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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

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

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.

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.

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).

Sunday, November 24, 2013

Five Men No Dog – Salsa Café November 23


Dave Jones (vocals), Peter Drake (sax/vocals), Simon Stephenson (guitar), Andy Booth (percussion), Jonny Drake (electric d.bass)
(Review by Kath Jobes).
Five Men No Dog were billed as playing a mix of original and classic songs that draws on jazz, blues, folk and swing and ‘sister’ we were not disappointed!  
The first set commenced with St Celie’s Blues from the film, The Colour Purple and then we swiftly took the A Train down to Sugar Hill with pleasant solos from the sax and guitar.  Ain’t Misbehavin’ set away with a mellow saxophone and led onto a bright version of  All of Me
We had just settled down into ‘Jazz Lounge music mode’ when out of the hat came a Peter Drake original - You Shot Me Down and suddenly I felt that the band had got into their stride… Confidence growing Dave Jones went on to Fly Me to the Moon with enthusiastic solos from Sax and Guitar before a segue into a vivacious I Will Survive.  The tone was then knocked back as Simon Stephenson played a colla voce My Funny Valentine… beautifully executed by Dave Jones.

The Latin beat of the percussionist Andy Booth inspired the gentle groove of another Peter Drake Original, Don’t Give up that Dream and then moved into a vamp with the young Jonny Drake on bass to introduce the ‘seasonally inappropriate’ Summertime. Apparently Jonny did so well in his recent GCSE’s that his dad bought him an electric double bass… methinks there was method in his madness as he needed a bass player… so his present was dual purpose…. In the six months he has been playing bass Jonny seems to have really got a good grasp of this instrument and can only get better… I have to say that an electric double bass appears to be a walk in the park compared with the vigorous workout it seems to be on an acoustic bass… but I digress… back to the set… 

The next tune - Happiness, was written by Crispin Holland and certainly brought a happy feel to the place… moving on to a song clearly rooted in folk music, Van Diemen’s Land - another Peter Drake original.   The Tracks of My Tears moved me - with sensitive percussion from Booth, and the set came to an end with an inspired Love is Like a Foreign Land.  

We came Zorbing into the second set and I have to say I was a little distracted by the table conversation during I Want You. However, my attention  was soon brought back to the band during the lively original - Love Says Hello with an animated section of rhythmic clapping  by the bass and sax player to accompany the percussionist.

The mood then switched back to folk roots as we bobbed down the River of Salt to a livelier Tears Dry/Aint no Mountain.  The next section of songs showed the versatility of Peter Drake’s song writing, as a poignant number – Old led nicely into Glenn Miller is Missing and Running for You.  The next tune – Django and Florine had a gypsy music feel and was inspired by Django Reinhardt. Pete Drake then joined Dave Jones to harmonise during Do You Remember? And this vocal duo implemented a nice rhythmic A capella section during Your Wild One.  The finale of this varied and enjoyable evening of music was Down So Long.
Kath J.

Post Script:  Comments from friends were: - they thought this group of musicians were nicely balanced, the percussion complemented their style, a full drum kit would have disturbed their equilibrium, and the band really came into their own when they were performing original numbers… I agree and I would certainly recommend that if you get the opportunity to see Five Men No Dog perform that you make an effort to do so… nice one fellas!

2 comments :

Anonymous said...

Ms Jobes, you do go on!!!

Lance said...

In depth reporting!

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