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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.

Saturday, June 09, 2012

John Hallam with the Paul Edis Trio @ Blaydon Jazz Club.June 7.

John Hallam (tenor & baritone saxophones, clarinet), Paul Edis (piano), Mick Shoulder (double bass) & Adam Sinclair (drums).
(Review by Russell).
The forecast storm clouds gathered overhead during the journey from Newcastle to Blaydon. They did little to dampen the enthusiasm for a much anticipated gig. A return visit by reeds virtuoso John Hallam working in the company of the Paul Edis Trio enticed a good number of folk to Blaydon & District Club and Institute.


Hallam, an assured player on clarinet, tenor and baritone saxophones, chose a well-balanced programme and opened on tenor with a leisurely Just Friends. Mick Shoulder (double bass) shone on Love Me or Leave Me and the trio – make that the quartet – hit the heights on Blues in the Closet. Hallam switched to clarinet for a couple of numbers before leaving the stage to Edis, Shoulder and drummer Adam Sinclair to deliver a sensitive reading of Stella by Starlight
Hallam picked-up the baritone to further demonstrate his command of the reeds with a brisk Dream a Little Dream Of Me and closed the first set with the Duke Ellington/Mercer Ellington/Don George Time’s A Wastin’. The consensus of opinion during the interval was that it had been an excellent first set with much praise for the local lads. Tyneside has an enviable history of first class rhythm sections working as the support to visiting guest musicians from Britain, America and further afield. The Paul Edis Trio – Edis piano, Mick Shoulder (double bass) and Adam Sinclair (drums) –  is right up there with the best of them. 
The music resumed with What is This Thing Called Love? and Hallam, on tenor, continued to offer generous solo opportunities to the trio. Edis responded with yet another brilliant solo and a round of fours spotlighted the exuberant Sinclair. The trio took in their collective stride a bossa intro on Out of Nowhere followed by - a highlight amongst highlights - Bernie’s Tune. Hallam, once more on baritone, was, surely, delighted by the high level playing of all on the stand. Benny Carter’s When Lights Are Low revealed Sinclair’s immaculate brush work and Edis’ sublime solo incorporated fleeting references to other GAS book gems; was that Surrey with the Fringe on Top? Hallam the clarinetist played it near-hot on Irving Berlin’s Puttin’ on the Ritz, drummer Sinclair somehow evoked Fred Astaire’s unsurpassed tap dancing routine and Shoulder anchored it. Review notes said, simply, PERFECT!. Say no more. 
The Edis Trio slowed the pulse rate with a measured Body and Soul before John Hallam (on tenor) called time with Apple Honey. Blaydon Jazz Club is the place to be if first rate mainstream jazz is your thing. John Hallam’s visit was made possible thanks to Gateshead Council supporting the event during Blaydon Races Festival week and of course the regular supporters turning-up in good numbers. Next month  - Thursday July 5 – get along to hear master guitarist James Birkett and reeds virtuoso Graeme Wilson working in quintet format. It starts a little earlier than usual – get there by 8:15 pm. Make the effort – ample parking space in the car park on Garden Street, late buses to Gateshead and Newcastle, excellent bottled beers and a warm welcome at Blaydon Jazz Club ensure you won’t be disappointed.
Russell 

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