Total Pageviews

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, December 21, 2014

Strictly Smokin’ Big Band @ Black Swan - Newcastle Arts Centre: December 20

(Review by Ann Alex/photo by Mike Tilley)
They were certainly smokingly good, firing on all cylinders, and in (not too) strict timing, as a big band needs to be. A real Christmas treat, right from the start, with a jazz version of We Three Kings right through to the final tune, which included two altos duelling and a spirited Good King Wenceslas. A brilliant way to start the Christmas break, and mostly Christmas songs in the second half.
We were sitting at a front table nearest to the stage and I was impressed by the sheer power of a big band in full action.  So this is what the Big Band Era was all about! All the soloists did their stuff well and it isn’t really fair to mention individuals.  The saxes swung wonderfully, including the baritone, especially in Sax Alley, which rounded off the first half, with saxes in tuneful harmony, then sharing a line of music between three tenors (Steve Summers having switched from alto to tenor for this Battle Royal), then jousting with each other before coming together again. The trombones featured on God Rest Ye Merry Trombones and the trumpets became flugelhorns for the American version of It Came Upon A Midnight Clear, which was introduced by the only American in the band. I actually preferred the tune from across the pond as it is more haunting than the usual tune. The drums shone on Little Drummer Boy (well he would, wouldn't he?!) with a steady background beat and the guitars and keys strutted their stuff admirably.
And the singers did well, even though two of them, Steve Morton and Belinda Voshtina, were last minute replacements.  Steve gave us a spirited Let The Good Times Roll; The Best Is Yet To Come and a yearning Last Christmas I Gave You My Heart.  Belinda shone on Jingle Bell Rock and Santa Baby. Lindsay Hannon was not only singing in the second half, but also displaying her new dress from the Artwear Emporium, a new establishment in Newcastle.  The dress, was made to measure, black, waisted, with a fancy neckline and a stunning red lining. The singing was delightful, Chuck E’s In Love; Route 66; Baby It’s Cold Outside (with Steve); then all three singers rounded off with Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas.  Tunes which weren’t about Christmas included Catch As Catch Can; Have You Met Miss Jones?; Song For my Father; The Blues Machine; and The Best Is Yet To Come.
I loved this gig and so did everyone else if the shouts for more were anything to go by.
Ann Alex 
Michael Lamb (MD/tpt/flug); Pete Tanton, Gordon Marshall, Dick Stacey (tpt/flug); Matt Ferris, Kieran Parnaby, Mr John Flood, Robert ‘Pez’ Perry (tmb); Steve Summers, Keith Robinson(alt), Paul Gowland, Jamie Toms (ten), Laurie Rangecroft (bar); Graham Don (pno); Pawel Jedrzejewski (gtr); Michael Whent (bs); Guy Swinton (dms); Belinda Voshtina, Lindsay Hannon, Steve Morton (vcls). 

2 comments :

Lance said...

And don't forget you can hear them again at Hoochie Coochie next Sunday, Dec. 28, 5pm with Paul Skerritt on vocals

Patti D. said...

Oh yes - I'm hot to trot for this one - can't get enough of 'em! And what an ace gig last night - the band's repertoire never fails to amaze me!!

Blog Archive