense of humour.
When I worked in J.G. Windows Music Store alongside his longtime musical confederate, Ronnie McLean, Clive was a regular customer buying Clarion banjo strings. He was the only person I knew who used Clarion Strings and we had to order them in specially for him.
I once asked him what it was about them that made them so special. Longevity, tonal quality, resonance? 
"Coz they're the cheapest" was his reply.
He played in most of the local trad bands at one time or another including the Vieux Carré Jazzmen, Ronnie McLean All-Stars, and the Savannah Syncopators. In the photo, Clive is pictured in between concerts at the 1981 Breda Oude Stijl Jazz Festival.


Dave Kerr, who passed on the sad news to me, remarked that he was sure a lot of people would have a lot of stories to tell which we'd like to share. Dave also provided 2 pictures from an earlier Breda Festival. The photo on the right shows, from left to right, Dave, Steve Andrews and Clive. The photo on the right, Clive is the one with the banjo.
If you have a memory of Clive, who truly was a character's character, please email me as, currently, I'm having issues with direct comments. Alternatively, comment on Facebook.
The funeral will take place at Gateshead Crematorium on Wednesday, August 8 at 11:15 am.
Sadly missed, may you rest in peace and don't play your banjo after midnight - you may wake up the Devil.
Clive Gray was 81.
Lance.

5 comments :

Anonymous said...

Sorry to learn of the passing of Clive Grey R.I.P
Raymond Newton Double Bass player

Roly said...

Sad to hear this news. I haven't got any amusing anecdotes but I would say this - I often saw Clive at The Golden Lion pub (now the Red Kite), at Winlaton Mill. This was with Peter Gascoigne's Vieux Carre who had a weekly residency there back in the 1970s. Clive was a virtuoso banjo player with a gift for harmonising melodies in chords, often with amusing quotes mid solo. It was quite something. Happy days indeed.
Roly

John Taylor said...

In the last years of the New Orleans Club at Forth Banks, me and my “Marra” Alf York attended every Friday night for the VC band
Alf was so taken by Clive’s playing that he bought a banjo – going to W Clement Millards for lessons
Alf has a fantastic memory for jokes and events. He just reminded me of something that happened at the end of a VC session at Forth Banks. Gassy announced that the last number would be “Just a closer walk with thee”. Clive shouted, “Can't we do something faster, I’m bursting for a pee”. To this Gassy replied, “For the weaker bladdered members of the band were doing Stomp Stomp Stomp Stop instead!”

Suzanne Swan said...

Hi Lance I have just seen the post you have put on about my Uncle Clive the service is at 11.15 NOT 11.30 if you can change this it would be great I am putting it in the Chronicle on Thursday anyway x Thanks Suzanne Swan

Lance said...

Hi Suzanne time now corrected.

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