Total Pageviews

Bebop Spoken There

Simon Spillett: “ Bebop and hard bop came naturally to him [Tubby Hayes]". Morning Star, March 28, 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

16287 (and counting) posts since we started blogging 16 years ago. 169 of them this year alone and, so far, 41 this month (Mar 18).

From This Moment On ...

March

Fri 29: FILM: Soul @ The Forum Cinema, Hexham. 12:30pm. Jazz-themed film animation.
Fri 29: Classic Swing @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 29: Rendezvous Jazz @ The Monkseaton Arms. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 29: New Orleans Preservation Jazz Band @ The Oxbridge Hotel, Stockton. 1:00pm. £5.00.
Fri 29: Abbie Finn Trio @ The Vault, Darlington. 6:00pm. Free. POSTPONED!
Fri 29: Thundercat @ Newcastle City Hall.
Fri 29: John Logan @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 8:00pm. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig.
Fri 29: True Colours @ Barrels Ale House, Berwick. 9:00pm. Blues, jazz & swing.

Sat 30: Papa G’s Troves @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 8:00pm. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig.
Sat 30: Pete Tanton’s Cuba Libre @ Whitley Bay Library, York Road, Whitley Bay. 8:00pm.

Sun 31: 4B @ The Ticket Office, Whitley Bay Metro Station. 3:00pm. Free.
Sun 31: Ruth Lambert Trio @ Juke Shed, Union Quay, North Shields NE30 1HJ. 3:00pm. Free. Lambert, Alan Law & Paul Grainger.
Sun 31: Sid Jacobs & Tom Remon @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 7:00pm. Free. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig. USA/London jazz guitar duo.
Sun 31: Bellavana @ The Globe, Newcastle. 8:00pm.

April
Mon 01: Harmony Brass @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Mon 01: Ray Stubbs R&B All Stars @ Billy Bootlegger’s, Ouseburn, Newcastle. 3:00pm. Free.

Tue 02: Jam session @ The Black Swan, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free. House trio: Dean Stockdale, Paul Grainger, Abbie Finn.

Wed 03: Vieux Carré Jazzmen @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Wed 03: Darlington Big Band @ Darlington & Simpson Rolling Mills Social Club, Darlington. 7:00pm. Free. Rehearsal session (open to the public).
Wed 03: Take it to the Bridge @ The Globe, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free.

Thu 04: FILM: Soul @ Forum Cinema, Hexham. 2:00pm. Jazz-themed film animation.
Thu 04: Vieux Carré Jazzmen @ The Holystone, Whitley Road, North Tyneside. 1:00pm. Free.
Thu 04: Funky Drummer @ The Globe, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free.
Thu 04: Eva Fox & the Jazz Guys @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 8:00pm. Free. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig.
Thu 04: Tees Hot Club @ Dorman’s Club, Middlesbrough. 8:30pm.

Tuesday, June 25, 2013

A letter and an email between Ron Chapman and Johnny Smith.

The recent death of guitarist Johnny Smith prompted number one fan Ron Chapman to send us this correspondence between the the two guitarists. Thank you Ron. - Lance.
----- 
3rd October. 2004.
Dear Johnny,
Last year I attended the Wrexham Jazz course in the hope of meeting you, but it turned out even better than I had hoped. I heard you play!
I enjoyed your visit into the class with Louis Stewart where we were being instructed by Mundel Lowe. I handed my camera to one of the guitarists in my group and the photo that he took was published in the Just Jazz Guitar Magazine in the May 2004 issue.
The purpose of this letter is to give you my own appreciation for the hours of pleasure that your recordings have given me. I am pretty sure that I have every recording that was ever issued; the quality of your playing never ceases to amaze me. I learned Moonlight in Vermont, which is the tune that I open every performance with. I also play among others The Girl with the Flaxen Hair, You are too Beautiful and The Shadow of your Smile. It’s after trying to emulate your smooth style of chord playing and the fast single note runs such as you are famous for that I began to doubt that no amount of practice could make me as perfect as what I was listening to.
After 40 years of playing I can play the long stretch chords without much problem and I know that you will disagree with me, but after practicing your runs for hundreds of hours without perfecting them I came to the conclusion that no amount of practice would ever make me sound like Johnny Smith. I wonder if there are any tips which you could pass on to help me attain the speed and clarity of single note runs. I guess there must have been a moment in your life when you realised that you could do it! I struggle; I listen to your recordings and try to copy.  I know that you practiced for hours on end but I think what makes you exceptional is perhaps that touch of genius.
Many thanks.  
Ron Chapman.
-----
Howdy Ron, good to hear from you.  Thanks for all the nice words, indeed a compliment coming from you as I was very impressed by your playing of "Send in The Clowns at Wrexham" fine playing indeed!
Sandy and I are ok, just keeping out of everybody's way.
I was fishing in Baja in June and getting ready to go back October 7th for a week. Fishing is great and October and June are the best months. In June, the marlin were running 250 lbs. and up. We release all bill fish that are not badly injured.
Stay well my friend and keep up your playing, thanks for staying in touch. 
Your friend                                                                                               
Johnny Smith


No comments :

Blog Archive