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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.

Tuesday, November 08, 2011

Jazz Singers in the Making at The Sage.

This is another article in my occasional series of pieces about the jazz singing classes at the Sage.  Lance refers to the class as The Factory, but let me tell you, Lance, that the course is meeting with some success.  Past graduates include Claire Kelly, (She does a superb version of I’ve Grown Accustomed To His Face) and Gabi Heller (she can scat for England, or rather Germany).  These two have already started on their jazz careers – watch for them in the listings.
There are about 20 students in the class, including 5 men.  (Why are most jazz vocalists women?  Traditional I suppose).  About half of us have been involved previously, and we have various backgrounds, including a man who has been a drummer, and someone else who works as an actor.  And that’s just the people that I know about.  Last week’s warm up exercise was a spot of flamenco, more difficult than it sounds.  Just you try counting 1 2: then 1, 2, 3 etc up to 10, whilst stamping and also clapping on some of the numbers as well, it gets very confusing, but it quickens your wits.
There are various types of voice, all interesting to listen to, and lots of different interpretations of the songs.  Listening to what other people make of the songs is part of the  delight of jazz singing.  For example, a sad song such as Every Time We Say Goodbye doesn’t have to be soft and gentle but can be sung passionately and louder, like a cry for help.
We have a lovely selection of songs for this term:- It’s Alright with Me;  Don’t Get Around Much Any More;  A Foggy Day; Every Time We Say Goodbye; and Girl from Ipanema.  This last song has given rise to much post class discussion about whether it makes much sense if you substitute ‘Boy’ for ‘Girl’.  Joy of joys, we’ve been supplied with the actual verse part for Foggy Day, a challenge indeed, which I may take up.  I was amazed to learn that some people in the group didn’t already know Foggy Day and Every time We Say Goodbye, but then I remembered that I was, er, shall we say, a little older than some of the group, who were too young to have been hearing these songs as they grew up.  Ah well!  And Ipanema is interesting because we can ‘vamp’, which means that the band plays a groove and we start the song when we feel ready, and the same for the ending.  Lyndsay our leader warns us not to get too carried away with power, 16 bars is enough time to wait!
I must thank our tutor Lyndsay Hannon for instructing us each week so ably, and also Alan Law on the piano, who has also produced a useful tape for us to sing along to at home.  
During the next 2 weeks we’ll be working with ‘our’ band, the lovely Blue Jazz Quintet, to prepare for our end of term gigs at the Newcastle Jazz Cafe, when we each sing about 3 songs, for an audience of family and friends.
And then what happens to us?  And Who knows Where or When?
Ann Alex. 

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