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Bebop Spoken There

Kurt Elling: ''There's something to learn from every musician you play with''. (DownBeat, December 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

17630 (and counting) posts since we started blogging 16 years ago. 904 of them this year alone and, so far, 49 this month (Dec. 20).

From This Moment On ...

December

Mon 23: Harmony Brass @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Mon 23: Vieux Carré Jazzmen @ The Wheatsheaf, Benton Sq., Whitley Road, Palmersville NE12 9SU. Tel: 0191 266 8137. 1:00pm. Free. CANCELLED!
Mon 23: Edison Herbert Trio @ The Vault, Darlington. 4:00pm. Free.
Mon 23: Jason Isaacs @ St. James’ STACK, Newcastle. 4:00-6:00pm. Free. Vocalist Isaacs working with backing tapes.
Mon 23: Milne-Glendinning Band @ The Vault, Darlington. 7:00pm. Free.

Tue 24: Lindsay Hannon & Mark Williams @ Ernest, Ouseburn, Newcastle. 11:00am-1:00pm. Free.
Tue 24: Paul Skerritt @ Mambo Wine & Dine, South Shields. 1:00pm. Free. Vocalist Skerritt working with backing tapes.

Wed 25: Wot? No jazz!

Thu 26: The Boneshakers @ Tyne Bar, Ouseburn, Newcastle. 4:00pm. Free. The 17th annual Boneshakers’ Shindig.

Fri 27: Classic Swing @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 27: Rendezvous Jazz @ The Monkseaton Arms. 1:00pm. Free. Business as usual!.
Fri 27: Jason Isaacs @ Seaburn STACK, Seaburn. 3:30-5:30pm. Free. Vocalist Isaacs working with backing tapes.
Fri 27: Michael Woods @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 8:00pm. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig. Country blues guitar & vocals.

Sat 28: Jason Isaacs @ St. James’ STACK, Newcastle. 11:30am. Free. Vocalist Isaacs working with backing tapes.
Sat 28: Fri 20: Castillo Nuevo @ Revoluçion de Cuba, Newcastle. 5:30pm. Free.
Sat 28: Jude Murphy, Rich Herdman & Giles Strong @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 8:00pm. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig.
Sat 28: Ray Stubbs R & B All-Stars @ Billy Bootlegger’s, Stepney Bank, Newcastle. 9:00pm. Free.

Sun 29: Paul Skerritt @ Hibou Blanc, Newcastle. 2:00pm. Free. Vocalist Skerritt working with backing tapes.
Sun 29: Alexia Gardner Quintet @ The Globe, Newcastle. 8:00pm.

Reviewers wanted

Whilst BSH attempts to cover as many gigs, festivals and albums as possible, to make the site even more comprehensive we need more 'boots on the ground' to cover the albums seeking review - a large percentage of which never get heard - report on gigs or just to air your views on anything jazz related. Interested? then please get in touch. Contact details are on the blog. Look forward to hearing from you. Lance

Wednesday, January 30, 2013

Walter Smith III @ The Sage

Walter Smith III (ten); Matt Stevens (gtr); Michael Janisch (bs); Jeremiah Williams (dms).
(Review by Lance).
The gathering was well-attended by those who chose to forego the charms of, was it Danny and Ben?, from Thunder (Google it, I had to!)
D and B were in Hall 2 whereas WS III  was in the Northern Rock Foundation Hall - and there weren't many empty seats for this Jazz North East presentation.
JNE don't always pick the winners but when they do you can bet your life it's a Derby winner. Tonight was just such a classic performance that I felt everyone in the world should be here. They weren't, but that's their misfortune. There were enough to encourage more of the same. By The Same I mean modern jazz that has advanced beyond earlier conceptions but keeps the music within a framework and avoids the Fire in a Pet Shop syndrome.
Smith is simply a wonderful tenor player, I don't know anything about Smiths I and II but this third generation guy can play. A Getzian sound combined with a Rollins-like aggression makes for fine tenor playing.
And hows about guitarist Stevens? So laid back and yet he expertly mixed single note lines with chordal interjections building up his solos to near perfection. On second thoughts, delete near.
Michael Janisch, like the other three, is American (I think Stevens is actually Canadian but I suppose that's still American in a sense) Janisch is currently resident in London. He provides  the pulse and delivers some of the most melodic bass playing in jazz.
Williams was mainly hidden from my view by his ride cymbal but, when I did catch a glimpse, it revealed a drummer with a smile that even Steve Brown would be envious of! His technique was awesome. Using just a basic set-up he drove the band at Formula One speed and soloed like there was no tomorrow.
Needless to say, the crowd demanded more and they got it.
Sans Stevens, Smith, Janisch and Williams delivered, arguably, the best Body and Soul since Coleman Hawkins set the benchmark 70 plus years ago.
This was pure magic.
A gig of the year contender already!
Lance.

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