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Bebop Spoken There

Ambrose Akinmusire: “ I am certainly always aware of what the masses are doing. And when I see too many people going one way, I'm going another way - even when I don't know what's over that way". DownBeat, March, 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

Tue 19: Jam session @ The Black Swan, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free. House trio: Michael Young, Paul Grainger, Tim Johnston.

Wed 20: Vieux Carré Jazzmen @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Wed 20: Darlington Big Band @ Darlington & Simpson Rolling Mills Social Club, Darlington. 7:00pm. Free. Rehearsal session (open to the public).
Wed 20: Take it to the Bridge @ The Globe, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free.

Thu 21: Vieux Carré Jazzmen @ The Holystone, Whitley Road, North Tyneside. 1:00pm. Free.
Thu 21: Castillo Neuvo Trio + Conor Emery & His ‘Bones Band @ The Grove, Ouseburn, Newcastle. 7:30pm (7:00pm doors). £10.00. (£7.00. student).
Thu 21: Remi Banklyn + Chris Corcoran Trio @ The Globe, Newcastle. 8:00pm. £12.50. Chicago blues. An International Guitar Foundation promotion.
Thu 21: Merlin Roxby @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 8:00pm. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig. Ragtime piano.
Thu 21: Tees Hot Club @ Dorman’s Club, Middlesbrough. 8:30pm.

Fri 22: Vasilis Xenopoulos & Paul Edis @ The Gala, Durham. 1:00pm. £8.00. SOLD OUT!
Fri 22: Classic Swing @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 22: Rendezvous Jazz @ The Monkseaton Arms. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 22: New Orleans Preservation Jazz Band @ The Oxbridge Hotel, Stockton. 1:00pm. £5.00.
Fri 22: Nauta + Remy CB + Last Orders @ Hoochie Coochie, Newcastle. 8:30pm (7:30pm doors). Free.
Fri 22: Vasilis Xenopoulos-Paul Edis Quartet @ Traveller’s Rest, Darlington. 8:00pm. £15.00. Opus 4 Jazz Club.
Fri 22: Redwell @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 8:00pm. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig.

Sat 23: Jambone @ The Glasshouse, Gateshead. 6:30pm. Free (ticketed). End of term performance in the Northern Rock Foundation Hall.
Sat 23: Milne-Glendinning Band @ The Vault, Darlington. 7:00pm. Free.
Sat 23: Red Kites Jazz @ Rowlands Gill Community Centre NE39 1JB. 7:00pm. Tickets: £12.00. (gibsidecommunityfarm@gmail.com). A ‘Build a Barn’ fundraiser. BYOB, tea/coffee available.
Sat 23: New Century Ragtime Orchestra @ Gosforth Civic Theatre, Newcastle. 7:30pm. £20.00. + bf (book in person at venue - no booking fee!). Featuring pianist Martin Litton.
Sat 23: Pete Tanton’s Cuba Libre @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 8:00pm. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig.

Sun 24: Musicians Unlimited @ Park Inn, Hartlepool. 1:00pm. Free.
Sun 24: More Jam @ The Globe, Newcastle. 2:30pm. Free.
Sun 24: Luis Verde @ Queen’s Hall, Hexham. 3:00pm. Verde (alto sax); Joe Steels (guitar); John Pope (double bass); John Hirst (drums). Alto sax brilliance!
Sun 24: Elsie Franklin @ The Globe, Newcastle. 3:00pm. £10.00. Country blues. An International Guitar Foundation promotion.
Sun 24: 4B @ The Ticket Office, Whitley Bay Metro Station. 3:00pm. Free.
Sun 24: Las Vegas Live with the Rat Pack @ The Forum, Billingham.
Sun 24: Ian Millar & Dominic Spencer @ Otterburn Memorial Hall. 7:30pm. £12.00.
Sun 24: Lindsay Hannon: Tom Waits for No Man @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 7:00pm. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig. Note start time - 7:00pm.
Sun 24: Bold Big Band @ The Globe, Newcastle. 8:00pm.

Mon 25: Harmony Brass @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Mon 25: Michael Young Trio @ The Engine Room, Sunderland. 6:30pm. Free.

Friday, October 31, 2014

Gregory Porter/Nina Ferro @ Sage Gateshead October 30.

Gregory Porter (vcl); Chip Crawford (pno); Aaron James (bs); Emanuel Harold (dms); Yosuke Sato (alt).
Well, what can I say? Sage Gateshead was three tiers full. A sure indication that they've got it right! Gregory Porter is quite an amazing performer and to pull such a following is something else. And they all loved him!
As well they should.
The big man in the funny hat gave an assured performance and, if I hadn't heard him earlier this year at Hoochie, this would have probably been a rave review. But, how can you compare the intimate setting of a 250 max bar where, if you got there early enough, you could almost shake hands with the star, with row BB in a 1,640 auditorium where the big man (and he is a big man) was but a distant object?!
The program was near enough the same as at HC, the band likewise, and Yosuke Sato remains one of the best alto sax players I've heard this (or any) year but, unlike the adoring masses around me, it didn't quite connect with me ...if only I hadn't been to Hoochie in March...
-----
Nina Ferro (vcl); Grant Windsor (pno/vcl)..
When I see those dreaded words "Plus Support" I groan and hope my seat is close enough to an exit to enable me to escape and "support" the bar. However, when the support act turned out to be Nina Ferro all thoughts of another glass of Pinot Grigio vanished (my bank manager will be pleased to know!) and I remained firmly glued to my seat.
I first heard Nina Ferro back in 2009 at the Spice of Life down in Soho - a venue even smaller than Hoochie - and although I hadn't heard her since I knew she was still very active on the London scene.
How would she fare in Sage Gateshead's Hall One with only a pianist in support?
I say "only" but when that "only" is Grant Windsor the only becomes totally superfluous! I've heard the Aussie pianist several times with Clare Teal (by coincidence, the lady sitting next to me, Megan, was also from Down Under) and with Grant at the Steinway it was second only to Nina having the Northern Sinfonia in her corner.
Nina's set included several numbers from her latest CD (soon to be reviewed here) as well as Up On The Roof (Drifters?) and set the scene for the "Big Picture".
Lance.

5 comments :

Liz said...

well Lance, I read in today's Readers' letters in our local newspaper that, having played York Barbican on Tuesday Gregory said that we had "fantastic acoustics " here. Maybe that helped....

Lance said...

Nothing wrong with the acoustics at Sage Gateshead as well you know and Gregory Porter does have a great voice. The point I was trying to make was the contrast between having heard him singing in "your front room" and hearing him in a concert hall!

stevebfc said...

Fine singer she maybe but having Nina Ferro as a support act for Gregory Porter was akin to having Cliff Richard support the Sex Pistols. I left half way through a set to secure a pint of Wylam which at £4.95 was a bargain given the circumstances.
As for the great man himself I can only imagine how much better he must have been at the intimate Hoochie my enjoyment wasn’t helped by the giant of man sat in front who produced a total eclipse of the stage. As for the band as I was largely unimpressed Sato’s solo’s being more cheesy than a box of overripe Camembert. Clearly I was in the minority as the X Factor sized crowd seemed to love every minute of the show but I personally thought Mr Porter failed to carry this one off.

Lance said...

Steve, in the unlikely event of me ever having been at a Sex Pistols gig I'd have welcomed having Cliff Richards on the bill!
As regards the alto player all I can say is "Pass me the cheeseboard I rather like Camembert!"

Hugh said...

The alto sax playing was technically brilliant, I thought, but some of the arpeggiated solos were a bit "samey". I did love the brief exposure to soprano sax during one of the quieter numbers though.
Geoffrey was, well, "The Man"!
As regards the support act. I think Nina Ferro was an excellent choice and complemented the main man perfectly. GP may have considerable jazz influences, but is certainly not "just" a jazz artist, soul being the other main contender I would have thought.

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