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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.

Sunday, February 27, 2011

Ossie Riani by Peter Riani

My dad was a strange animal indeed. In the late 90’s I put my beloved Fender Rhodes up for sale in the yellow ads paper for £800 and a guy called Sam rang me to make an offer on it but when he found out I was a Riani, such was notoriety of my dad, he asked if I was related to ‘The’ Ossie Riani. I said that I was and he told me the following tale about Desi Lumsden and my dad. It was probably in all likleyhood down at the Shoreline in South Shields (I'm guessing). Anyway, Ossie is playing organ and a bombastic boastful amateur saxophone act turns up to play popular tunes of the day along with the easyplay solo arrangement. Ossie amd Desi offer to do an improvised backing because they both happen to have their MK VI’s with them. Ossie says when I give you the nod you do a solo and when your done lean back and give us a wink and then we’ll give it a go. The guy agrees and imagines how good this will make him look with his own backing musicians on stage. The number starts and Ossie and Desi provide flawless backing as the guy plays the lead and when he gets the nod from Ossie he drops into his basic impro routine. Thinking that he’s pulled a scorcher he winks at the two pros magnanimously and they respond rather unkindly by blasting him off stage with some phenomenal musicianship and corking bebop. The guy starts dismantling his sax on stage while they are still riffing off of each other and has it packed away and is off the stage before the number is up. That story put me off selling the Rhodes, but I still can’t (nor will ever) be able to play it like my dad. Another tale I remember was when he was playing at the Southwick Social Club in Sunderland in the early 70’s. He told us that they had had a belter of a gig and really blasted the Hammond. So much so that it over heated and as is wont to do when so much dust and detritus covers the valves' transformers as it heats up, ignites. There were large flames licking and pouring out the back and my dad played on oblivious because he was reading a score. Bobby Carr noticed first and they ripped the back off the Hammond and were hitting it with beer towels which was making it worse. Ossie played on until someone unplugged the organ. The audience cheered thinking that this was all part of the act. The fire was put out eventually. I can’t remember whether the Hammond was salvageable or not but I do remember my dad saying that someone (probably Joe Greener) was going to throw my dads pint over the flames. Ossie was indignant, not because of the damage it would have done to the Hammond, but because it would have been “a waste of a perfectly good pint”!
Yes saying he was a character is a kind of understatement. I remember Ray playing Laura at his funeral. It was a well cool moment and very touching thanks Ray.
(Original post). Peter Riani.

1 comment :

Lance said...

Thanks Peter - too good to post as a mere comment!

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