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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

Tuesday, September 23, 2014

Claire Martin & Montpelier Cello Quartet @ Sage Gateshead. Sept. 22

Claire Martin (vcl); Dan James (also double bass); Sarah Davison; Joe Giddey; Sirial Hugh-Jones (cellos).
(Review by Lance).
I'd never heard a cello quartet and in truth I haven't heard that many solo cellists in recent years. What a sheltered life I've led! So, given my misspent senior years, how would tonight pan out? Well I guess there were others with reservations about this concert as Hall Two was sparsely populated and normally a Claire Martin gig pulls the punters - deservedly so as there are few British jazz singers of her calibre.
Perhaps some decided on the evening's other attraction - Lloyd Wright with James Harrison at the Cherry Tree - I was torn between the two myself. For those who didn't do either then the only word I can think of is SAD.
Last night at Sage Gateshead was superb and so was Claire, cellos notwithstanding, she gave a professional performance that clarified her position as numero uno.
My Ship (Kurt Weill?) isn't heard as often as most standards - it should be, providing the singer can bring the feeling to it that Ms Martin does! Now I know why we don't hear it that often! Too Much in Love to Care (inspired by Carmen McRae); Night and Day (James arranged this one and also played bass); one of the less hackneyed songs from Porgy and Bess, My Man's Gone and a knock-out version of Cole Porter's Let's Do It. just how many verses did Porter write in this lyric? I'm sure I've heard hundreds of different ones! Makin' Whoopee complete with the verse was another delight (the cellos played a snatch of the Bridal March!) A Geoffrey Keezer arrangement of Like a Feather Falls (I think); Bowie's The Man Who Sold The World and Carly Simon's You're So Vain meant our cup was overflowing  and there was still more to come!
A tribute to Frank (he'd have been 100 next year) with All the Way; 'Round Midnight; Two Grey Rooms; Joni's Lost For Words; She's Leaving Home (one of the better Beatle numbers) by this time I'd stopped taking notes and instead just let the sound of four cellos and a voice envelop me.
The aforementioned violoncelli had a couple of features sans vocal and sounded good.
A grand evening that deserved greater support.
Lance. 

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