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Bebop Spoken There

Simon Spillett: “ Bebop and hard bop came naturally to him [Tubby Hayes]". Morning Star, March 28, 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

16287 (and counting) posts since we started blogging 16 years ago. 169 of them this year alone and, so far, 41 this month (Mar 18).

From This Moment On ...

March

Fri 29: FILM: Soul @ The Forum Cinema, Hexham. 12:30pm. Jazz-themed film animation.
Fri 29: Classic Swing @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 29: Rendezvous Jazz @ The Monkseaton Arms. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 29: New Orleans Preservation Jazz Band @ The Oxbridge Hotel, Stockton. 1:00pm. £5.00.
Fri 29: Abbie Finn Trio @ The Vault, Darlington. 6:00pm. Free. POSTPONED!
Fri 29: Thundercat @ Newcastle City Hall.
Fri 29: John Logan @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 8:00pm. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig.
Fri 29: True Colours @ Barrels Ale House, Berwick. 9:00pm. Blues, jazz & swing.

Sat 30: Papa G’s Troves @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 8:00pm. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig.
Sat 30: Pete Tanton’s Cuba Libre @ Whitley Bay Library, York Road, Whitley Bay. 8:00pm.

Sun 31: 4B @ The Ticket Office, Whitley Bay Metro Station. 3:00pm. Free.
Sun 31: Ruth Lambert Trio @ Juke Shed, Union Quay, North Shields NE30 1HJ. 3:00pm. Free. Lambert, Alan Law & Paul Grainger.
Sun 31: Sid Jacobs & Tom Remon @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 7:00pm. Free. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig. USA/London jazz guitar duo.
Sun 31: Bellavana @ The Globe, Newcastle. 8:00pm.

April
Mon 01: Harmony Brass @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Mon 01: Ray Stubbs R&B All Stars @ Billy Bootlegger’s, Ouseburn, Newcastle. 3:00pm. Free.

Tue 02: Jam session @ The Black Swan, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free. House trio: Dean Stockdale, Paul Grainger, Abbie Finn.

Wed 03: Vieux Carré Jazzmen @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Wed 03: Darlington Big Band @ Darlington & Simpson Rolling Mills Social Club, Darlington. 7:00pm. Free. Rehearsal session (open to the public).
Wed 03: Take it to the Bridge @ The Globe, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free.

Thu 04: FILM: Soul @ Forum Cinema, Hexham. 2:00pm. Jazz-themed film animation.
Thu 04: Vieux Carré Jazzmen @ The Holystone, Whitley Road, North Tyneside. 1:00pm. Free.
Thu 04: Funky Drummer @ The Globe, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free.
Thu 04: Eva Fox & the Jazz Guys @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 8:00pm. Free. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig.
Thu 04: Tees Hot Club @ Dorman’s Club, Middlesbrough. 8:30pm.

Tuesday, July 01, 2014

Improvisation & Ear Training Workshop @ The Lit & Phil. June 30

(Investigative Journalism…)
A clarinet, an alto or three, tenor, whistle and voice, the range of instrumentalists in attendance at Paul Edis’ latest workshop session at the Lit & Phil, Newcastle. A note book (a scrap of paper) and pen (purloined from Paddy Power), yes, this is Gumshoe Bebop filing copy to Bebop Spoken Here’s news desk. What the Head Honcho (LL)   will make of it is anyone’s guess.
Determined to get to the bottom of this ‘ear training’ business, BSH’s gumshoe wasn’t going to take any nonsense from anyone. Taking a look at their mugshots, yes, you’ve guessed it…it was the usual suspects. Dr Edis entered the room carrying an unfamiliar instrument case. The guy’s a piano player, right? What’s the matter with the piano? He plays the piano, right? So, what’s going on? Nothing gets by Gumshoe Bebop. An alto. Are you kidding? You’re a piano player, no fooling. It was an alto saxophone. Nothing gets by Gumshoe Bebop…the alto player was stuck in traffic.
Tonight said Edis, we’ll look at ‘rhythm and meter’ (slow down, ‘rhythm’ takes a bit of spelling). A metronome ticked and tocked, not a real metronome, you understand, but a WyeiPhone, ticking and tocking. A lot of clapping started, some clapping in their own time. Things were subdivided into three semi quavers, Handel’s Passacaglia intervened and it didn’t help matters when there was talk of 12/8 and 9/8, triplets and a rhythmic pattern, the hemiola. For further reading turn to Wikipedia. A student wielding a liquorice  stick gave it a go. Some time later the student stopped saying: Is that wrong? No, it’s far too good! Edis was impressed.              
More talk of beat displacement, the Dorian mode and a blues scale. The students were making notes, extensive notes. Hey! Free pens at Paddy Power. Gumshoe Bebop was about to ask the wise guy at the front where the sax player was when the piano player – can you believe it, the piano player! – blew the alto. Some things just ain’t fair. It was almost time to hit the street, the janitor wanted to lock up and head over to the joint across the road, grab a beer and watch the football.
This improvisation lark is a funny business. As for training your ear, it don’t come easy.  All this ‘one, two, three’ business, crotchets and quavers…you gotta have a degree in Applied Mathematics!
Gumshoe Bebop

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