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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

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.

Friday, December 31, 2010

Zoe Gilby Quartet @ Queen's Hall, Hexham. December 30th

Zoe Gilby (vocals), Mark Williams (guitar), Andy Champion (double bass) & Richard Brown (drums) Arriving in Hexham there was a distinct lack of activity. Walking up the hill to the Queen's Hall I didn't see a single soul. The 4x4s, so beloved of Tyne Valley residents were nowhere to be seen. Perhaps the well heeled welly brigade were off skiing somewhere. The trees in the grounds of Hexham Abbey were adorned with simple white lights, there's none of that multi-coloured bling tat round these parts you know.
The Queen's Hall usually has an art exhibition worth looking at, so I wondered around the ground floor gallery, noticed a sign saying ''exhibition continues upstairs'' and duly climbed them to be met with a locked door to the first floor gallery.
Hmm. Is Hexham closed on a Thursday?
I wandered into the cafe fully expecting to be met by an empty room and so I was, almost. No punters, just Zoe and ''the boys''. The bar wasn't doing a roaring trade. A bottle of Allendale's Golden Plover seemed like a good idea although at £3.50. a bottle it made it seem like being at The Sage! I opted for a plush low-level sofa as the band prepared for the gig...at the bar.
The set started with No More Blues. Oh, yes, I almost forgot, the audience did materialise. Ms.Gilby had them just there, right from the off. In the absence of Noel Dennis (trumpet/flugelhorn) the spotlight fell on guitarist Mark Williams. Tunes from the latest CD Looking Glass featured on the set list. Do Nothing Till You Hear From Me, A Song For You (atmospheric bowing from bassist Andy Champion), Round Midnight (Williams quite brilliant, Joe Pass would have been proud), May I Come In (deep sonorous vocals), George Milburn's Take It Easy (But Take It) and others were performed with panache.
Drummer Richard Brown featured on Caravan producing everything you would hope for on the number (the rattle, the crash, the rhythm) and Gilby's vocals were full of imagination and improvisation. The highlight of the evening came at the end. The closer, Centrepiece, is a highlight any time, any where, but this was, well, something else. Gilby's vocals are great, regular readers can be in no doubt about that, but the last couple of bars produced a remarkable succession of notes in double quick time that I think Gilby herself didn't know she had in her locker. Amazing, absolutely amazing. Russell.

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