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Bebop Spoken There

Spasmo Brown: “Jazz is an ice cream sandwich! It's the Fourth of July! It's a girl with a waterbed!”. (Syncopated Times, July, 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

17328 (and counting) posts since we started blogging 16 years ago. 612 of them this year alone and, so far, 17 this month (Sept. 5).

From This Moment On ...

September

Sun 08: Am Jam @ The Globe, Newcastle. 2:00pm. Free.
Sun 08: Giles Strong Quartet @ BAA Fest, Brownrigg Lodges, Bellingham. 2:40pm.
Sun 08: Eva Fox & the Jazz Guys @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 7:00pm. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig.
Sun 08: Graham Hardy’s Eclectic Quartet @ The Globe, Newcastle. 8:00pm.

Mon 09: Mark Williams Trio @ Yamaha Music School, Blyth. 1:00pm. £9.00.
Mon 09: Harmony Brass @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.

Tue 10: ???

Wed 11: Vieux Carré Jazzmen @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Wed 11: Darlington Big Band @ Darlington & Simpson Rolling Mills Social Club, Darlington. 7:00pm. Free. Rehearsal session (open to the public).
Wed 11: The Tannery Jam Session @ The Tannery, Gilesgate, Hexham. 7:00-9:00pm. Free. A ‘second Wednesday in the month’ jam session.
Wed 11: Take it to the Bridge @ The Globe, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free.

Thu 12: Vieux Carré Jazzmen @ The Holystone, Whitley Road, North Tyneside. 1:00pm. Free.
Thu 12: Gateshead Jazz Appreciation Society @ Brunswick Methodist Church, Newcastle NE1 7BJ. 2:30pm. £4.00. ‘A Great Day in Harlem’.
Thu 12: The Cuban Heels @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 8:00pm. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig. Pete Tanton & co.
Thu 12: Tees Hot Club @ Dorman’s Club, Middlesborough. 8:30pm. Free. THC with guests Donna Hewitt, Bill Watson, Dave Archbold, Adrian Beadnell, Mark Hawkins.

Fri 13: Jeff Barnhart & Neville Dickie @ The Lit & Phil, Newcastle. 1:00pm. Two pianos, two pianists! SOLD OUT!
Fri 13: Noel Dennis Quartet @ The Old Library, Auckland Castle, Bishop Auckland. 1:00pm. £8.00.
Fri 13: Classic Swing @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 13: Rendezvous Jazz @ The Monkseaton Arms. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 13: New Orleans Preservation Jazz Band @ The Oxbridge Hotel, Stockton. 1:00pm. £5.00.
Fri 13: Dilutey Juice @ Old Coal Yard, Byker, Newcastle. 7:30pm. £11.00. adv..
Fri 13: Ray Stubbs R & B All-stars @ The Forum, Darlington. 7:30pm. Classic blues.

Sat 14: Jeff Barnhart’s Silent Film Fest @ St Augustine's Parish Centre, Darlington. 12:30pm. Darlington New Orleans Jazz Club.
Sat 14: Customs House Big Band w. Ruth Lambert @ St Paul’s Centre, St Paul’s Gardens, Spennymoor DL16 7LR. 7:00pm (6:45pm doors). Tickets £10.00. from the venue or tel: 01388 813404. A ‘BYOB’ event.
Sat 14: Emma Wilson @ Claypath Deli, Durham. 7:00pm. £12.00. Acoustic blues.
Sat 14: Rat Pack - Swingin’ at the Sands @ Billingham Forum. 7:30pm.

Sunday, July 04, 2010

VOTNJO - Splinter @ The Bridge

Graham Hardy, Sean Hollis, Shaun Eland, Jud Downs (tpt/flg). Alex Leathard, Keith Norris, Caroline Norris, (tmb), Alan Bravey (bs tmb). Katie Hawcutt (fl), Rod Mason (alt/sop), Andy Bennett (alt/clt), Lewis Watson (ten/sop), Sue Ferris (ten/fl), Niall Armstrong (bar). Stu Collingwood (keys), Mark Williams (gtr), Andy Champion (bs), Adrian Tilbrook (dms). John Warren and James Hamilton (MD/Arr/Comp)
An evening of such sheer delight that the only let down lay in the failure of Roget's Thesaurus (4th edition) to provide adequate superlatives - I seem to recall Johnny Mercer finding similar shortcomings in Webster's Dictionary.
Lewis Watson as always excelled on tenor and soprano although super slim Sue Ferris also had impressive moments. Rod Mason whizzed around on alto and curved sop and Andy Bennett too let fly early on. Guesting with the reeds was flautist Katie Hawcutt who was heard to good effect on the Causeway Suite of which more later.
Both Graham Hardy and Jud Downs made their mark on trumpet and flugel but this band isn't just a collection of soloists strung together - it is a cohesive unit that, in the strength of its ensemble playing alone, must be comparable with any band anywhere. In the confines of the upper room at the Bridge Hotel it is mind-blowing (in the best possible sense).
Credit for this must be accorded the laconic, laid-back, John Warren.
His compositions and arrangements have, as ever, provided the backbone of the organisation's pad.
Tonight however, John willingly shared the limelight with James Hamilton a young, Leeds based Irishman whose arrangements and compositions were worthy of someone twice his age.
I don't know how old James is but I'd guess late teens early twenties - it is irrelevant - his music bears the mark of experience and maturity, an amazing achievement at any age.
Tonight's second set was built around the aforementioned Causeway Suite inspired by the stone pillared natural wonder in Antrim (I think). This suite may well be considered one of the natural wonders of the musical world.
Adrian Tilbrook, drummer and driving force behind this amazing organisation, enthused about James Hamilton prior to the concert - as is his wont - and his plaudits weren't misplaced as the six movements unfolded in a tapestry of colour and contrast, excitement and evolution - musical mastery.
A fitting way to bring the first Splinter season to a close.
Lance

1 comment :

Russell said...

Hi Lance

What a place to hear the Voice of the North! Small room, loud big band! It shouldn't work but it does - here's to the next time.

Russell

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