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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 ...

June
Thu 01: Vieux Carré Jazzmen @ The Holystone, Whitley Road, North Tyneside. 1:00pm. Free.
Thu 01: Thursday Night Prayer Meeting @ The Globe, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Donations.
Thu 01: Merlin Roxby @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 8:00pm. Ragtime piano. A 'Jar on the Bar' gig.
Thu 01: Jake Leg Jug Band @ The Globe, Newcastle. 8:00pm.
Thu 01: Tees Hot Club @ Dorman's Club, Middlesbrough. 9:00pm.

Fri 02: Classic Swing @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm.
Fri 02: New Orleans Preservation Jazz Band @ Oxbridge Hotel, Stockton. 1:00pm. £5.00.
Fri 02: Rendezvous Jazz @ The Monkseaton Arms, Monkseaton. 1:00pm.
Fri 02: Joseph Carville Trio @ Saltburn Community Hall. 7:30pm.
Fri 02: Claire Martin & Her Trio @ The Witham, Barnard Castle. 7:30pm. £25.00., £20.00. Feat. Jim Mullen, Alex Garnett & Jeremy Brown.
Fri 02: Guy Davis + Michael Littlefield & Scott Taylor @ Cluny 2, Newcastle. Doors 7:30pm. Blues double bill.
Fri 02: Anders Ingram @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 8:00pm. Blind Pig Blues Club. Country blues. A 'Jar on the Bar' gig.

Sat 03: Newcastle Record Fair @ Northumbria University, Newcastle NE8 8SB. 10:00am-3:00pm. Admission: £2.00.
Sat 03: Pedigree Jazz Band @ St Augustine's Parish Centre, Darlington. 12:30pm.
Sat 03: Play Jazz! workshop @ The Globe, Newcastle. 1:30pm. Tutor: Sue Ferris. £25.00. Enrol at: www.jazz.coop.
Sat 03: Abbie Finn Trio @ The Vault, Darlington. 6:00pm. Free.
Sat 03: Rendezvous Jazz @ Red Lion, Earsdon. 8:00pm. £3.00.
Sat 03: Papa G's Troves @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 8:00pm. A 'Jar on the Bar' gig.

Sun 04: Smokin' Spitfires @ The Cluny, Newcastle. 12:45pm.
Sun 04: Central Bar Quintet @ Central Bar, Gateshead. 2:00-4:00pm. £5.00. The Central Bar Quintet plays Sonny Rollins' Saxophone Colossus. Featuring Lewis Watson.
Sun 04: 4B @ The Exchange, North Shields. 3:00pm.
Sun 04: Struggle Buggy + Michael Littlefield @ Tyne Bar, Newcastle. 4:00pm. Free. Acoustic blues.
Sun 04: Swinging at the Cotton Club: Harry Strutters' Hot Rhythm Orchestra @ The Fire Station, Sunderland. 7:30pm.
Sun 04: Richard Jones Trio @ The Globe, Newcastle. 8:00pm.
Sun 04: Jam No. 18 @ Fabio's Bar, Saddler Street, Durham. 8:00pm. Free. All welcome. A Durham University Jazz Society event.

Mon 05: Harmony Brass @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm.

Tue 06: Paul Skerritt @ The Rabbit Hole, Hallgarth St., Durham DH1 3AT. 7:00pm. Paul Skerritt's (solo) weekly residency.
Tue 06: Jam session @ Black Swan, Newcastle Arts Centre. 7:30pm. House trio: Stu Collingwood (piano); Paul Grainger (double bass); Sid White (drums).

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.

Saturday, March 02, 2013

Great North Big Band Jazz Festival @ North Shore. March 1, 2013

(Review by Russell).
The curtain-raiser to the tenth annual Great North Big Band Jazz Festival featured a new name as guest performer and competition adjudicator – multi reeds virtuoso Pete Long. A star-studded quintet led by Paul Jones (alto) and Long (clarinet) breezed through a selection of tried and tested numbers. 
Opening with Cherokee at quite a lick introduced the rhythm section; Colin Haikney (keyboards), Neil Harland (electric bass) and drummer Adrian Tilbrook. Stone Fox Chase (the theme tune of the Old Grey Whistle Test) worked well in showing off Long’s command of his instrument. Altoist Jones, an alumni of the County Durham Youth Big Band, blew vigorously and the tunes flew by including Creole Love Call, a Chick Corea number and a Rollins’ calypso. 
The second half of the evening featured the fearless young composer James Hamilton working with a hand-picked festival big band. One and a bit rehearsals over recent weeks (snow drifts made things difficult) was scarcely time to get acquainted, let alone knock into shape a big band and produce a concert performance. Hamilton was able to draw upon senior professionals to join the sections of promising young players from the north east of England; Bill Watson (festival organiser), Gordon Marshall and Thomas Hill* ensured that the trumpet section was up to snuff, pianist Colin Haikney stayed on and the talented Dave Mckeague held down the drum chair. The purpose of this endeavour was to highlight the talented stars of tomorrow. The genial Hamilton spoke warmly of his charges and gave every encouragement to stand up and take a solo. All the more impressive that four pieces were compositions from the pen of the bandleader. 
A newly commissioned piece - Open Season - put the band through its paces and none flagged. To think that the seasoned pros were once in the position of these aspiring young musicians, generations apart but together in music. Fantastic! Bill Watson took the baton and called up Jones and Long together with Neil Harland to join the band to run through a few standards. Where is the Love? featured Susie Roberts (alto) and James Burchmore (tenor) and the young duo went for it. The select audience sensed this was their big moment and the applause afforded these young musicians typified what this event is all about. 
The concert ended in rabble rousing fashion with C Jam Blues on which everyone got the chance to blow (Pete Long briefly grabbed a flugelhorn!). A great start to the weekend. Saturday and Sunday is when the competition proper gets under way with workshops for the early birds and prize winning big band performances from around midday ‘til late. Literally hundreds of young musicians will play across the weekend. If you’re in the area call in to North Shore (Sunderland University’s Students’ Union) on Charles Street in Sunderland – you’re in for a treat!                
Russell.
County Durham trumpeter Thomas Hill has won a place at Leeds College of Music. Hill can be heard on the local scene standing in the trumpet section of any number of bands - and you can’t mistake him, he takes after Maynard Ferguson and frequently tries to take the roof off! Congratulations Thomas and good luck.

1 comment :

Anonymous said...

Good to meet you Russell. I and my 2 friends also enjoyed the night. They had not previously been to the festival and liked it. I hope they will return with me next year
Elaine

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