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Bebop Spoken There

Delfeayo Marsalis: "Slide Hampton once told me that it's not always the person that is playing the highest or playing the fastest that's making the greatest impact." - (DownBeat March 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

15229 (and counting) posts since we started blogging 15 years ago. 248 of them this year alone and, so far, 61 this month (March 20).

From This Moment On ...

March

Mon 20: Harmony Brass @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm.
Mon 20: Central Bar Quintet plays Wes Montgomery @ Central Bar, Gateshead. 7:30pm. Feat. Joe Steels.

Tue 21: Paul Skerritt @ The Rabbit Hole, Hallgarth St., Durham DH1 3AT. 7:00pm. Paul Skerritt's (solo) weekly residency.
Tue 21: Jam session @ Black Swan, Newcastle Arts Centre. 7:30pm. House trio: Jacob Egglestone (guitar); Jamie Watkins (bass guitar); Bailey Rudd (drums).

Wed 22: Vieux Carré Jazzmen @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm.
Wed 22: Darlington Big Band @ Traveller's Rest, Cockerton. 7:00pm. Rehearsal session (open to the public). Note change of venue - this week only.
Wed 22: 4B @ The Exchange, North Shields. 7:00pm.
Wed 22: Take it to the Bridge @ The Globe, Newcastle. 7:30pm.

Thu 23: Vieux Carré Jazzmen @ The Holystone, Whitley Road, North Tyneside. 4:00-6:00pm. Free.
Thu 23: NUJO Jazz Jam @ Bar Loco, Newcasatle. From 6:30pm 'til late. Free. Newcastle University Jazz Orchestra jam session. All welcome (students & non-students).
Thu 23: Kerrin Tatman + John Garner & John Pope @ Cobalt Studios, Newcastle. 7:00pm.
Thu 23: Sunna Gunnlaugs & Julia Hülsmann @ Sage Gateshead. 8:00pm. A two-piano gig. A Sage Gateshead-JNE promotion.
Thu 23: Merlin Roxby @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 8:00pm. Ragtime piano.
Thu 23: Sleep Suppressor @ The Globe, Newcastle. 8:00pm. £10.00., £8.00. adv. Upstairs.
Thu 23: Tees Hot Club @ Dorman's Club, Middlesbrough. 9:00pm.

Fri 24: Classic Swing @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm.
Fri 24: New Orleans Preservation Jazz Band @ Oxbridge Hotel, Stockton. 1:00pm. £5.00.
Fri 24: Rendezvous Jazz @ The Monkseaton Arms, Monkseaton. 1:00pm.
Fri 24: FILM: Mo' Better Blues @ Forum Cinema, Hexham. 7:00pm.
Fri 24: Ian Millar & Dominic Spencer @ Scarth Hall, Staindrop, Co. Durham. 8:00pm. £10.00.
Fri 24: Archipelago + Bulbils @ Cobalt Studios, Newcastle. 7:00pm.

Sat 25: Vermont Big Band @ Walker Community Centre, Walker, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Fundraiser for Benfield Juniours Football Club. Hot food available, BYOB.
Sat 25: John Logan & Friends @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 8:00pm. Rat Pack, Motown etc. 8:00pm. Free (donations).

Sun 26: Musicians Unlimited @ Park Inn, Hartlepool. 1:00pm.
Sun 26: More Jam @ The Globe, Newcastle. 3:00pm. Free.
Sun 26: 4B @ The Exchange, North Shields. 3:00pm.
Sun 26: Outlines @ The Globe, Newcastle. 8:00pm. JNE promotion (upstairs).

Mon 27: Harmony Brass @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm.

Saturday, March 29, 2014

Ron Carter Trio @ Blue Note Jazz Club Milan. March 18.

Ron Carter (dbl bass); Donald Vega (piano); Anthony Wilson (gtr).
(Review by JC)
A brief trip to Milan is always nice but it was an added bonus to discover that there is now a top-notch jazz club in the city and even greater excitement to see that the legendary Ron Carter was playing on the night we were free. The club in Milan is a European offshoot of the legendary New York Blue Note and there are also two more clubs in Japan (why not?).
We decided to have a meal so went early before the jazz started. The house lights were full up when we arrived and it was clear that blue was the dominant colour. The walls were blue, the stage backdrop was blue and even the table tops were blue – not just blue notes, more all blues. The meal itself was not a patch on the Cherry Tree and twice as expensive. Although the waiter warned in advance that the pasta was 'al dente', I've chewed softer bricks. However, to be fair, after some extensive mastication, the dish was actually quite tasty. But the reason we, and everyone else, were there was for the music and by the time the lights were dimmed, the club was full.
The first thing to be said was that this was a stylish trio with Ron Carter leading the way in a very dapper double breasted suit and creases so fine you could sharpen pencils on them. They got straight down to business with Carter out front between the piano and the guitar. There is something great about hearing a group hit the spot from the first few notes and this trio certainly did that. As usual, I would have liked sub-titles for the announcements but it sounded as if the first piece was called Living Room either by or for Oscar Pettiford. The second piece called Candlelight was definitely written for Jim Hall and featured gorgeously lyrical playing by all three, but particularly Anthony Wilson on guitar.
The next piece was an unusual treatment of My Funny Valentine with Carter playing solid riffs under some spiky piano playing from Donald Vega. Ever up to the minute, Ron Carter then announced they were going to do/play/create a ‘Brazilian mashup’ and the second part of this mix was Wave with Carter soloing beautifully. A Fletcher Henderson tune followed with immaculate playing from all three, then Vega on piano changed tempo and embarked on a long solo in which there were invitations for all kinds of people to join in. I certainly heard the Saints go Marching in and Santa Claus Coming to Town. It sounded as if it was going to be a good party.
Then all too soon the session was over and the lights went up to reveal that blue was still the colour. Everyone seem to have had a good time listening to a superb trio but I still can’t get used to the idea that you then get kicked out so that the second ‘sitting’ can come in. Doesn’t seem right in a jazz club somehow.
JC

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