Total Pageviews

Bebop Spoken There

Ambrose Akinmusire: “ I am certainly always aware of what the masses are doing. And when I see too many people going one way, I'm going another way - even when I don't know what's over that way". DownBeat, March, 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

Tue 19: Jam session @ The Black Swan, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free. House trio: Michael Young, Paul Grainger, Tim Johnston.

Wed 20: Vieux Carré Jazzmen @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Wed 20: Darlington Big Band @ Darlington & Simpson Rolling Mills Social Club, Darlington. 7:00pm. Free. Rehearsal session (open to the public).
Wed 20: Take it to the Bridge @ The Globe, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free.

Thu 21: Vieux Carré Jazzmen @ The Holystone, Whitley Road, North Tyneside. 1:00pm. Free.
Thu 21: Castillo Neuvo Trio + Conor Emery & His ‘Bones Band @ The Grove, Ouseburn, Newcastle. 7:30pm (7:00pm doors). £10.00. (£7.00. student).
Thu 21: Remi Banklyn + Chris Corcoran Trio @ The Globe, Newcastle. 8:00pm. £12.50. Chicago blues. An International Guitar Foundation promotion.
Thu 21: Merlin Roxby @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 8:00pm. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig. Ragtime piano.
Thu 21: Tees Hot Club @ Dorman’s Club, Middlesbrough. 8:30pm.

Fri 22: Vasilis Xenopoulos & Paul Edis @ The Gala, Durham. 1:00pm. £8.00. SOLD OUT!
Fri 22: Classic Swing @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 22: Rendezvous Jazz @ The Monkseaton Arms. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 22: New Orleans Preservation Jazz Band @ The Oxbridge Hotel, Stockton. 1:00pm. £5.00.
Fri 22: Nauta + Remy CB + Last Orders @ Hoochie Coochie, Newcastle. 8:30pm (7:30pm doors). Free.
Fri 22: Vasilis Xenopoulos-Paul Edis Quartet @ Traveller’s Rest, Darlington. 8:00pm. £15.00. Opus 4 Jazz Club.
Fri 22: Redwell @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 8:00pm. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig.

Sat 23: Jambone @ The Glasshouse, Gateshead. 6:30pm. Free (ticketed). End of term performance in the Northern Rock Foundation Hall.
Sat 23: Milne-Glendinning Band @ The Vault, Darlington. 7:00pm. Free.
Sat 23: Red Kites Jazz @ Rowlands Gill Community Centre NE39 1JB. 7:00pm. Tickets: £12.00. (gibsidecommunityfarm@gmail.com). A ‘Build a Barn’ fundraiser. BYOB, tea/coffee available.
Sat 23: New Century Ragtime Orchestra @ Gosforth Civic Theatre, Newcastle. 7:30pm. £20.00. + bf (book in person at venue - no booking fee!). Featuring pianist Martin Litton.
Sat 23: Pete Tanton’s Cuba Libre @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 8:00pm. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig.

Sun 24: Musicians Unlimited @ Park Inn, Hartlepool. 1:00pm. Free.
Sun 24: More Jam @ The Globe, Newcastle. 2:30pm. Free.
Sun 24: Luis Verde @ Queen’s Hall, Hexham. 3:00pm. Verde (alto sax); Joe Steels (guitar); John Pope (double bass); John Hirst (drums). Alto sax brilliance!
Sun 24: Elsie Franklin @ The Globe, Newcastle. 3:00pm. £10.00. Country blues. An International Guitar Foundation promotion.
Sun 24: 4B @ The Ticket Office, Whitley Bay Metro Station. 3:00pm. Free.
Sun 24: Las Vegas Live with the Rat Pack @ The Forum, Billingham.
Sun 24: Ian Millar & Dominic Spencer @ Otterburn Memorial Hall. 7:30pm. £12.00.
Sun 24: Lindsay Hannon: Tom Waits for No Man @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 7:00pm. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig. Note start time - 7:00pm.
Sun 24: Bold Big Band @ The Globe, Newcastle. 8:00pm.

Mon 25: Harmony Brass @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Mon 25: Michael Young Trio @ The Engine Room, Sunderland. 6:30pm. Free.

Friday, March 26, 2010

Ray Chester Big Band @ Mill View Social Club, Fulwell, Sunderland. March 25th.

Woody Herman's Apple Honey heralded the arrival of Ray Chester's Big Band at Mill View Social Club. 
The first few bars confirmed the gold chip credentials of one of the north east's longest running big bands. 
A programme of George Gershwin and Glenn Miller formed the centrepiece of the evening's entertainment. Gershwin's Nice Work If You Can Get It  and Somebody Loves Me were heard in the first set (vocalist Mia Webb added a touch of class to these tunes and others) as were Miller's Little Brown Jug and Boogie Woogie Bugle Boy, the latter with the added vocal attraction of the fabulous Fenner Sisters. 
If you haven't seen and heard this vocal trio (and yes they are sisters) think the Boswells or Andrews Sisters and you will have some idea of just how good they are. 
Henry Mancini's Days of Wine and Roses was a feature for tenor saxophonist John Hudson, Mia Webb sang the mambo Sway and was followed by the Fabulous Fenners who told us that they were Gonna Sit Right Down and Write Myself (Themselves!) a Letter and then they decided to Straighten Up and Fly Right
The first set concluded with a Ted Heath arrangement of An Ilkley Moor Baht 'at - the band sections being heard to great effect. 
A protracted interval - it was bingo night - allowed for the supping of much Guinness at the bargain price of £2.00.a pint. 
Another Ted Heath arrangement - Gershwin's Strike Up the Band - rallied the troops from the bar for the start of the second set. 
Frim Fram Sauce and Night and Day required the services once more of Mia Webb with Dave Hignett blowing good trumpet on the latter. Mr.Chester announced another Glenn Miller number - St.Louis Blues March - which had not, the bandleader explained, been played by the band for a long time. Jill Brett played some good alto on this one and the section work was top drawer. 
Gershwin's Embraceable You featured Ms.Webb with Keith Norris crafting a beautifully paced trombone solo. Stalwart 'bones man Don Fairley stepped into the spotlight on I Got Rhythm. The tunes came thick and fast - Pennsylvania 6500 (Dave Hignett excelling on trumpet), In the Mood (the Fenners also excelling!), Apple Blossom Time, Charlie Barnet's Skyliner (Chester on trombone) and others. 
A great night of classic big band sounds won an encore and it was Count Basie (or was it Colin Haikney?) who sent us on our way with One O' Clock Jump

The vocalists were plagued by failing radio microphones during the performance - to their credit they didn't miss a beat, professional to the last. The proceeds of the raffle went to St.Benedict's Hospice.



Russell         

1 comment :

Lance said...

All that Glenn Miller Russell?

Blog Archive