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Bebop Spoken There

Kurt Elling: ''There's something to learn from every musician you play with''. (DownBeat, December 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

17630 (and counting) posts since we started blogging 16 years ago. 904 of them this year alone and, so far, 49 this month (Dec. 20).

From This Moment On ...

December

Mon 23: Harmony Brass @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Mon 23: Vieux Carré Jazzmen @ The Wheatsheaf, Benton Sq., Whitley Road, Palmersville NE12 9SU. Tel: 0191 266 8137. 1:00pm. Free. CANCELLED!
Mon 23: Edison Herbert Trio @ The Vault, Darlington. 4:00pm. Free.
Mon 23: Jason Isaacs @ St. James’ STACK, Newcastle. 4:00-6:00pm. Free. Vocalist Isaacs working with backing tapes.
Mon 23: Milne-Glendinning Band @ The Vault, Darlington. 7:00pm. Free.

Tue 24: Lindsay Hannon & Mark Williams @ Ernest, Ouseburn, Newcastle. 11:00am-1:00pm. Free.
Tue 24: Paul Skerritt @ Mambo Wine & Dine, South Shields. 1:00pm. Free. Vocalist Skerritt working with backing tapes.

Wed 25: Wot? No jazz!

Thu 26: The Boneshakers @ Tyne Bar, Ouseburn, Newcastle. 4:00pm. Free. The 17th annual Boneshakers’ Shindig.

Fri 27: Classic Swing @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 27: Rendezvous Jazz @ The Monkseaton Arms. 1:00pm. Free. Business as usual!.
Fri 27: Jason Isaacs @ Seaburn STACK, Seaburn. 3:30-5:30pm. Free. Vocalist Isaacs working with backing tapes.
Fri 27: Michael Woods @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 8:00pm. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig. Country blues guitar & vocals.

Sat 28: Jason Isaacs @ St. James’ STACK, Newcastle. 11:30am. Free. Vocalist Isaacs working with backing tapes.
Sat 28: Fri 20: Castillo Nuevo @ Revoluçion de Cuba, Newcastle. 5:30pm. Free.
Sat 28: Jude Murphy, Rich Herdman & Giles Strong @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 8:00pm. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig.
Sat 28: Ray Stubbs R & B All-Stars @ Billy Bootlegger’s, Stepney Bank, Newcastle. 9:00pm. Free.

Sun 29: Paul Skerritt @ Hibou Blanc, Newcastle. 2:00pm. Free. Vocalist Skerritt working with backing tapes.
Sun 29: Alexia Gardner Quintet @ The Globe, Newcastle. 8:00pm.

Reviewers wanted

Whilst BSH attempts to cover as many gigs, festivals and albums as possible, to make the site even more comprehensive we need more 'boots on the ground' to cover the albums seeking review - a large percentage of which never get heard - report on gigs or just to air your views on anything jazz related. Interested? then please get in touch. Contact details are on the blog. Look forward to hearing from you. Lance

Monday, April 28, 2014

Darlington Jazz Festival. Saturday Afternoon April 26

(Review by Russell)
This year’s Darlington Jazz Festival, the third, incorporated a new, additional venue across town at the Head of Steam (Darlington Railway Museum). Gigs at the Forum Music Centre on Borough Road have become an established part of the region’s jazz scene - the venue hosted an eve of festival workshop and a full day of jazz - and the opportunity to showcase the music at other venues showed commendable ambition.
Trumpeter Matt Roberts led a Thursday evening workshop, participants ranging from pre-teens to sprightly octogenarians, and the results of their efforts would be heard on Sunday afternoon at the Railway Museum.
Saturday, the first full day of action, got underway at one o’clock with an array of the musicians of tomorrow on stage in the main hall. Durham County Youth Big Band (MD Shaune Eland) don’t do things by half. A quick head count mustered something like seven reeds, six trombones, six trumpets and a rhythm section of piano, guitar, bass and drums. All did themselves proud during a varied programme (Mercy, Mercy, Mercy and Cantaloupe Island to name but two). Matt Roberts joined the ensemble on flugel on the latter number. The weekend’s big draw - Mark Nightingale - took time out to listen to the band (the trombones passed with flying colours) then suggested he join them on his own composition Carnifest! An occasion none of those present will ever forget.
From big band stars of tomorrow to an established duo of today. In the bar Zoe Gilby and Andy Champion performed a voice and bass set of jazz standards (Goodbye Pork Pie Hat, Nice Work If You Cab Get It, Well You Needn’t) to cotemporary pieces from the likes of Kate Bush (Kashka From Baghdad) and Tom Waits (Way Down in the Hole). The set opener set the standard. Pink Floyd’s Money illustrated Gilby’s vocal dexterity and Champion’s imperious technique. First rate, as always. Pianist Jamil Sheriff arrived in good time to play a set in the hall with Pete Turner (double bass) and drummer Dave Walsh. The room wasn’t full (the same spot during last year’s event featuring James Mainwaring experienced the same thing) but it should have been because this was jazz piano trio playing at its best. Applause sporadic, the jazz terrific. I’ll Remember April and Pannonica respected the tunes yet all three musicians stretched out in absorbing improvisatory sections. Original compositions were heard - Bluish (great left hand), a swinging Crazy Happy, Trio Piece No.1 and The Contortionist – and those who were there to hear them loved them. A quality set.
Tyneside’s Debra Milne Ensemble returned once more to the Forum to play a set in the bar. Festival goers keen to slake a thirst made for a typical ‘social occasion’ hubbub. The musicians all too aware of the situation got on with it and hit the ground running with Billie’s Bounce. Vocalist Milne’s song-writing partner guitarist Steve Glendinning and redoubtable bassist Paul Grainger taking the solos. Blame Game (comp. Milne and Glendinning) has become something of a fixture in the set list, Killer Joe is certainly that and Betty Carter’s Tight was as described - tight! The man at the back - drummer Tim Johnston - provided the propulsive fuel, Grainger the swing, Glendinning the comprehensive solo flights and Milne the post-bop, sometime original, lyric.
The afternoon session concluded with a roaring big band set from the Darlington Big Band. On home turf, bandleader Richie Emmerson was on first name terms with more than a few in the audience with many a wise crack from stage and floor. Structural engineers were called in after the first number Younger Than Springtime. The culprit responsible for the damage to the building’s foundations being none other than powerhouse trumpeter Kevin Eland. The Thrill Is Gone (‘Aye, it is’  confessed a lone voice) heard thrilling trumpet playing from Young Contender Tom Hill (were we in Darlington or Jericho?). East of the Sun to Collaboration (a feature for Dave Brocklesby, trombone) to a new number for the band - Oliver Nelson’s Full Nelson - featuring tremendous tenor from MD Emmerson, the ensemble and soloists hit the bull’s eye. Ace composer/arranger Gordon Goodwin regularly gets a name-check on Bebop Spoken Here but to appear in the same sentence as Tim Rice and Elton John must be a first!  The Great Phat One rearranged the Rice/John tune I Just Can’t Wait to be King from the film The Lion King. Trumpeter Mick Hill showed Hill Jr that there is life in the old dog yet and Andy Bennett (alto) tore it up. Bennett, no slouch on clarinet, led the march on St Louis Blues before switching back to alto to tear it up a second time on Stolen Moments. A great set, the band returned to the bar to celebrate.
Russell.

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