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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.

Friday, July 27, 2018

Strictly Smokin' Big Band with Kermit the frog @ The Millstone - July 26

(Review by Russell)
With the boss absent the temptation was there to get up to mischief, however, MD Michael Lamb can rest easy, on a steamy early evening the boys and girls of the orchestra got down to business, as usual. Keeping an eye on matters, and an ear to the ground, was a very special guest...Kermit the Frog.
F'reez got the show on the road with Let the Good Times Roll and it wasn't too long before his vocal partner-in-crime Alice Grace joined the party, greeting a full house at the Millstone  with the words: Happy heatwave! With Pete Tanton's muted trumpet work AG scatted on Honeysuckle Rose. If there was an admission charge to this regular public rehearsal session - there isn't - it would be worth every penny simply to hear AG sing. And sing again did the Strictly Smokin' vocalist as she insisted, with no little humour, Somebody Loves Me.

F'reez interpreted Anthony Strong's arrangement of Whatever Lola Wants and moments later there was a mass exodus from the rather warm upstairs room - the interval had come just in time. Some made a dash to the bar, some sat in the beer garden. 

Okay with Jay resumed hostilities with a two-alto treat featuring a bluesy solo from band mainstay Keith Robinson followed by occasional dep Alexis Cairns...good stuff. Ms Grace returned to sing Maroon 5's Sunday Morning rearranged for big band, and, as AG observed, it was Hailey Tuck's chart that was first heard when Ms Tuck worked with the SSBB at Hoochie Coochie. 

Evenin' sang F'reez, Puttin' on the Ritz sang Alice, then...Pete Tanton came down front to sing. Did MD Lamb know about this?! Hey, Lamb couldn't have been other than impressed. Anyone familiar with Tanton's Riviera Quartet would know about Tanton's sweet vocal style and on this session, his own composition To Heaven Over Night made the case for its inclusion in a SSBB concert performance. 

The band's soloists did their thing, from Graham Don, piano, tenors Jamie Toms and Paul Gowland to Tanton blowing from the section. F'reez said good night asking Is you is and with the band punching out the riffs Alice Grace sang Get Happy. Listening to the Strictly Smokin' Big Band has that effect, it makes you happy. Next one at the Millstone is on August 30 but, before then, the band can be heard at this year's Ushaw Jazz Festival with special guest Alan Barnes on Sunday, August 26.           
Russell

Tom Rushton; Pete Tanton; Gordon Marshall; Ben Chinery (trumpets); Chris Grey; Mark Ferris; Tom Dowling (trombones); Jamie Toms, Paul Gowland; Keith Robinson; Alexis Cairns; Laurie Rangecroft (reeds); Pav Jedrzejewski (guitar); Graham Don (piano); Michael Whent (bass); Guy Swinton (drums); Alice Grace (vocals); F'reez (vocals)   

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