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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.

Monday, August 23, 2010

Jazz Café Jam Session @ Jazz Café, Newcastle. Sunday 22nd August.

Proprietor Keith Crombie has recently opened the doors of his famed establishment on a Sunday afternoon to anyone wishing to turn up and have a blow. The advertised start of 2:00 pm makes Dave Weisser's workshop session look like a tightly run ship - things got under way at about 4:30 pm! Such was the late start I was able to call into the Bodega, sup a couple of pints of Big Lamp Prince Bishop and watch the match - Newcastle United 6 Aston Villa 0 (the poorest six nil thrashing of a game I've ever seen).
Pianist Pete Gilligan, sometime accompanist to Zoe Gilby, Lindsay Hannon and Ruth Lambert, is the mainstay of the house band. Members of Budvivar (resident alternate Saturdays at the Jazz Café) turned out in force the afternoon after the night before. Pianist Chris Finch played trumpet and, as ever, Stuart Findon played tenor, Jim Crinson played bass and Eric Stutt swung it from the drum stool (Eric showed brilliant logisitcal planning in leaving his kit overnight at the venue) as Fiona Littlewood sang Softly, As in a Morning Sunrise.
Juke joint veteran Round Eyes Ray played harmonica on Nuages with accompaniment from piano, violin and guitar (Matthew Office). Piano player Alan Law turned up and sat in on Beautiful Love and there was a cracking version of Rhythm-a-ning and, to quote Keith Crombie, ''Mark Williams is the best guitarist in the north east''. Agreed Monsieur Crombie!
Mein Host was his usual self; gruff, uttering expletives and at intervals lobbing empty bottles into a bin with expert bad timing - Softly, As in a CRASH!!!. You couldn't make it up. After a while, with many more musicians queuing up to play, I left to place an order at my local Indian takeaway and fully intended to return to the Jazz Cafe. I didn't quite make it. I assume the music went on 'til Crombie time.
Russell.

10 comments :

Robert Laing said...

I had the misfortune of visiting the "Jazz Cafe" one Saturday night, just about a week after I had sat next to "grumpy" Keith at John Wilson's wedding reception (quite a long time ago) at Gershwins on Dean Street, along with all the other jazzers from the area.

After I had paid 12 quid for a taxi to get to Pink Lane, Grumpy stopped me at the door and told me he wasn't letting me in because I had a suit on!!

Lance said...

Taxi? It's only a five minute walk!

Robert Laing said...

Lance........It was the week AFTER Johns reception that I went, not the same day!! It's all in the first three lines, and the taxi ride was from home. I enjoyed reading Russell's summary though.

Lance said...

My apologies!

Gill said...

If anyone sees Keith can u say hello from Gill and thank you for Josephines, the flapper dresses and all the champagne especially for looking after me when I really needed it- they were fab times XX

Lance said...

Gill, I'm sure someone will. I'll be absent for 3 weeks otherwise I'd do it myself - in the meantime I'm intrigued...

Anonymous said...

Sadly Keith died this afternoon . In the best way Keith was never bland and behind the bluster there was the heart of a lion , tremendous kindness and a wicked sence of humour and sometime sheer bloodymindness he will be greatly missed

John Wilson said...

Does anyone know when and where Keiths funeral is?

John Wilson said...

Hi Bob, You dont know about Keiths funeral yet do you?

John Wilson said...

Matk Williams is some guitar player, your quite right trhere Russell.

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