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Bebop Spoken There

Branford Marsalis: "As ignorance often forces us to do, you make a generalisation about a musician based on one specific record or one moment in time." - (Jazzwise June 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

15491 (and counting) posts since we started blogging 15 years ago. 512 of them this year alone and, so far, 133 this month (May 31).

From This Moment On ...

Wed 07: Vieux Carré Jazzmen @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm.
Wed 07: Darlington Big Band @ Darlington & Simpson Rolling Mills Social Club, Darlington. 7:00pm. Rehearsal session (open to the public).
Wed 07: 4B @ The Exchange, North Shields. 7:00pm.
Wed 07: Take it to the Bridge @ The Globe, Newcastle. 7:30pm.

Thu 08: Vieux Carré Jazzmen @ The Holystone, Whitley Road, North Tyneside. 1:00pm. Free. CANCELLED! BACK ON JUNE 15.
Thu 08: Easington Colliery Brass Band @ The Lubetkin Theatre, Peterlee. 7:00pm. £10.00.
Thu 08: Faye MacCalman + Blue Dust Archive @ Cobalt Studios, Newcastle. 7:00pm.
Thu 08: Dilutey Juice + Ceramic @ The Ampitheatre, Sea Road, South Shields. 7:00pm. Free. A South Tyneside Festival event.
Thu 08: Lara Jones w. Vigilance State @ Lubber Fiend, Blandford Square, Newcastle. 7:00pm.
Thu 08: Michael Littlefield @ the Harbour View, Roker, Sunderland. 8:00pm. Free. Country blues.
Thu 08: Tees Hot Club @ Dorman's Club, Middlesbrough. 9:00pm.

Fri 09: Classic Swing @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm.
Fri 09: New Orleans Preservation Jazz Band @ Oxbridge Hotel, Stockton. 1:00pm. £5.00.
Fri 09: Rendezvous Jazz @ The Monkseaton Arms, Monkseaton. 1:00pm.
Fri 09: Castillo Nuevo @ Revolución de Cuba, Newcastle. 5:30-8:30pm.
Fri 09: Emma Rawicz @ Sage Gateshead. 8:00pm.

Sat 10: Miners' Picnic @ Woodhorn, Ashington. Music inc. Northern Monkey Brass Band (3:00-3:50pm); New York Brass Band (4:00-4:55pm).
Sat 10: Front Porch Three @ The Globe, Newcastle. 7:00pm. Free. Americana, blues, jazz etc.
Sat 10: Merlin Roxby @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 8:00pm. A 'Jar on the Bar' gig.

Sun 11: WORKSHOP: Tim Richards' Jazz Piano Workshop @ JG Windows, Newcastle. Time TBC. Further details tel. 0191 232 1356.
Sun 11: Jeremy McMurray's Pocket Jazz Orchestra @ Ropner Park, Stockton TS18 4EF. 2:00-4:00pm. Free.
Sun 11: Am Jam @ The Globe, Newcastle. 2:30pm. Free.
Sun 11: 4B @ The Exchange, North Shields. 3:00pm.
Sun 11: Groovetrain @ Innisfree Sports & Social Club, Longbenton NE12 8TY. Doors 6:30pm. £15.00 (£7.00. under 16).
Sun 11: Jeffrey Hewer Collective @ The Globe, Newcastle. 8:00pm.

Mon 12: Harmony Brass @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm.

Tue 13: Paul Skerritt @ The Rabbit Hole, Hallgarth St., Durham DH1 3AT. 7:00pm. Paul Skerritt's (solo) weekly residency.
Tue 13: Infusion Trio @ Forum Music Centre, Darlington. 7:30pm.
Tue 13: Alice Grace & Pawel Jedrzejewski @ Black Swan, Newcastle Arts Centre. 8:00pm. £12.00 (£10.00. adv.).

Wednesday, December 12, 2012

The 3 B's @ The Sage. Tuesday Dec. 11.

Big Chris Barber Band: Chris Barber (tmb); Mike Henry, Peter Rudeforth (tpts); Rick Exall, Ami Roberts, Peter Brandsmar (reeds); Joe Farler (gtr); Jackie Flavelle (bs); Gregor Beck (dms).
Acker Bilk and his Paramount Jazz Band: Acker Bilk (clt/vcl), Ron Drake (clt); Enrico Tomasso (tpt); Ian Bateman (tmb); John Day (bs); Ritchie Bryant (dms); ? (pno); ? (bjo).
Kenny Ball and his Jazzmen:Kenny Ball (tpt/vcl), Ben Cummings (tpt); John Bennett (tmb); ? (clt); Hugh Ledigo (pno); Bill Coleman (bs); Nick Millward (dms).
(Review by Lance.).
Hall One was 3 tiers full - mainly people of a certain age who recalled the Trad Boom of the 1960's. Where did they all come from and why don't they, say just 10% of them,  support local jazz clubs?
However, that is a question for another day. Tonight was all about nostalgia and, despite the longevity of the leaders (287 years), some very good music.
The Barber Band, it has to be said, led the Parade by the length of Bourbon St which was of course their opening number. Lots of early Ellington including Rent Party Blues, Jungle Nights, Merry Go Round and a tremendous version of East St. Louis Toodle-oo. The saxes on this one were absolutely sublime. They also shone on All Blues from Miles' Kind of Blue Album. Barber may be a bumbling announcer but there's nothing indecisive 'bout his 'boning. The tone has mellowed with the years although, when the occasion demands it, he can growl like Tricky Sam.
They played a few of the hits the most effective being Petite Fleur featuring Exall (or was it Brandsmar?) on clarinet. Beautiful sound. 
Throughout the set the stage lighting was used to good effect and added greatly to the ambience.
----- 
Acker was wheeled on stage in a wheelchair - the result of a fall, they said, - but nevertheless managed to retain his distinctive sound particularly in the chalumeau register. The 83 year old was at his most effective singing and telling gags. His fellow clarinettist Ron Drake was another matter. A very facile Goodman/De Franco style player he stood out as also did Enrico Tomasso who is never less than brilliant. Bateman played some lusty trombone and the rhythm section, some of whose names I didn't catch, kept things stomping along.
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Kenny Ball too was dependent on a bumper up in the form of Ben Cummings who blew trumpet like Kenny used to do. As in the case of Acker, Kenny was featured mainly as vocalist opening up with that good old good one So Do I. Sentimental Journey - how appropriate! - Midnight in Moscow. a jazzed up piano version of Bach's Toccata and Fugue in D Minor showcasing Hugh Ledigo and Someday You'll Be Sorry were some of the numbers that followed. It was all great foottapping stuff but it was also bus time so I reluctantly had to draw myself away from what had been a glorious evening of nostalgia.
See you next year guys - I hope.
Lance.

3 comments :

Paul Thompson said...

The Barber band(s) were nothing short of superb. That reeds section was absolutely amazing and the whole ensemble was just so balanced and tight with impeccable phrasing. The arrangements were incredibly good. I could have listened to that band all evening - absolutely wonderful!
It was sad to see a player of Acker Bilk's calibre reduced to this. He was out of tune and his phrasing was poor, as was his timing. He was really struggling and should hang up his clarinet.
Kenny Ball looked like some ghastly animated waxwork and did a lot of "business" directing the band. It was something of a cheek, I thought, for him to refer to Ben Cummings as "Second Trumpet" when he was clearly lead trumpet! I watched Ball closely and he was barely playing. There were too many "fill-ins" such as the piano trio playing the jazz version of Bach's Toccata in D minor and the extended drum solo from Millward was just too much for too long. The nepotistic arrival of Ball's son to sing the Jungle song was another step too far and kissing his father had me wishing I'd had a convenient sick bag. Barber- brilliant! Bilk - Sad! Ball- add an S!

Lance said...

Fortunately I'd left for the bus so I missed the Jungle Song! Strangely - or perhaps not - when I checked my review of last year's concert the program for all 3 bands was practically identical! However, I know where you're coming from and, although I totally agree with you, my heart overrides my mind and I was surprised and delighted to see so many turn out. What would be good would be if Acker did the announcements for Chris Barber!

Paul Thompson said...

I completely agree with you about the announcements, Lance.

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