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Bebop Spoken There

Béla Fleck: “ And that's the great thing about live performances, you take people on a journey. It doesn't have to be like something else they've heard. It's not supposed to be". DownBeat, April, 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

Thu 28: Vieux Carré Jazzmen @ The Holystone, Whitley Road, North Tyneside. 1:00pm. Free.
Thu 28: Gateshead Jazz Appreciation Society @ Gateshead Central Library, Gateshead. 2:30pm.
Thu 28: Richard Herdman Quartet @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 8:00pm. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig.
Thu 28: Tees Hot Club @ Dorman’s Club, Middlesbrough. 8:30pm. Guests: Josh Bentham (alto sax); Alan Marshall (tenor sax); Neil Brodie (trumpet); Adrian Beadnell (bass); Graham Thompson (keys); Steve Hunter (drums).

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.

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.

Monday, September 20, 2010

Eugene Chadbourne @ The Bridge Hotel. September 19 - Take 2.

Eugene Chadbourne (guitar, banjo & vocals), Roger Turner (drums) & Andy Champion (bass ukulele) The great man, Dr.Chad, returned to Newcastle after an absence of many years to play a gig for Jazz North East and Splinter @ The Bridge.
Looking ever more the backwoodsman hillbilly or nutty professor (take your pick), Chadbourne is on tour with the great UK free jazz drummer Roger Turner.
The first set, in the upstairs room of the Bridge Hotel, featured Chadbourne's singing and virtuosic banjo playing. The often humourous lyrics are unfailingly perceptive commentaries on the absurdities of life and when the mood takes him, subtle yet ascerbic swipes at the skewed politics of Uncle Sam.
Drummer Roger Turner has shared a stage with Chadbourne on occasion over the years and did, therefore, know what to expect. Turner played his usual game - roaming the musical landscape around him, wandering off to the horizon and making the return journey in good time.
The interval came and went, the raffle prize was snared by regular modern-day jazz troubador George M., another pint of Deuchar's IPA ordered and it was time for local hero Andy Champion to join the fray.
Champion's bull fiddle lay idle as he opted to play bass ukulele. The instrument, acquired on loan for the night by the aforementioned George M., proved to be the perfect option.
Dr.Chad and Mr.C. met for the first time an hour or so before the gig yet you wouldn't have known it as the trio performed one of the great sets heard anywhere for yonks. Bluegrass, country and western, alt country, blues, swing, jazz, r'n'b, free jazz and noise by way of Beefheart, Zappa, Zorn and more - this was astonishing stuff. In case anyone doubted Chadbourne's abilities as a guitar player (some of us never have) those doubts were dispelled with a magnificent demonstration of what can be done with the instrument if you have talent and Chadbourne has it in spades.
Champion's ukeleleing was something else - this was no sitter-in doing his best to hang in there, this was an equal partner in a truly memorable three way musical conversation. Can you imagine Chadbourne doing Stardust? Well, he did. It was brilliant. Indescribable but brilliant. My gig of the year was one of those grand affairs at the Gateshead Jazz Festival. Dr.Chad at the Bridge warrants a rethink. Next week at Splinter @ the Bridge there is another 'must hear' guitarist - the great Gary Boyle (last in Newcastle several years ago at a Jazz North East gig at the Corner House). Hearing him at the Bridge should be just grand. Russell

2 comments :

George Milburn said...

You're right, there was something magical about last night Russell - I'm almost tempted to chase down to London to get another fix from Doctor Eugene - easier said than done! I'm listening to my raffle prize, Alister Spence trio, FIT, on headphones right now - it's good.
Enjoyed your Take 2 to remind me of the Stardust delivery - he's the ultimate therapist ; "Dr Chad will see you now."

George Milburn said...

Don't just do something - sit there!

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