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Bebop Spoken There

Steve Fishwick: “I can’t get behind the attitude that new is always somehow better than old” - Jazz Journal, April 15, 2019,

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...

Postage

16034 (and counting) posts since we started blogging 15 years ago. 1041 of them this year alone and, so far, 73 this month (Nov. 27).

From This Moment On ...

November

Thu 30: Vieux Carré Jazzmen @ The Holystone, Whitley Road, North Tyneside. 1:00pm. Free.
Thu 30: Vieux Carré Jazzmen @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 7:30pm (7:00pm doors). Tickets: £25.00. inc. buffet. A Gatsby themed evening.
Thu 30: Jools Holland's R & B Orchestra @ Newcastle City Hall. 7:30pm.
Thu 30: Merlin Roxby @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 8:00pm. Ragtime piano. A 'Jar on the Bar' gig.
Thu 30: '58 Collective @ Hops and Cheese, 9-11 Tower St., Hartlepool, TS24 7HH. 9:00pm.
Thu 30: Tees Hot Club @ Dorman's Club, Middlesbrough. Guest band night: Mark Toomey Quintet (Mark Toomey, sax; Paul Donnelly, guitar; Jeremy McMurray, keys; Peter Ayton, bass; Mark Robertson, drums). 9:00pm.

December
Fri 01: Classic Swing @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm.
Fri 01: New Orleans Preservation Jazz Band @ Oxbridge Hotel, Stockton. 1:00pm. £5.00.
Fri 01: Rendezvous Jazz @ The Monkseaton Arms, Monkseaton. 1:00pm.
Fri 01: Paul Skerritt @ All Saints’ Church, Eastgate, Co. Durham. 7:00pm. Xmas Tree Fest.
Fri 01: Alligator Gumbo @ Saltburn Community Hall. 7:30pm. SOLD OUT!
Fri 01: Nu Sound Brass @ Billy Bootlegger’s, Newcastle. 8:00pm. Free.
Fri 01: Struggle Buggy w. Jim Murray @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 8:00pm. Blind Pig Blues Club. Free. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig.

Sat 02: Paula Jackman's Jazz Masters @ St Augustine's Parish Centre, Darlington. 12:30pm. £10.00.
Sat 02: Play Jazz! workshop @ The Globe, Newcastle. 1:30pm. Tutor: Steve Glendinning. £25.00. Enrol at: www.jazz.coop.
Sat 02: Abbie Finn Trio @ Claypath Deli, Durham. 7:00pm.
Sat 02: Tenement Jazz Band @ John Marley Centre, Newcastle. Swing Tyne Winter Social. £8.00. + bf. Advance purchase only, no admission at the door. BYOB. Lindy hop workshop from 11:00am. £39.00.
Sat 02: Zoë Gilby Quartet @ The Masham, Hartburn Village, Stockton. 7:00pm. Feat. Noel Dennis.
Sat 02: Classic Swing @ The Nuthatch, 9 - 11 Bedford St, Middlesbrough TS1 2LL. 7:00-9:00pm. Classic Swing in trio format.
Sat 02: Paul Skerritt w. Danny Miller Big Band @ Westovian Theatre, South Shields. 7:30pm.
Sat 02: Vermont Big Band @ Whitley Bay FC. 7:30pm. £10.00. (inc. hot buffet). Tickets available from WBFC’s Seahorse pub club house.
Sat 02: Milne-Glendinning Band @ Ponteland Social Club, Northumberland. 7:30pm. £18.00 (inc. stotties & soup supper). A fundraiser for Hexham Constituency Labour Party.
Sat 02: Durham Dynamics & Basement Jazz @ Kingsgate Bar & Café, Durham Students’ Union. 7:30pm. £5.00. (£4.50. concs.). ‘Fab & Festive’. A cappella & jazz. Abba, Mariah Carey & more.
Sat 02: Tom Remon & Laurence Harrison @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 8:00pm. Free. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig.
Sat 02: Rendezvous Jazz @ Red Lion, Earsdon. 8:00pm. Xmas party night inc. buffet & special raffle. £3.00.
Sat 02: Groovetrain @ The Unionist Club, Laygate, South Shields. 9:00pm.

Sun 03: The Central Bar Quartet @ Central Bar, Gateshead. 2:00pm. £10.00. The Central Bar Quartet plays Lou Donaldson’s Gravy Train. Featuring Jamie Toms.
Sun 03: Paul Skerritt @ Smith’s Arms, Carlton, Stockton-on-Tees. 7:00pm.
Sun 03: Johnny Hunter Quartet @ The Globe, Newcastle. 8:00pm.
Sun 03: Jam session @ The Schooner, Gateshead. 8:00pm. Free.

Mon 04: Harmony Brass @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm.
Mon 04: Northern Monkey Brass Band @ People’s Kitchen, Bath Lane, Newcastle. From 5:30pm. On-street gig supporting the work of the People’s Kitchen charity. Wrap up warm! Donate!
Mon 04: Michael Young Trio w Lindsay Hannon @ The Engine Room, Sunderland. 7:00pm. Free.
Mon 04: James Birkett Trio @ The Black Bull, Blaydon. 8:00pm. £8.00.
Mon 04: Durham University Jazz Orchestra + Durham University Big Band @ Durham Castle DH1 3RW. 8:30pm. £6.00.; £5.00. concs; £4.00. DSM. ‘Jazzy Christmas’.

Tue 05: Customs House Big Band @ All Saints Church, Cleadon. 7:00pm. Concert in the church hall. BYOB.
Tue 05: Jam session @ The Black Swan, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free. House trio: Michael Young, Paul Grainger, Sid White. The best free show in town!

Wed 06: Vieux Carré Jazzmen @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Wed 06: Darlington Big Band @ Darlington & Simpson Rolling Mills Social Club, Darlington. 8:00pm. Free. Note later start time, concert performance (open to the public).
Wed 06: Take it to the Bridge @ The Globe, Newcastle. 7:30pm.

Wednesday, November 29, 2023

Pete Tanton's Chet Set @ Newcastle Arts Centre - Nov. 28

 (© Mike Tilley)
Pete Tanton (trumpet, flugelhorn, vocals); Alan Law (keyboards); Mick Shoulder (double bass); John Bradford (drums)

There would be sleet, there would be snow, 'tis the season, but not before the Chet Set. On a freezing midweek evening November's jazz concert at Newcastle Arts Centre attracted an encouragingly large audience. The Black Swan jam sessions are the stuff of legend, such is the popularity of the twice monthly jam night it's not unheard of for a 'one in, one out' policy to be in operation. This evening the adjoining performance space opened its doors to accommodate an expectant audience.

Tuesday, November 28, 2023

(Press release) Kenny Barron garners a GRAMMY nomination.

New York, NY - Renowned jazz pianist Kenny Barron has garnered a GRAMMY® nomination in the Best Jazz Instrumental Album for his recently released solo album The Source (Artwork Records/ [PIAS]). The 66th GRAMMY® Awards will take place on February 4, 2024.

“Being nominated for a GRAMMY® is, of course, a great honor and maybe the thirteenth time will be my lucky charm. But win or not, I will be forever grateful,” Barron shared in a statement.

Social Call - Art Farmer & Gigi Gryce


Whilst Social Call is remembered by most for its lyrical story-line as recorded by Jon Hendricks as well as often being featured by Alice Grace with the Strictly Smokin' Big Band, this instrumental version by composer Gryce and Art Farmer proves that, if the melody is good enough it, can be a song without words.

When I had my first saxophone lesson from the late Jackie Laing,  Gryce, who was born this day in 1927, was one of Jackie's listening suggestions. It was a good suggestion.

Gigi Gryce died  on March 14, 1983. Lance

Monday, November 27, 2023

The Lewis Watson Quartet @ The Globe, Newcastle - Nov. 26

(© Sheila Herrick)
Lewis Watson (tenor sax); Mark Williams (guitar); Andy Champion (double bass); John Bradford (drums)

The Globe's usual cabaret-style arrangement of tables and chairs was augmented by several rows of seats set out close to the stage, a sure sign advance sales had been rather good! The regular faces took their seats, joined by more than a few long-time fans of the evening's star attraction. At a little after eight the quartet tore into Wayne Shorter's Yes and No

(© Pam)
The 'quartet'? The Lewis Watson Quartet, no less! One sensed our tenor saxophonist was in the mood. Glorious playing from the off. Watson's quartet - Mark Williams, guitar, Andy Champion, bass and drummer John Bradford - couldn't be bettered. All four musicians on the same wave length, transport them to London or NYC and they wouldn't be out of place.

(© Pam)
Times Past, Watson's Song for Keith (for Keith Morris), this was Watson in total command. To close an engrossing first set, No Light, No Tunnel (the phrase 'wonky blues' sprung to mind) featured the Main Man and stellar solos from Williams and Champion (Bradford would feature later in the evening). 

Sunday, November 26, 2023

Tonight @ the Globe ...

(© Roly Veitch)
Tonight promises to be one of THE gigs of the year at the Globe - the Lewis Watson Quartet.

I've been a fan of Lewis, or Lew as he was back then, when he emerged from music college as a member of SNECK who played a regular Tuesday night gig at the Corner House which, back then, was the centre of the north east jazz universe.

R.I.P. Steve Voce (1933-2023)

Jazz journalist and writer Steve Voce passed away on Nov. 23 at the age of 89.

Best known for his monthly column in the print version of Jazz Journal his writing provided a breath of fresh air in comparision to many of his contemporaries. He didn't suffer fools gladly, nor any over-pretentiousness in the music he loved.

Like himself, his sense of humour will be sadly missed even by those such as myself only knew him from the written word.

R.I.P. Lance

Saturday, November 25, 2023

Dexter Gordon: The Savoy Sessions

After re-reading Maxine Dexter's biographical/autobiographical book about Dexter Gordon, her eventual, husband, - Sophisticated Giant - I had the understandable urge to listen to the great man again.

However, rather than go for the legendary Blue Note albums which, in truth, I've almost worn out - let's face it, they are the modern jazz equivalent of the Armstrong Hot Fives, the 1940 Ellingtons or the Beethoven Symphonies - so, I went back to his earlier Savoy recordings.

Jazz on the Tyne - What's On & What's New, December 2023

Jazz on the Tyne presents the best in jazz from North East England and beyond. In this edition, I preview upcoming gigs, with tunes by Zoë Gilby, Paul Edis, the Milne Glendinning Band, and the Scottish National Jazz Orchestra. I also showcase new releases by Knats, John Donegan and uroboro, and play music by Shirley Smart & Robert Mitchell, Norma Winstone & Will Bartlett, and James Brady. You can request tunes for future shows, pass on news, or leave feedback by heading to jazzonthetyne.org. 

Aycliffe Radio: Jazz Time - Sundays 6.30-8.00 pm (repeat Tuesdays 8.00-9.30pm)

https://www.ayclifferadio.co.uk/listen/

Aycliffe Radio is now available on DAB in County Durham & Darlington Area.

Playlist 26/11/23. (Repeated Tuesday 28/11/23)

Birthday Memory: Teddy Wilson/Billie Holiday/Lester Young. 

Check out Nigel Price’s Charity : Grassrootsjazz.com

Friday, November 24, 2023

Book review: Mezz Mezzrow - Really the Blues (1946)

It’s many years ago since I first read this book but I was recently reminded of it during a discussion around what happens during the final part. I wouldn’t want to give a spoiler, but the book takes an extraordinary turn towards the end, which is explained in an appendix that you may or may not wish to read first. I didn’t and was totally caught unawares, wondering what on earth was going on.

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