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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.

Tuesday, March 05, 2019

Great North Big Band Jazz Festival 2019: Schools Section (Day 3) - Mar 3

(Review by Russell)

Sunday, the last lap, day three of three. The previous day's events culminating in the Managers Big Band retaining its senior open title were still fresh in the mind. Now it was over to the coming generation to show what it was capable of.

Two competition sections - schools and youth - offered a full day's entertainment at Park View Community Centre. Durham County Cricket Club aside, there can be few occasions in the calendar when hundreds of people descend on Chester le Street to participate in a truly social gathering.  

The overcast conditions threatened rain, the kind of conditions a seam bowler would relish down the road at the Riverside. At this time of year, it's either indoor nets or a warm weather training camp. That's for the cricketers, here at Park View conditions were ideal for big band jazz - a large, well-lit stage, a cabaret-style seating arrangement, a real ale bar, food, stalls - in short, a festival which ticked all the boxes.


SCHOOLS SECTION

The Johnston Stompers (MD Lucy Wiggers) arrived in school uniform, perhaps the only band to do so this year. The Stompers were representing Durham Johnston School. First-time participants, their programme comprised three numbers - MalaguenaSummertime and, refreshingly, Tiger Rag. One or two short in some sections, the local representatives gave a good account of themselves. 

The Tyne Valley Jazz Ensemble (MD Dave Hignett) tends not to have a problem recruiting musicians, indeed it would come as no surprise to learn there is a waiting list! Sophie Speed is a talented member of the saxophone section and Dave Hignett ensured she was given every opportunity to shine and shine she did! TVBB gave value for money fitting in five numbers; Buffalo HeadGospel, the welcome inclusion of Basin Street BluesGimme Some Lovin' (minus the Hammond B-3) and Lady Madonna

Greenhead College Big Band (MD Nick Dolling) from Huddersfield featured an instantly popular vocalist - Ms Daisy Cameron. Diamonds Are a Girl's Best Friend sang Daisy, Lullaby of Broadway and Mambo from West Side Story were staple fayre either side of a world premiere piece - Last Dance - composed by band pianist Louis Enright. 

The reigning champions Burton Borough School Big Band (MD Alison Ruston) made the long journey from Shropshire no doubt determined to mount a stout defence of their title. Sam Jones' Unit 7 opened the programme. This was impressive! A big band fan said: “Frightening, isn't it?” He was referring to the exceptionally high standard and it continued with Life Long Friend (a trombone feature for Ed Simons), Joe Zawinul's Mercy, Mercy, Mercy and Soul Sacrifice from an early incarnation of the Santana band. Our big band fan confided: That's it. 

Well, not quite it. Yarm School Big Band (MD Chris Hibbard - pictured) wanted to have a say and so they did. The hirsute Hibbard, of Crooners' fame, put his young charges through their paces with solid contributions from Femi Afolabi, tenor sax, on I Concentrate on You and James Muir, alto sax, on the band's final number Swingin' Shepherd Blues

Adjudicators Mick Donnelly and Marcus Brown compared notes and in due course made their way on to the stage. The results, announced by Bill Watson (director GNBBJF) were as follows:

SCHOOLS SECTION

Best Band: Burton Borough School Big Band

Best Soloist: Ed Simons (Burton Borough School Big Band) 

Best Section: Trombones, The Johnston Stompers (Durham Johnston School)*
* The section consisted of one trombonist - Harry Coe! 

Adjudicators' Awards

Kyle Walker, drums (Yarm School Big Band)

Ed Simons, trombone (Burton Borough School Big Band)

Sol Plumb, piano (Tyne Valley Jazz Ensemble)

Daisy Cameron, vocals (Greenhead College Big Band)

Russell

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