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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.

Sunday, October 12, 2014

Gypsies of Bohemia @ Jazz Café - October 11

Matthew Whitaker (vcl/rhythm gtr.); Jim Wallace (ld gtr/vcl); Frank Grime (bs/vcl); Sam Draper (dms/vcl); Andy Stamatakis-Brown (keys/melodica/vcl).
(Review by Lance/photo by Mike Tilley.)
The gig was sold out. If the scalpers had known they'd have made a killing! As it was the 60 or so aficionados with the savvy to buy in advance were privileged to witness a truly stunning performance.
In many ways, Hot Club has become today's Trad - recreating the sounds of Paris and Old Orleans with the verve and enthusiasm the original revivalists gave to the jazz of New Orleans.
Nowadays, there are so many bands across the world building upon the format set down by Django et Stephane. Remember WASO? they were something and of course our own north east based Djangologie est aussi un trés formidable ensemble. However, the Gypsies of Bohemia have added another dimension to the genre.  The use of keyboards and drums and a repertoire of contemporary pop songs takes it away from the chugology of typical Hot Club fare to a swingier sound.
Earlier this year the hirsute quintet from Manchester  played a sell-out gig at The Caff and that, along with an academic pedigree at Newcastle College, ensured they had a large and, it has to be said, a boisterous following!
This was both a good and a bad thing. The ambience created by the noise was akin to the bonhomie emulating from a café in Monmartré on New Year's Eve.
The downside was that Whitaker's vocals and Wallace's announcements weren't always as audible as I'd have liked.
That aside, it was a cracking night full of excitement and virtuosity. The material ranged from standards such as Tea For Two to a version of Wuthering Heights that even Kate Bush never contemplated let alone Emily Bronté or Heathcliff!
Tainted Love was another contemporary classic that had the room upstanding and Americano complete with vocal had us totally transported as did Hot in Herre - it certainly was!
When I left for zee Metro they were still stomping away!
CD review to follow...
Lance.

2 comments :

Life in Geordieland said...

Glad the gypos had a good gig, I was gutted to discover it was sold out but I had the pleasure of attending their last gig at the Jazz Cafe and catching both their sets at Kendal Calling! Hope they return to Newcastle again soon!!
Rachel
www.lifeingeordieland.com

Patti D. said...

It was a smoking hot gig - the crowd was all but hanging from the ceiling ..... reworked jazz classics, ace solos and wonderful playing - but brilliant contemporary hits like Tainted Love, Ain't Nobody and Seven Nation Armies - these guys know how to get that groove going.

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