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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.

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.

Tuesday, May 31, 2011

The Budtones @The Jazz Cafe - Saturday 28th May

Stu Finden - tenor sax ; Fiona Littlewood - vocals, tenor sax ; Tim Knowles - guitar ; Jim Crinson - double & 5 string bass ; Omid Ramak - drums (standing in for Eric Stutt) A jazz rock solid debut for the reinvented Budvivar - Fiona launched her jazz vocal career tonight with such panache we'll all be queuing outside Zoe's new Low Fell door for singing lessons! Such a joyful mellow voice for jazz standards she danced confidently through the verbal prestidigitation of Love Me or Leave Me and Get it Straight (...no Chaser) occasionally recharging her vocal chords with a blast on the tenor in several instrumental numbers, including Stu's own Stoo's Blues - a lively piece with some great tenor solo work from both Stu and Fiona. In fact Stu Finden is the solid backbone to this band with his understated but well-crafted solos really drawing you in - the perfect side man for Fiona's lively vocals, which we expect to grow in strength and maybe, in a couple of numbers, in pitch, to keep the band in their place. This was the first time I'd stepped into the classic ambience of the Jazz Cafe, no, seriously! There's a nostalgic heady vapour like the leather and petrol of an old American car - the ones with the flying rear wings and huge rear lights. To give the band a chance to set up, we watched them and the enigmatic Keith Crombie - flashes of the film Cabaret still playing on his face - through the windows of The Forth opposite: reflections of a silent movie like two Edward Hopper paintings on opposite walls playing tricks in bar mirrors! And so with Keith's determined yet friendly pessimism still ringing in my ears - "Jazz is dead in Newcastle!" - Fiona launched into the second set with the acid nostalgic funk of Dexter Gordon's Psychedelic Sally as Omid jumped up to the plate with a passion and the place started to fill up with punters. An engaged couple danced an improv tango as Keith rearranged the furniture like a kindly uncle, so we could all join in. Jazz not dead then, just occasionally poorly! Some steady well-executed Wes Montgomery-esque guitar work from Tim as he dealt with the lively West Coast Blues. Then later, a friendly gesture to Mark Williams, who's admiration of Tim's lovely Ibanez 175 won him an impromptu place in the band while Tim took five in the still-expanding late shift in the audience pit. Mark really took off with the inspiration of the Ibanez seeming to forget that he was only passing through - no complaints! Although Omid was only standing in for Eric Stutt he made an impressive impact and paired up well rhythmically with the confident versatility of Jim Crinson on sometimes double, sometimes 5 string electric bass. Overall a great night, in for me, a fantastic venue. Other numbers we remembered: You Go to My Head and But Beautiful. If we're allowed to quote lyrics? Love is funny, or it's sad, Or it's quiet, Or it's mad. It's a good thing, Or it's bad, But beautiful... George M Photos Chiaroscuro - i.e. impossible to make out what's there! But Beautiful You Go To My Head
Stoo's Bloos - Orignal by Stu
Love Me or Leave me
Straight No Chaser
Well You Needn't

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