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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.

Thursday, November 15, 2012

Kurt Elling & Sheila Jordan @ The Southbank Centre/ Queen Elizabeth Hall. November 14

Kurt Elling vocals/ Laurence Hobgood piano/ John McLean guitar/ Clark Sommers bass/ Bryan Carter drums.
Sheila Jordan vocals/ Brian Kellock piano/ Kenny Ellis bass/ Stu Ritchie drums.
(Review by Debra Milne.)
This year's London Jazz Festival has featured a number of vocalists, and one of the highlights was the double bill of Sheila Jordan and Kurt Elling. Ms Jordan was accompanied by her favourite pianist Brian Kellock (who was also with her at the Sage Gateshead a few years ago) and his trio. 
Beginning her set with a low key Hum Drum Blues the lady soon got into her stride with Wouldn't It Be Lovely. The strength of her voice may reflect her 84 years, but boy can she swing, and the rhythm and phrasing of her scatting was immaculate.  A cheesy show tune transformed into a jazz vocal master class. This was followed by a bossa version of All Or Nothing At All, and Workshop Blues,  a self-penned tune she uses with her students, during which the audience and the entire band had a musical workout. 
The most affecting piece was Jimmy Webb's The Moon Is A Harsh Mistress, and Kellock played such a beautiful solo, that Ms Jordan responded by placing a great big smacker of a kiss on his glistening head, whilst he was still playing. Her ability to deliver well timed, witty lyrics and vocalese came to the fore with Sonny Rollins' Pent Up House and in her last number, a blues in which she described her life story. As if relieved to have reached the end of the set, she held nothing back and her voice was more powerful. Yet there was something in reserve for Lament performed as an encore.
Kurt Elling and his band provided great contrast, although both singers use vocal improvisation as an
essential part of their performance. Elling's latest project, with long term collaborator pianist Laurence Hobgood, is a selection  of songs spanning several  decades, written in the Brill Building at 1619 Broadway.  Elling opened with a soaring Come Fly With Me, and this also showcased the band. The young drummer Bryan Carter and bassist Clark Sommers were set up as close as possible, and stayed in each other's pockets all night. 
Elling & Hobgood explored a number of well-known tunes, and their arrangements changed them into quite different pieces of music, exemplified by Sam Cooke's You Send Me. Guitarist Jim McLean's simple riff, and Elling's reworking of the melody, turned a classic pop song into something deeper and groovier. Elling also had some fun with vocal improvisation using electronic effects, before seguing into On Broadway, where the edginess of the drums and bass captured not only the mood of the lyric, but also that of New York City.  Most impressive of all was Elling's voice - the warm timbre maintained over a huge range, and his expressiveness and intonation. 
In songs such as I Only Have Eyes For You, he related the lyric with sensitivity, using his awesome vocal power with restraint. And all too soon, the set climaxed with Nature Boy, starting as a sweet ballad, which served as an introduction into an up tempo piece with extended solos all round. The band returned from their standing ovation with Kurt Elling and Sheila Jordan hand in hand - she watched most of his set from the side of the stage. The audience were then treated to a duet which included Moody's Mood For Love, with both singers providing additional vocalese  including references to the US election & Elling's (allegedly) cross-dressing bass player. Just Brill.
This show is due to be broadcast on Radio 3 on January 6 2013.
Debra Milne.

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