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Bebop Spoken There

Kurt Elling: ''There's something to learn from every musician you play with''. (DownBeat, December 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

17630 (and counting) posts since we started blogging 16 years ago. 904 of them this year alone and, so far, 49 this month (Dec. 20).

From This Moment On ...

December

Tue 24: Lindsay Hannon & Mark Williams @ Ernest, Ouseburn, Newcastle. 11:00am-1:00pm. Free.
Tue 24: Paul Skerritt @ Mambo Wine & Dine, South Shields. 1:00pm. Free. Vocalist Skerritt working with backing tapes.

Wed 25: Wot? No jazz!

Thu 26: The Boneshakers @ Tyne Bar, Ouseburn, Newcastle. 4:00pm. Free. The 17th annual Boneshakers’ Shindig.

Fri 27: Classic Swing @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 27: Rendezvous Jazz @ The Monkseaton Arms. 1:00pm. Free. Business as usual!.
Fri 27: Jason Isaacs @ Seaburn STACK, Seaburn. 3:30-5:30pm. Free. Vocalist Isaacs working with backing tapes.
Fri 27: Michael Woods @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 8:00pm. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig. Country blues guitar & vocals.

Sat 28: Jason Isaacs @ St. James’ STACK, Newcastle. 11:30am. Free. Vocalist Isaacs working with backing tapes.
Sat 28: Fri 20: Castillo Nuevo @ Revoluçion de Cuba, Newcastle. 5:30pm. Free.
Sat 28: Jude Murphy, Rich Herdman & Giles Strong @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 8:00pm. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig.
Sat 28: Ray Stubbs R & B All-Stars @ Billy Bootlegger’s, Stepney Bank, Newcastle. 9:00pm. Free.

Sun 29: Paul Skerritt @ Hibou Blanc, Newcastle. 2:00pm. Free. Vocalist Skerritt working with backing tapes.
Sun 29: Alexia Gardner Quintet @ The Globe, Newcastle. 8:00pm.

Mon 30: Harmony Brass @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Mon 30: Vieux Carré Jazzmen @ The Wheatsheaf, Benton Sq., Whitley Road, Palmersville NE12 9SU. Tel: 0191 266 8137. 1:00pm. Free.
Mon 30: Jason Isaacs @ STACK, Exchange Sq., Middlesbrough. 4:00-6:00pm. Free. Vocalist Isaacs working with backing tapes.

Reviewers wanted

Whilst BSH attempts to cover as many gigs, festivals and albums as possible, to make the site even more comprehensive we need more 'boots on the ground' to cover the albums seeking review - a large percentage of which never get heard - report on gigs or just to air your views on anything jazz related. Interested? then please get in touch. Contact details are on the blog. Look forward to hearing from you. Lance

Saturday, April 26, 2008

Farewell Humph

Jazzman, raconteur, writer, historian what can I say that won't be said more eloquently elsewhere? Nothing, except to thank Humphrey Lyttelton for the pleasure he has given me over the years with his music, his books and his sense of humour.
Musically, the band he lead in the 1950s with Tony Coe, Jimmy Skidmore and Joe Temperley, was the one I remember most fondly; I heard them many times at the 100 Club on Oxford Street. I also had the privilege of playing in the support band at a dance at one of the Durham Colleges. Humph gave me ten bob and asked me to pick Bruce Turner up from Durham railway station and give him a lift to the gig which I did - possibly my greatest contribution to British Jazz.
His autobiography 'I Play As I Please' and subsequent tomes are entertaining, often essential, reading for students of jazz.
Sadly missed.
Lance

Thursday, April 24, 2008

Made In England

Courtney Pine was perhaps an unusual choice to feature in a BBC program about Holy Island and, by his own admission, the pace of life as an inner city North London jazz musician was far removed from the tranquility of Holy Island (pop. 171). Nevertheless, his plaintive, almost melancholy, soprano sax succeeded in capturing the island's ambience and there was nothing ambiguous about the pairing.
Northumbrian piper Kathryn Tickell had a more obvious affinity with 'the home of christianity' and, strangely, the pipes didn't sound too far removed from Courtney's soprano. Surely a compliment to two musicians who are both masters of their craft.
I look forward to hearing Courtney's take on Sydney Bechet at this year's Scarborough Jazz Festival.
An amusing footnote. One of the islanders professed a liking for the 'Blue Danube Waltz'. Later, Courtney played his version of the tune. The lady remarked, 'I heard a bit of the Blue Danube in there.'
Not so much a mighty river more a gentle stream!

Take It To The Bridge

I'm never quite certain whether Dave Weisser is a trumpet player who sings or a singer who plays trumpet. Whatever, he does both with enthusiasm and dedication and a degree of restraint. Restraint isn't part of tenorist Ian Trewella's make-up; he goes for the jugular every time. When it gels they make a good frontline; when it doesn't...
It gelled tonight at the Chillingham Arms on "Straight No Chaser", "Airegin" and an original by pianist Barry Ascroft called, I think, "Sam Marguil" inspiration, we're told, from a Caribbean cruise and, perhaps, a bottle or two of San Miguel.
It didn't quite get there on "Mercy, Mercy, Mercy" not least because Ian's sax had taken note of the title and surrendered unconditionally. Superglue and elastic bands were called upon to make it better.
As well as the residents there were the usual plethora of sitters-in including Deborah who scatted and Stomped at the Savoy, another tenor player, and a fine triumverate of guitarists in the form of Alex, who also scatted - on a waltz no less - David, and Daniel.
All in all, the best quidsworth in town!

Tuesday, April 22, 2008

Zoë Gilby Band

Another fine session from Zoë who gave her usual polished performance. 'When Lights Are Low' may have been being 'premiered' but it didn't detract from her rendition and I look forward to it becoming a staple part of her repertoire. 'I'm Beginning to See the Light' and 'Angel Eyes' were two other numbers that hit the spot as indeed did the rest of her program. Noel Dennis (tpt/Flug), Mark Williams (gtr), and Andy Champion (bs) were also on form whilst on drums David Carnegie was his usual solid self. Pleased to see her dad in the audience - he must be very proud.

Friday, April 18, 2008

Quote

When asked how come he could play so well when he was stoned out of his mind, tenor saxist Johnny Griffin replied, "Because I was stoned when I learnt to play!"

Thursday, April 17, 2008

Curtis Stigers

I'm not quite sure where Curtis Stigers stands in the jazz hierarchy these days. Buying a Stigers CD is like buying a lottery ticket; a waste of money, a modest return or BINGO! 'Baby Plays Around' is without doubt in the 5 numbers and the bonus ball class; not least for the classy material the disc contains. Such classics as 'Billie's Bounce', Parker's Mood' and 'Centrepiece', the latter featuring his fine tenor playing, sit nicely alongside some tasty standards including; 'Let's Get Lost', 'Everything Happens To Me', 'I Keep Going Back To Joe's' and 'You Are Too Beautiful'. Beautiful is up there with the Coltrane/Johnny Hartman version and Joe's points the direction from which the recent Ian Shaw version came. What do you think of Stigers?

Wednesday, April 16, 2008

I'll Remember April

I will remember this particular night in April thanks to a fine set by the ALAN GLEN TRIO at the Chillingham Arms. Nothing too far out, just beautifully executed standards such as 'I Thought About You', 'East of the Sun' and Clifford Brown's 'Sandu'. David Carnegie (dms) and Laurence Blackadder (bs) provided solid backing as well as soloing impressively. It had been a long time since I'd heard Alan and I'd almost forgotten the subtle nuances he brings to every tune. Truly delightful. Prior, Dave Weisser, Ian Trewella and the resident band of men stamped their brand on Horace Silver. Later, a blind guy called Martin also played some swinging piano - 'Making Whoopee' in a blues vein no less!

Quote

"Joshua didn't knock down the walls of Jericho with a saxophone". Wynton Marsalis on the long history of trumpet playing.

Tuesday, April 15, 2008

The Jazz

Right there with Liz on this one. The Jazz, whilst it had the unenviable task of attempting to be all things to all men (and women), nevertheless managed to hit that happy medium of covering most persuasions. It was a rare hour that I didn't find at least 45 minutes of excellence. At present it continues on cable and on-line but without any presenters. There is nothing more annoying than to hear a track you like and not know who it is by. What we need is someone to hijack a boat and set up a jazz pirate radio station. What upsets me is that only days before, they were announcing their large listening audience; obviously the bosses at Capital Radio weren't among the listeners and nor, it would seem, were the potential advertisers. How sad that music such as ours is in the hands of the men (and women) in suits.

Tuesday, April 01, 2008

Gateshead Festival

A free - as in priceless - afternoon at The Sage with most of the 'usual suspects' from The Side Café strutting their stuff. Unfair to single anyone out although Zoë Gilby and Emma Fisk proved that jazz isn't a totally masculine domain; both were brilliant.Splashed out on a Clifford Brown box set; not least because one of the tunes was, you've guessed it, 'You're a Lucky Guy'. Took a lot of photos; They're in the gallery.

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