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Bebop Spoken There

Spasmo Brown: “Jazz is an ice cream sandwich! It's the Fourth of July! It's a girl with a waterbed!”. (Syncopated Times, July, 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

17328 (and counting) posts since we started blogging 16 years ago. 612 of them this year alone and, so far, 17 this month (Sept. 5).

From This Moment On ...

September

Sat 07: Play Jazz! workshop @ The Globe, Newcastle. 1:30pm. Tutor: Steve Glendinning. £25.00. Enrol at: learning@jazz.coop.
Sat 07: The Big Easy @ St Augustine's Parish Centre, Darlington. 12:30pm.£10.00. Darlington New Orleans Jazz Club.
Sat 07: Alligator Gumbo @ The Cluny, Newcastle. 7:30pm (doors). £15.00.
Sat 07: Rendezvous Jazz @ The Red Lion, Earsdon. 8:00pm. £3.00.

Sun 08: Am Jam @ The Globe, Newcastle. 2:00pm. Free.
Sun 08: Giles Strong Quartet @ BAA Fest, Brownrigg Lodges, Bellingham. 2:40pm.
Sun 08: Eva Fox & the Jazz Guys @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 7:00pm. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig.
Sun 08: Graham Hardy’s Eclectic Quartet @ The Globe, Newcastle. 8:00pm.

Mon 09: Mark Williams Trio @ Yamaha Music School, Blyth. 1:00pm. £9.00.
Mon 09: Harmony Brass @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.

Tue 10: ???

Wed 11: Vieux Carré Jazzmen @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Wed 11: Darlington Big Band @ Darlington & Simpson Rolling Mills Social Club, Darlington. 7:00pm. Free. Rehearsal session (open to the public).
Wed 11: The Tannery Jam Session @ The Tannery, Gilesgate, Hexham. 7:00-9:00pm. Free. A ‘second Wednesday in the month’ jam session.
Wed 11: Take it to the Bridge @ The Globe, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free.

Thu 12: Vieux Carré Jazzmen @ The Holystone, Whitley Road, North Tyneside. 1:00pm. Free.
Thu 12: Gateshead Jazz Appreciation Society @ Brunswick Methodist Church, Newcastle NE1 7BJ. 2:30pm. £4.00. ‘A Great Day in Harlem’.
Thu 12: The Cuban Heels @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 8:00pm. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig. Pete Tanton & co.
Thu 12: Tees Hot Club @ Dorman’s Club, Middlesborough. 8:30pm. Free. THC with guests Donna Hewitt, Bill Watson, Dave Archbold, Adrian Beadnell, Mark Hawkins.

Fri 13: Jeff Barnhart & Neville Dickie @ The Lit & Phil, Newcastle. 1:00pm. Two pianos, two pianists! SOLD OUT!
Fri 13: Noel Dennis Quartet @ The Old Library, Auckland Castle, Bishop Auckland. 1:00pm. £8.00.
Fri 13: Classic Swing @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 13: Rendezvous Jazz @ The Monkseaton Arms. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 13: New Orleans Preservation Jazz Band @ The Oxbridge Hotel, Stockton. 1:00pm. £5.00.
Fri 13: Dilutey Juice @ Old Coal Yard, Byker, Newcastle. 7:30pm. £11.00. adv..
Fri 13: Ray Stubbs R & B All-stars @ The Forum, Darlington. 7:30pm. Classic blues.

Monday, May 19, 2014

ACV @ Bridge Hotel May 18.

Andy Champion (double bass), Graeme Wilson (tenor & baritone saxophones), Paul Edis (keyboards), Mark Williams (guitar) & Adrian Tilbrook (drums)  
(Review by Steve H.)
There is a variation of an old Ronnie Scott joke which goes something like this  ‘I use my mother-in-law as a bouncer - instead of chucking them out she chucks them in’. Well never could a word be spoken truer in jest as Andy Champion’s mother-in-law Hilary and husband John were the stand-in box office staff for this very well attended ACV gig.  
For the first set of this Splinter gig the audience were treated to a world première of a composition that Andy had written that afternoon. The title was provided by drummer Adrian Tilbrook and appropriately named First Set. The piece began slowly with a minimalist drum solo, mainly on cymbals, before the double bass of the Champion joined in followed by Paul Edis on Keyboards. After several minutes, I began to worry that the presence of Graeme Wilson was purely for decorative purposes. Although he had yet to play a note, he was providing a great visual spectacle with his rather splendid floral shirt . However, once Graeme and Mark Williams joined the rhythm section,  the piece took off. Despite some understandable rough edges the band really hit the groove. The repeated smiles on Adrian’s face suggested he was having just as good a time as the paying crowd. Those I spoke to during the interval  were equally  amazed as to how such a complicated piece could be created and performed in a such a short  space of time. One audience member described the piece as ‘trippy’. 
The second set was more conventional in nature starting off with the whirlwind Dog Leap Stairs  named after the steep steps leading  from the Castle Keep to the Quayside. Personally I find the easiest way to navigate this descent/ascent is via the lift in the adjacent Vermont Hotel. The steps safely navigated, next up was an offering from the band’s last album ‘Busk’ which was proudly held  aloft by special guest door person mother-in-law Hilary. The art work of which features a rather splendid painting by her hubby John Say, the original of which now adorns the Champion's living room. This tune was going to be dedicated to audience member ‘Gordon’ but a last minute a change of plan meant it was dedicated to the chap sitting next to him who happened to be Andy Champion’s brother. No explanation was given but since the title was What’s for breakfast one can only imagine fraternal punch ups over the bacon and cornflakes, I look forward to the sequel - Breakfast of Champions. Following on from this were two Graeme Wilson penned tunes Sturdy and She Said it Ugly which was anything but and featured a fine solo from Edis on keyboards. The gig continued with the mellow Dust Red named after the Red Dust ale from the Consett brewery which led straight into the rip roaring  A Line Made By Walking  concluding the second and final set. A fine evening. Game, sets and match to ACV.  
 Steve H.

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