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Bebop Spoken There

Wendell Brunious: "Because the blues is not 1,4 and 5 or 1,4,5,2,1. You could wake up with a flat tyre or a headache this morning, that's the blues, man" - (DownBeat, Oct. 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

15878 (and counting) posts since we started blogging 15 years ago. 885 of them this year alone and, so far, 83 this month (Sept. 30).

From This Moment On ...

October

Wed 04: Vieux Carré Jazzmen @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm.
Wed 04: Darlington Big Band @ Darlington & Simpson Rolling Mills Social Club, Darlington. 7:00pm. Rehearsal session (open to the public).
Wed 04: Paul Skerritt @ Vespa Italian Bar & Steakhouse, Primrose Hill, Jarrow. From 7:00pm. To book a table - 0191 483 3355.
Wed 04: Take it to the Bridge @ The Globe, Newcastle. 7:30pm.

Thu 05: Vieux Carré Jazzmen @ The Holystone, Whitley Road, North Tyneside. 1:00pm. Free.
Thu 05: Sound the Trumpets @ King's Hall, Newcastle University. 1:15pm. Free.
Thu 05: Hot Club du Nord @ The Lubetkin Theatre, Peterlee. 7:00pm. £10.00. POSTPONED!
Thu 05: Thursday Night Prayer Meeting @ The Globe, Newcastle. 7:30pm.
Thu 05: Tommy Bentz Trio + Mark Croft Duo + George Shovlin & George Lamb @ The Harbour View, Sunderland. 8:00pm. Free. Harbour View Speakeasy's USA blues double bill + Shovlin & Lamb!
Thu 05: Merlin Roxby @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 8:00pm. Ragtime piano. A 'Jar on the Bar' gig.
Thu 05: Tees Hot Club @ Dorman's Club, Middlesbrough. 9:00pm.

Fri 06: Alcyona Mick @ Lit & Phil, Newcastle. 1:00pm. A Newcastle Festival of Jazz & Improvised Music event.
Fri 06: Classic Swing @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm.
Fri 06: New Orleans Preservation Jazz Band @ Oxbridge Hotel, Stockton. 1:00pm. £5.00.
Fri 06: Rendezvous Jazz @ The Monkseaton Arms, Monkseaton. 1:00pm.
Fri 06: WORKSHOP: Philosophy of Arts & Entertainment @ Lit & Phil, Newcastle. 2:00pm. A Newcastle Festival of Jazz & Improvised Music event.
Fri 06: Balo @ Lit & Phil, Newcastle. 6:20pm. A Newcastle Festival of Jazz & Improvised Music event.
Fri 06: Paul Skerritt @ 3Sixty Champagne Lounge, Hadrian’s Tower, Newcastle. From 7:00pm. To book a table - 0191 933 8591.
Fri 06: Lexer/Mayes/Noble + Semay Wu + Miman @ Lit & Phil, Newcastle. 7:20pm. A Newcastle Festival of Jazz & Improvised Music event.
Fri 06: Dulcie May Moreno @ The Vault, Hexham. 7:30pm. £20.00. Book in advance. Moreno with Alan Law, Paul Grainger & John Bradford.
Fri 06: Dean Stockdale Quartet @ Saltburn Community Hall. 7:30pm. 'Celebrating Oscar'.
Fri 06: Nu Brass Sounds: Big Brass Bash @ Billy Bootlegger’s, Newcastle. 8:00pm. Free.
Fri 06: King Bees @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 8:00pm. Blind Pig Blues Club. A 'Jar on the Bar' gig.

Sat 07: WORKSHOP: Philosophy of Arts & Entertainment @ Lit & Phil, Newcastle. 10:15am. A Newcastle Festival of Jazz & Improvised Music event.
Sat 07: Hot Club du Nord @ St Augustine's Parish Centre, Darlington. 12:30pm.
Sat 07: Bugge & Niccols + Moore & Fairhall @ Lit & Phil, Newcastle. 1:00pm. A Newcastle Festival of Jazz & Improvised Music event.
Sat 07: Play Jazz! workshop @ The Globe, Newcastle. 1:30pm. Tutor: Steve Glendinning - All the Things You Are. £25.00. Enrol at: www.jazz.coop.
Sat 07: Abbie Finn Trio @ The Vault, Darlington. 6:00pm. Free.
Sat 07: Rie Nakajima @ Lit & Phil, Newcastle. 6:20pm. A Newcastle Festival of Jazz & Improvised Music event.
Sat 07: Paul Skerritt @ 3Sixty Champagne Lounge, Hadrian’s Tower, Newcastle. From 7:00pm. To book a table - 0191 933 8591.
Sat 07: Boys of Brass @ Salt Market Social, Liddell St., North Shields. From 7:00pm. £9.00. + bf.
Sat 07: Samuel Blaser Trio + Toxvaerd & Zeeberg + Muramatsu & Welch @ Lit & Phil, Newcastle. 7:20pm. A Newcastle Festival of Jazz & Improvised Music event.
Sat 07: Anth Purdy @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 8:00pm.
Sat 07: Rendezvous Jazz @ Red Lion, Earsdon. 8:00pm. £3.00.

Sun 08: Zoë Gilby Quintet + Ubunye @ The Globe, Newcastle. 2:00pm. Line-up inc. Tony Kofi. A Newcastle Festival of Jazz & Improvised Music event.
Sun 08: Tommy Bentz Band @ Tyne Bar, Newcastle. 4:00pm. Free. USA blues band.

Mon 09: Harmony Brass @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm.
Mon 09: Cherise Adams-Burnett @ The Grove, Byker, Newcastle. 7:30pm. .

Tue 10: Abbie Finn Trio @ Forum Music Centre, Darlington. 7:30pm.

Monday, June 24, 2013

Ray Chester Tribute Concert @ The Customs House June 23.

Don Fairley, Keith Norris, Caroline Norris, Dave Brock, Alan Bravey (tmb); Mark Webb, Graham Hardy, Dave Hignett, Gordon Marshall, Mick Hill (tpt); Steve Summers, John Hudson (ten); Andy Bennett, Kim Webb (alt); Niall Armstrong (bar); Colin Haikney (pno); James Birkett (gtr); Ray Truscott (bs); Stuart Haikney (dms); MIA WEBB (vcl).
(Review by Lance)
They came to praise Caesar not to bury him - to paraphrase The Bard. Caesar, or rather Ray Chester, was very much alive at the Customs House on this very emotional farewell. The bandleader, composer, arranger, trombonist, pianist, trumpet player, teacher and you name it, was here tonight. Here, in the arrangements he wrote, his compositions, and the band he crafted into an award winning outfit. Two hundred of us listened and applauded the music that was laid down. Musically speaking this was a banquet, no dogs dinner this feast!.
In such a star studded ensemble how can you single out individuals? They all played their part.
None more so than Mia Webb who compéred the show with anecdotes and songs.Mia occasionally struggled to keep a dry eye - didn't we all?
Mia also looked sensational in a couple of black sparkly sequined gowns.
Colin Haikney played a blinder on piano and ensured the band picked up the cues.
The trombones - OMG what a task! Ray's trombone stood forlornly, yet shining like a beacon, at the front of the stage. Don Fairley (with the band since its inception in 1966) bravely faced up to the task of taking Ray's place. Ray would have been proud of him maybe saying to the angel Gabriel who was also digging the gig - "Of course he's good after 40 odd years it had to rub off on somebody!"
Keith Norris also had a few moments and all five played a lovely version of My Foolish Heart.
The saxes were on fire - Steve Summers and John Hudson blew great tenor - a score draw. Steve is a doctor. I wish he were my doctor:
"Doctor I'm having trouble with my embouchure. I've been taking Rico number 3s. Do you think I should try Van Doren 2s?"
"I'm giving you a prescription that you must stick to - long notes, arpeggios and Sonny Rollins transcriptions to be taken daily for at least two hours."
Andy Bennett on alto cruised through the parts and blew soprano, flute and clarinet. Niall Armstrong, as ever, the anchor man on baritone and bass clarinet had a Carney-like feature on Naomi - composed by Ray and dedicated to his granddaughter. Mia's daughter Kim didn't solo but played her part(s) in helping the saxes achieve such a full, balanced sound.
The trumpets! The Powerhouse Five - Hardy and Hignett, Mick Hill, Gordon Marshall and Mark Webb - the sky's the limit!
From where I sat down front I couldn't see James Birkett but, fortunately, he could be heard. Truscott on bass and Stuart Haikney on drums - along with Haikney pere on piano gave us a rhythm section to savour.
Too many numbers to list or even highlight however, it would be unfair not to mention Mia's version - á la Lee - of  The Folks Who Live on the Hill. Sung beautifully with the reeds doubling on flute, clarinets and bass clarinet to catch the authenticity of the original - mint!
Sadly this was the last concert ever by the band with the pad being donated to Sage Gateshead where, hopefully, it will be available for reference and to advance the career and development of the next Ray Chester - it may take a while...
Ray's family must be very proud of their dad and we are thankful to them for making a wonderful evening possible. Proceeds from the concert are being donated to St. Benedict's Hospice in Sunderland.
Photos.
Lance.

1 comment :

Ian Chester said...

Many thanks for that wonderful tribute Lance - it's much appreciated.

Kind Regards

Ian Chester

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