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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 ...

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.

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.

Tuesday, May 14, 2013

WJRK – 1984 to 2013

(By Roly Veitch)










In 1984 Newcastle based jazz trumpeter and vocalist Mike Durham formed his band the West Jesmond Rhythm Kings specifically to play the classic hot jazz of the 1920s. His band was totally dedicated to this unique repertoire, performing songs well known and obscure (invariably including the verse) all played with neat, polished and sometimes quite complex arrangements often in various contrasting sections and including breaks, harmonised passages, accented rhythmic figures, clever intros and endings, in fact all the 'tricks of the trade' used in the music of that era. This was no run of the mill, busking jazz band. The ensemble soon built a considerable reputation leading to jazz club and festival gigs all over the UK, abroad in France, Italy, Holland, Spain, Ireland and twice to the Chicago area of the USA.
I came into contact with Mike more in recent years due to my gigs with Keith Stephen (who played tenor banjo with Mike for many years) and with saxophonist and clarinettist Steve Andrews. It led to some very enjoyable sessions, on acoustic guitar and the occasional WJRK booking, deputising on tenor banjo. In the course of this I realised just what a great band WJRK was. My mother has some of their CDs (Jazz Lips, Jubilee Stomp, Shake 'em Loose) and they are never off the turntable.
As everyone knows Mike tragically passed away in March. He will be hugely missed for his contribution to jazz as a player, organiser and promoter. The band members have decided the time is right to draw the curtains on his beloved WJRK and the weekend of May 3 to 5 they fulfilled the band's final engagement at The Isle of Bute Jazz Festival. This delightful, long running festival, situated in the idyllic surroundings of Rothesay, featured many bands of contrasting styles, traditional to modern. WJRK played at The Victoria Hotel, The Pavillion Jazz Club, The Sunday morning church service at United Church of Bute and the jazz picnic on the Sunday afternoon. The line up for these final sessions was Brian Chester tbn, Derek Fleck clnt, Phil Rutherford sousa (all long standing band members). Ollie Rillands was on drums, myself tenor banjo and the band was admirably fronted by Edinburgh cornetist and vocalist Jim Petrie. All in all a very enjoyable but also a moving and poignant occasion. I like to think Mike would have approved of our efforts. Mike's wife Patti and her family came over from Glasgow on the Sunday to join the band for the final session.
Roly Veitch.
(More photos to follow)

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