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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.

Wednesday, June 17, 2009

Zoe Gilby Trio @ The Boardwalk Café - June 12.

Sorry, but this will ramble on - I enjoyed it so much that my promise to be at Andy Champion's gig 2+2=infinity got lost in a haze of hops & barley at the Tynedale Beer festival on Saturday - hic! It's always good to slip a word like 'incongruous' into the blogosphere and turning up at The Boardwalk last Friday night was just that: Act 1, Scene 1 A warm summer evening ; kids playing on the beach ; someone's flying a red stunt kite, whoops ; the Spanish City frowns as it looks on, still under anaesthetic from its huge theatre gown - what are they building in there! Our jazz fan sand dances into the beachside Boardwalk bistro & bar where they're already queuing for the inclusive buffet of chicken or veg curry (or both!), pays his 10 quid and, reserving his Johnny-no-mates table for one with a pint of 1664, joins the eager line of diners. Queuing here is a trance-like pleasure: "Listen how happy hearts are beating, Like the ocean beats upon the sand, And our feet in rhythm keep repeating, Evr'y little movement of the band..." (When Lights are Low - Spencer Williams/Benny Carter)... could this be vu-deja: watching the waves breaking on the beach, I put 2+2 together and the a.m. red kite describes infinity across the graph paper of the venetian blinds - pretentious, moi?! And so our scene is set. The Players Vocals: Zoë of course ; Guitar: Mark Williams ; Double Bass: Andy Champion. The Play: I've not heard Zoë before but, 4 bars into the 1st number's vocal, 'No More Blues' and I was won over. This was an amazing performance with, I hazard a guess, her love of Ella and Shirley Horn shining through the phrasing and delivery, with a hint of Peggy Lee's undoubted sensuality bringing double entendre to new heights - well at least treble! like Ella, Zoë is also one hell of a scat singer taking scat solos on several of the night's set including Angel Eyes. She also puts over her mischievous sense of humour with such panache: "This one is a Dave Frishberg song," she smiles, "which apparently means Fresh Mountain, mmm.... and describes perfectly the way we women want our men to be.....", going on to sing 'Peel Me a Grape' ; "....Polar Bear rug me.... Thunderbird me, mink me, but don't out-think me....", with such belief that we male mortals simply look on in amazement! As the end of the first set loomed, Zoë told us of her rehearsing for the Marsden Jazz Festival in October where she will perform as a duo with her partner Andy Champion. So, as Mark set off to the bar, Andy slid the bass string up the neck for the sleazy haunting intro of 'Way Down in the Hole' - what a delivery - living proof that you don't need to drink a bottle of Bourbon and smoke 60 tabs to sing a Tom Waits song - mind you, it's a reasonable excuse! Sitting at the side of the stage, Zoë's mam, who apparently insists that Andy starts Juan Tizol's "Caravan" with a demonstration of his bongo skills on the top of the bass body - no shame: a perfect scene-setting intro to a dusky desert song. Of course a trio is a trio and I must give all due praise to Mark and Andy who added their imaginative and energetic backing and improvisations to build a wonderful set. Then, to end off the evening, a public information announcement for anyone aiming to take the last buzz(ard) home to Gateshead: 'Straighten Up and Fly Right' - thanks from a Dunston Monkey for that invaluable wisdom Zoë!
George Milburn.

2 comments :

Russell said...

Hi Lance

It seems that George enjoyed the Tynedale Beer Festival. I did intend being there myself but knew if I did I wouldn't make it to the Bridge for 2+2=Infinity (Andy Champion was ''just Champion'').

George - was the Boardwalk well attended ?

Russell

George Milburn said...

Aye Russell it was; at least they were fighting over the last pieces of chicken in the curry sauce as I sat down, if that's anything to go by!
The Tynedale Beer Festival was canny crack but a shouldn't've biked there 14 miles - that was just daft like ; also reminded me of those wonderful jazz festivals they used to have : Bracknell, Crawley etc. but without the jazz!

George

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