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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.

Sunday, March 23, 2014

Strictly Smokin' Big Band @ Hoochie Coochie

Michael Lamb (MD), Pete Tanton (tpt), Gordon Marshall, Dick Stacey (tmpts); Don Fairley, John Flood, Chris Gurgi-Smith, Mark Ferris (tmb); Steve Summers. Niall Armstrong (alt); Paul Gowland, Jamie Toms (ten); Laurie Rangecroft (bar); Marc Joliffe (pno); Pawel Jedzejewski (gtr); Michael Whent (bs); Guy Swinton (dms); Lindsay Hannon. James Hedley (vcl). 
(Review by Lance)
Stan Kenton proclaimed at the end of his recording of Prologue,  "This is an Orchestra!" Michael Lamb would have been equally justified in making a similar proclamation after this afternoon's session at Hoochie Coochie. He didn't need to - the packed bar knew exactly what they'd heard and, if there were any complaints, it was having to wait 3 months for the next one!
In the confined, low-ceilinged venue that is Hoochie, hearing a power house unit like this is the most mind-blowing experience you're ever going to experience outside of ODing on London Pride.
Unbelievable, sitting in the dugout it was, close your eyes and you're at the Reno Club in Kansas City, or maybe the Village Vanguard with Thad and Mel.
Leader Michael Lamb with his full toned Fats/Clifford sound, Pete Tanton, cooler but not frigid, Tenors Gowland and Toms - Basie or Woody would have used them any time. Steve Summers, alto king and a rhythm section to die for.
There were a couple of singers too...
James Hedley Let The Good Times Roll a la Louis Jordan (not Ray Charles) and it set the mood for the best afternoon session for many a 12 bar.
Five Foot Two Eyes of Blue, Big Mama Cass, Lester Leaps In kept things swinging 'til James' returned for The Way You Look Tonight and Beyond the Sea - were there two better gasbook songs ever written? Of course there were, but at this moment in time I can't bring them to mind.
Lindsay enquired as to How High The Moon escaping the Fashion Police en route to stage (only joking kid!).
Her OK You Win was probably the best version ever apart from the Joe Williams original recording. A Tisket a Tasket paid tribute to Ella.
The set concluded with a crazy Caravan and Autumn Leaves - a song for all seasons!
More beers and hellos and handshakes and wondering why there were so many people in the club.
The band's version of Isn't She Lovely? gave an indication but it was the no hold's barred Sweet Georgia Brown that did it for me.
Lindsay sang Angel Eyes, James, It Had To Be You - a most dramatic entrance! - and, it suddenly occurred to me that this was one of the best big band sessions I'd heard since hearing the Buddy Rich Band at Ronnie's a long time ago!
Photos.
Lance.

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