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Bebop Spoken There

Abbie Finn: "Even though there's a lot of great work being done to promote women in jazz, I still come up against some attitudes! I pulled up at a recording session with my drums in the car and the studio owner said, 'I'm sorry, this space is reserved for the drummer!'" - (Jazzwise April 2023).

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!"

Postage

15260 (and counting) posts since we started blogging 15 years ago. 279 of them this year alone and, so far, 92 this month (March 29).

From This Moment On ...

April
Sat 01: The Big Easy @ St Augustine's Parish Centre, Darlington. 12:30pm.
Sat 01: Play Jazz! workshop @ The Globe, Newcastle. 1:30pm. Tutor: Steve Glendinning - In a Minor Key. £25.00. Enrol at: www.jazz.coop.
Sat 01: Abbie Finn Trio @ The Vault, Darlington Covered Market, Darlington DL1 5PN. 6:00pm. New venue, live jazz!
Sat 01: Jambone @ Sage Gateshead. 7:00pm. Free (book online). A YMP! event in the Northern Rock Foundation Hall.
Sat 01: Jude Murphy & Dan Stanley @ Prohibtion Bar, Newcastle. 8:00pm. A 'Jar on the Bar' gig.
Sat 01: Boys of Brass @ Stack, Seaburn. 7:00-9:00pm.
Sat 01: Hot Club du Nord @ Pleased to Meet You, Bridge St., Morpeth. 8:00pm. £79.00. A charity fundraising event.
Sat 01: Rendezvous Jazz @ Red Lion, Earsdon. 8:00pm. £3.00. RESCHEDULED to next week (Sat 08).

Sun 02: Smokin' Spitfires @ The Cluny. 12:45pm.
Sun 02: 4B @ The Exchange, North Shields. 3:00pm.

Mon 03: Harmony Brass @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm.

Tue 04: Paul Skerritt @ The Rabbit Hole, Hallgarth St., Durham DH1 3AT. 7:00pm. Paul Skerritt's (solo) weekly residency.
Tue 04: Jam session @ Black Swan, Newcastle Arts Centre. 7:30pm. House trio: Bradley Johnston (guitar); Paul Grainger (double bass); Abbie Finn (drums).

Wed 05: Vieux Carré Jazzmen @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm.
Wed 05: Darlington Big Band @ Darlington & Simpson Rolling Mills Social Club, Darlington. 7:00pm. Rehearsal session (open to the public).
Wed 05: 4B @ The Exchange, North Shields. 7:00pm.
Wed 05: Take it to the Bridge @ The Globe, Newcastle. 7:30pm.

Thu 06: Vieux Carré Jazzmen @ The Holystone, Whitley Road, North Tyneside. 1:00pm. Free.
Thu 06: Thursday Night Prayer Meeting @ The Globe, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Donations. Feat. John Pope, Marie Shreer, John Garner.
Thu 06: Merlin Roxby @ Prohibtion Bar, Newcastle. 8:00pm. Ragtime piano. A 'Jar on the Bar' gig.
Thu 06: Darlington Big Band @ Dorman's Club, Middlesbrough. 8:30pm. Note earlier start time.

Fri 07: Classic Swing @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm.
Fri 07: New Orleans Preservation Jazz Band @ Oxbridge Hotel, Stockton. 1:00pm. £5.00.
Fri 07: Rendezvous Jazz @ The Monkseaton Arms, Monkseaton. 1:00pm.
Fri 07: Gaz Hughes Trio @ Saltburn Community Hall. 7:30pm.
Fri 07: Mark Toomey Quartet @ Traveller's Rest, Darlington. 8:00pm. £8.00.
Fri 07: Finntet + Zoë Gilby & Andy Champion @ Bobik's, Punch Bowl, Newcastle. 8:00pm. JNE.
Fri 07: TBA @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 8:00pm. A 'Jar on the Bar' gig. Blind Pig Blues Club.

Wednesday, May 25, 2011

A Tale of Two Venues - Tommaso Starace Quartet @ (eventually) The Chilli

Tommaso Starace (alt/sop); Michele di Toro (keys); Will Collier (bs); Chris Nickolls (dms).
It was the best of times, it was the worst of times...
First it was Thursday, then it was Wednesday. It was at The Corner House, then it was at The Chilli.
This Jazz North East promoted gig had had so many ups and downs it was amazing that it ever got off the ground but it did - and how! Arguably, the North-east Gig of the Year (so far) it wasn't surprising that even after it was all over there were still a few twists and turns...
The Best of Times: What a magnificent performance this was! Tommaso, soaring like the post Cannonball/Bird player that he is, impressed the crowd, and it was a decent sized crowd, with his sheer virtuosity. Every note was on the money - no aimless meandering, no honks and screeches - straight down the middle modern jazz.
On keys, Michele di Toro matched and complemented his pisano every step of the way - the unison passages were quite incredible and his solos something else. Woosh! this was some playing. The tunes - mainly originals - too were beautiful. The ballads were played on soprano tugging at the heartstrings whilst the grooves got the feet activated. Not surprisingly, my personal favourite was Simply Bebop - straight from 52nd St., via Milano - it dazzled and beguiled. As one friend remarked "Three letters - W-O-W!"
Summed up the whole gig.
Bass and drums did the necessary with Collier - depping for Lawrence Cottle - slotting easily into the role of both anchorman and occasional soloist. Nickolls had an extended solo early on punctuated with an infectious riff from alto and keyboard that helped set the tone for an evening that swung. As an added bonus I had the priviledge of hearing them rehearse and do a soundcheck. If there was a downside, it took a while to get the keyboard sound/balance spot on but, as the evening progressed it just got better and better.
The Worst of Times: After the mix-up of dates and venues there had to be a sting in the tail!
Walking down the path to Chilli Road Station I was met by a fellow Star(ace)gazer who told me the westbound platform was closed and that we had to cross over and get an eastbound to Walkergate then cross back over and head west once more. This meant missing the train and, ultimately, my South Shields bound train from Monument. Boarding instead one which terminated at Pelaw - 3 miles from home.
Fortunately, a fellow traveller was in a similar situation so a taxi was the answer with us sharing the fare. After a gig like tonight, I'd have happily walked home from anywhere and never noticed the miles.
Photos. Lance.

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