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Bebop Spoken There

Branford Marsalis: "As ignorance often forces us to do, you make a generalisation about a musician based on one specific record or one moment in time." - (Jazzwise June 2023).

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!"

Postage

15491 (and counting) posts since we started blogging 15 years ago. 512 of them this year alone and, so far, 133 this month (May 31).

From This Moment On ...

Tue 06: Paul Skerritt @ The Rabbit Hole, Hallgarth St., Durham DH1 3AT. 7:00pm. Paul Skerritt's (solo) weekly residency.
Tue 06: Jam session @ Black Swan, Newcastle Arts Centre. 7:30pm. House trio: Stu Collingwood (piano); Paul Grainger (double bass); Sid White (drums).

Wed 07: Vieux Carré Jazzmen @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm.
Wed 07: Darlington Big Band @ Darlington & Simpson Rolling Mills Social Club, Darlington. 7:00pm. Rehearsal session (open to the public).
Wed 07: 4B @ The Exchange, North Shields. 7:00pm.
Wed 07: Take it to the Bridge @ The Globe, Newcastle. 7:30pm.

Thu 08: Vieux Carré Jazzmen @ The Holystone, Whitley Road, North Tyneside. 1:00pm. Free. CANCELLED! BACK ON JUNE 15.
Thu 08: Easington Colliery Brass Band @ The Lubetkin Theatre, Peterlee. 7:00pm. £10.00.
Thu 08: Faye MacCalman + Blue Dust Archive @ Cobalt Studios, Newcastle. 7:00pm.
Thu 08: Dilutey Juice + Ceramic @ The Ampitheatre, Sea Road, South Shields. 7:00pm. Free. A South Tyneside Festival event.
Thu 08: Lara Jones w. Vigilance State @ Lubber Fiend, Blandford Square, Newcastle. 7:00pm.
Thu 08: Michael Littlefield @ the Harbour View, Roker, Sunderland. 8:00pm. Free. Country blues.
Thu 08: Tees Hot Club @ Dorman's Club, Middlesbrough. 9:00pm.

Fri 09: Classic Swing @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm.
Fri 09: New Orleans Preservation Jazz Band @ Oxbridge Hotel, Stockton. 1:00pm. £5.00.
Fri 09: Rendezvous Jazz @ The Monkseaton Arms, Monkseaton. 1:00pm.
Fri 09: Castillo Nuevo @ Revolución de Cuba, Newcastle. 5:30-8:30pm.
Fri 09: Emma Rawicz @ Sage Gateshead. 8:00pm.

Sat 10: Miners' Picnic @ Woodhorn, Ashington. Music inc. Northern Monkey Brass Band (3:00-3:50pm); New York Brass Band (4:00-4:55pm).
Sat 10: Front Porch Three @ The Globe, Newcastle. 7:00pm. Free. Americana, blues, jazz etc.
Sat 10: Merlin Roxby @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 8:00pm. A 'Jar on the Bar' gig.

Sun 11: WORKSHOP: Tim Richards' Jazz Piano Workshop @ JG Windows, Newcastle. Time TBC. Further details tel. 0191 232 1356.
Sun 11: Jeremy McMurray's Pocket Jazz Orchestra @ Ropner Park, Stockton TS18 4EF. 2:00-4:00pm. Free.
Sun 11: Am Jam @ The Globe, Newcastle. 2:30pm. Free.
Sun 11: 4B @ The Exchange, North Shields. 3:00pm.
Sun 11: Groovetrain @ Innisfree Sports & Social Club, Longbenton NE12 8TY. Doors 6:30pm. £15.00 (£7.00. under 16).
Sun 11: Jeffrey Hewer Collective @ The Globe, Newcastle. 8:00pm.

Mon 12: Harmony Brass @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm.

Friday, March 20, 2009

The Music of Duke Ellington & Billy Strayhorn - Northern Sinfonia and Guests.

This was somewhat misleading to say the least. The guests actually comprised no less than the Guy Barker Orchestra, as well as Cleveland Watkiss, Brian Kellock and Tim Garland. The consensus in the bar area was that a lot more people would have elected to attend had they known Guy would have his band along- side the Sinfonia. However, there was a good crowd anyway which made me think that if just 10% of the audience made it to a local gig and paid 10% of tonight's ticket price then the scene would really be thriving! Never mind, back to the concert. Guy Barker took the rostrum and the Sinfonia, led by the impish Bradley Creswick, respectfully stood up, as did the jazz orchestra - after much coaxing and nudging.
Ellington's three part "Night Creature" got things underway and, as the sound of the symphonic strings engulfed me my immediate thought was that this is a superior film score. Then I realised the script had yet to be written that could match such a beautiful soundtrack.
Cleveland Watkiss sang "Lush Life" and "Caravan". He reminded me a little of Johnny Hartman without the richness although that could have been due to the sound system.
Brian Kellock, piano, came on and duetted with altoist Rosario Giuliani on "Chelsea Bridge". Guiliani had the unenviable role of Johnny Hodges and he was more convincing when he moved away from 'Rabbit's' shadow. Kellock played brilliantly.
"Harlem Suite" brought things to a powerful close with some fine trumpet from Byron Wallen and the 'longhairs' getting as close to swinging as they did all night.
During the interval, I chatted with former Newcastle Big Band Buddies Andy Hudson and Germaine Stanger and, in the absence of any photo opportunities in the hall, Jim McD took a shot of the three of us (I'm the guy in the middle under the hat - the other two are self explanatory).
The second half opened with "A Train" then Rosario did "Chelsea Bridge" on soprano and Tim Garland had the blast of the night on "UMMG" (Upper Manhattan Medical Group.) This was a quartet number with Brian Kellock on piano, Phil Donkin (bs) & Ralph Salmins (dms). Cleveland gave a melancholy take on "Daydream" before the grand finale - "Black, Brown and Beige" which may have lasted a little too long - but only a little!
All in all a very good concert with some spectacular highs and very few lows.
The audience loved it and applauded long and loud but no encore - what did they expect? The Sinfonia to busk "C Jam Blues"?
Just one niggling thought. What if, instead of the Sinfonia, they had hired another 41 jazz musicians? That really would have been a night to remember.
Lance

1 comment :

Anonymous said...

For the record, the Guy Barker Jazz Orchestra: Barker (conductor),
Rosario Giuliani, Graeme Blevins (alto), Tim Garland, Per (Texas), Johansson (ten), Phil Todd (bar).
Nathan Bray, Tom Rees Roberts, Byron Wallen, Pat White (tpts).
Mark Frost, Barnaby Dickinson, Alistair White (tmb). Jim Watson/Brian Kellock (pno). Phil Donkin (bs). Ralph Salmins (dms).

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