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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, January 24, 2012

Martin Wheatley and the Boisdale Blue Rhythm Band - Boisdale, Canary Wharf.

Ollie Wilby (ten); Martin Wheatley (gtr); Martin Litton (pno); Pete Morgan (bs).
I was ushered to a front row table, as requested, and delighted to hear some fine pre-Bud piano. As the pianist had his back to me I didn't recognise him although later, in conversation, he identified himself as Martin Litton - a pianist I'd heard several times under the auspices of Mike Durham. Martin told me he is doing a Mary Lou Williams tribute at Whitley Bay later this year.
Tonight, in his solo spot, to the total indifference of everyone but me, he delighted with, among others, In A Mist, Prelude to a Kiss and a blistering ragtime number that began with a classical fanfare - was it Chopin's Revolutionary?
Whilst the band were preparing I admired the decor of the Whisky Bar and Restaurant (I was drinking beer - Youngs Bitter). The walls were adorned with paintings and photos of jazz legends such as Louis, Bessie, Billie and a host of blusmen. Incongruously amid it all was Chairman Mao - who was renowned for his thoughts! In the Gents there was a picture of Che Guevara (or was it Fidel Castro?) - so maybe it was the Revolutionary that Martin played...
Les tout ensemble opened up with Hoagy's New Orleans - a lovely melancholy tune that saw all four solo with feeling.
Tenorist Wilby - a new name to me - has a lovely sound which I can best describe as North of Pres, South of Bean. Martin Wheatley, last heard a The Sage in a Goodman Sextet recreation was in Eddie Lang, Carl Kress mode with lots of chordal passages in his solos. Bassist Morgan, not to be confused with several other Pete Morgans, swung whether playing pizzicato or arco.
I applauded loudly which managed to persuade others to do the same - or maybe they thought they were clapping the chef!
I sometimes think the jazz/dining places are in a difficult niche trying to please both the diners and listeners.
Nevertheless, to their credit, the band didn't let it phase them - after all, they were getting paid, the diners were paying!
A choice selection of standards included, Somebody Loves Me, Dancing in the Dark, Gone With The Wind, All God's Chillun' Got Rhythm, Topsy, It Could Happen To You, Just You Just Me (with the Spotlite riff), In a Sentimental Mood and Blue and Sentimental - a request from yours truly.
It was a magnificent example of middle period chamber jazz that should have been heard by many more.
Lance.

1 comment :

Martin Litton said...

Nice to meet you at Boisdale. The stride piece I played was Willie the Lion Smith's version of Chopin's Military Polonaise.
Nice to know someone was listening intelligently.

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