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Bebop Spoken There

David Hadju: "It was kind of a lightning bolt [seeing a photo of a hi-fi store that's now occupied by a phone store]. Everyone had hi-fi systems, now everyone has a phone" - (DownBeat May 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

15478 (and counting) posts since we started blogging 15 years ago. 499 of them this year alone and, so far, 120 this month (May 27).

From This Moment On ...

May 2023

Sun 28: Bradley Creswick's Western Swingfonia @ Whitley Bay Carnival. Free. Plaza Arena stage. 12 noon.
Sun 28: MSK @ Whitley Bay Carnival. 12:15pm. Free. Marquee stage. MSK - Steve Glendinning, Katy Trigger, Martin Douglas.
Sun 28: Musicians Unlimited @ The Park Inn, Hartlepool. 1:00pm. Free.
Sun 28: Back Chat Brass @ Whitley Bay Carnival. 1:30pm. Free. Marquee stage.
Sun 28: More Jam @ The Globe, Newcastle. 2:00pm. Free.
Sun 28: Tim Kliphuis Trio @ St Mary's Church, Wooler NE71 6BZ. 3:00pm. £15.00 standard; £5.00 student/unwaged; free under 18. Afternoon Cocktail, a Wooler Summer Arts' concert promotion. Kliphuis (violin); Nigel Clark (guitar); Roy Percy (double bass).
Sun 28: Back Chat Brass @ Whitley Bay Carnival. 3:00pm. Free. Plaza Arena stage.
Sun 28: 4B @ The Exchange, North Shields. 3:00pm.
Sun 28: King Bees @ The Delaval Arms, Old Hartley NE26 4RL. 5:00pm. Free. Chicago blues at its best!
Sun 28: Matt Anderson Quartet @ The Globe, Newcastle. 8:00pm. Anderson (saxophones); Jamil Sheriff (piano); Andy Champion (double bass); Dave Walsh (drums).

Mon 29: Harmony Brass @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm.

Tue 30: Paul Skerritt @ The Rabbit Hole, Hallgarth St., Durham DH1 3AT. 7:00pm. Paul Skerritt's (solo) weekly residency.
Tue 30: Big Chris Barber Band @ Whitley Bay Playhouse. 7:30pm.

Wed 31: Vieux Carré Jazzmen @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm.
Wed 31: Darlington Big Band @ Darlington & Simpson Rolling Mills Social Club, Darlington. 7:00pm. Rehearsal session (open to the public).
Wed 31: 4B @ The Exchange, North Shields. 7:00pm.
Wed 31: Take it to the Bridge @ The Globe, Newcastle. 7:30pm.

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.

Monday, April 08, 2013

GIJF: Day 2: The Concourse. April 6.

(Review by Ann Alex)
You could actually have yourself a free festival by watching the concourse performances, and you’d get lots of variety, interest and good music.  On Saturday I heard:
The Grace Ellen Band
This singer is new to me and she did some of the songs which featured in her recent performance at one of the Jazz co-op gigs which take place at the Star pub in Newcastle on Wednesdays.  We heard versions of rock songs such as Sweet Dreams and New Day and standards such as Black Coffee, Fever and Georgia.  The instrumentalists are brimming with talent, I believe some of them are from one of the Sage’s music degrees, so I would have liked to hear more solos from them, to complement the singing.
Dropping Bombs
This is the band from the Jazz, Popular and Commercial Music Degree, who gave a very good account of themselves.  The talent of these young people is quite frightening, which means that the future of jazz is in very capable hands.  They were straight in with a blues, no messing, repeated riffs and short solos, then came a woman singer with Lance’s (un)favourite song Summertime, a gutsy voice, and a skilled trombone solo from David Grey.  Well You Needn’t was exceptional, as I’ve mentioned elsewhere, James Harrison on keys took us for a journey on the A Train, then came another song, and the finale with Caravan.  The sax man swopped alto for flute, a staccato breathy sound well suited to a train of camels, certainly not caravan holidays at Haggerston Castle.  Some good long solos were included to finish a very satisfying set.
The GIJF Scratch Choir
It must be the drink, I’m not certain if these people were on Saturday or Sunday, but anyway here they are.  I guess it was about 40 people, who treated us to 2 songs.  The first was, I think, the title track from Guys and Dolls and contains the line “you can bet that  he’s doing it for some doll”.  The next song, Let It Snow, was almost topical as, outside it certainly was cold enough for it. However, on the concourse, the heat was quite delightful and both songs were performed well with rich lively harmonies and a lovely solo from one of the men.  The style of singing was interesting, closer to the way these songs would have been sung in the original musicals rather than an individual jazz singer’s style. I could have listened to them for far longer, so I wish they’d done more, but what we had was good.
Djangologie
I’ve long wanted to hear this quartet but never been around at the right time, and this is what festivals are for, lots of bands you want to see, all in one place.  Emma Fisk was an absolute whizz on violin, waiting her turn during some of the long introductions, then straight in when James Birkett (guitar) wagged his head towards her, with her lovely high gypsy inspired music, almost like a descant to the others.  This is wonderful, easy, accessible listening, with Giles Strong on guitar as well, and Mick Shoulder on bass to keep them steady.  Tunes played included Minor Swing, Belleville, an original The Autumn Leaf, with pizzicato violin, presumably that was the leaf falling, Sam’s Bounce, another original, a very fast Sheik Of Araby, and the Russian song Dark Eyes a.k.a Ochi Chornya, which sounded like a folk dance and had thrilling runs and phrases by violinist Emma.  Bravo Les Tout Ensemble!
Ann Alex

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