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Bebop Spoken There

Simon Spillett: “ Bebop and hard bop came naturally to him [Tubby Hayes]". Morning Star, March 28, 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

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.
Fri 29: True Colours @ Barrels Ale House, Berwick. 9:00pm. Blues, jazz & swing.

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.

Thu 04: FILM: Soul @ Forum Cinema, Hexham. 2:00pm. Jazz-themed film animation.
Thu 04: Vieux Carré Jazzmen @ The Holystone, Whitley Road, North Tyneside. 1:00pm. Free.
Thu 04: Funky Drummer @ The Globe, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free.
Thu 04: Eva Fox & the Jazz Guys @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 8:00pm. Free. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig.
Thu 04: Tees Hot Club @ Dorman’s Club, Middlesbrough. 8:30pm.

Saturday, May 04, 2019

Darlington Jazz Festival: Matt Roberts Sextet @ The Voodoo Cafe - May 3


Matt Roberts Sextet: Matt Roberts (trumpet); Josh Arcoleo (tenor sax); Alice Leggett (alto sax); Sam Watts (piano); Inga Eichler (double bass); Sam Gardner (drums)
(Review by Russell)

Our annual treat didn't disappoint, how could it with six of the best up from London? The opening night of the 2019 Darlington Jazz Festival once again found Matt Roberts in terrific form working alongside some seriously talented friends playing the music of the Darlington trumpeter's chosen subject: Blue Mitchell. 

Year after year, Roberts returns home to play the opening set of his home town's jazz festival with a trumpet hero the focus of attention - Miles, Freddie Hubbard, Nat Adderley, Fats Navarro, the list goes on. This year, from the Blue Note hard bop years through to seventies' funk, it was Blue Mitchell all the way.

Two new faces in the sextet line-up - alto saxophonist Alice Leggett (a favourite at Alex Garnett's Ronnie Scott's late night jam session...Alice, have you brought your horn? enquires Garnett when he sees the young alto player has walked in. Yeah replies Alice, Garnett delighted, he wants the best sitting-in). And on double bass this evening at the Voodoo Cafe not the marvellous Daisy George but the equally marvellous Inga Eichler. Our German bassist arrived in London ten years ago to study at the Royal Academy, stayed on and is as busy as anyone on the scene. 


The Thing to Do from '65 (featuring a young Chick Corea) opened Roberts' set. In previous years our trumpeter has been happy to train the spotlight on his brilliant bandmates and this year was no different except that this time around he really did step up to the plate, leading from the front. A first blistering solo, the room cheered as one. Many were there to hear Josh Arcoleo and they weren't to be disappointed as our tenor man followed Roberts blowing hard bop and beyond and yep, the place went bonkers!

Oh Mama Enit with its calypso rhythm Alice Leggett was tempted to show what she could do. Roberts assured us our altoist regularly blows away the opposition on the London scene and boy, here in Darlington she lived up to her star billing by playing killing alto. Roberts' presentational style is that of an enthusiast, effusive about his fellow musicians and about his subject - Blue Mitchell. Brother Ball from Mitchell’s first album way back in '58 closed a fine first set. Having arrived with not much time to spare before the scheduled nine o'clock start the sextet retired to the adjoining restaurant for a quick chilli.

At the start of the second set Roberts thanked the full house for sticking around...as if we were going anywhere! Good Humour Man resumed matters with our local hero saying: The nightlife in Darlington is poppin'. Well, not quite the Soho scene but there is something to say for the place! We were moving into modal territory with Perception said RobertsOur band leader went for it with a lung-busting solo (more cheering!) which was met with an 'out there' tenor blast that elicited more whooping and hollering and, to quote Roberts, 'an outer space ' bass solo by the fabulous Inga Eichler. 

The two Sams - pianist Sam Watts and drummer extraordinaire Sam Gardner - had a ball with the frontline fully appreciative of their engine room efforts. As eleven o'clock came and went the Matt Roberts Sextet kept on cookin'...PT Blues (bluesy alto to die for from Leggett), Day at the Mint from late period Mitchell then the final number of the evening - Fungi Mama - with all soloing as if there was no tomorrow. Yes, another memorable night at the Voodoo Cafe. Ink in Matt Roberts' 2020 Darlington Jazz Festival gig in the diary now - Friday, May 1st.         
Russell

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