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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.

Wednesday, March 04, 2015

Did You Go Agogo?

(Recollection by Roly)
I've just been down memory lane checking out a few links on Club Agogo at the Handyside Arcade, Percy Street.
I was in Percy Street today shopping and it brought it all back.
I seem to remember going towards the back of the arcade then up some stairs onto a higher level then into a doorway and up more stairs into the club. There were two rooms - one on the left with a stage for band and dance floor. To the right a more intimate room to sit and listen. The walls were painted with luminous paint that glowed in the dark - it was a New York skyline with all the famous NY clubs named.  It had great atmosphere and it was very exciting to go there and hear some great R’n’B bands. This would be in the mid 60s.  
Of many great bands, I particularly liked two regular visitors.  One was Alex Harvey's Soul Band (Alex later had commercial success but started as a pure folk blues and R'n'B exponent). He seemed to be a bit of a tough character and had a quite explicit stage act - no shrinking violet he! He had great charisma though and I remember he had in the band a fantastic guitarist who I suspect was a jazzer earning a few quid with a top R'n'B band. I've often wondered who it was. I asked Jim Mullen once but he denied it was him.
The other knockout band was Spencer Davis group. This was because of the amazing young prodigy - Steve Winwood.  Steve sang and played piano like Ray Charles, played great R’n’B styled guitar, played very good harmonica and generally sang, played, danced and had such a good time on stage it was just something else.  I believe Paul Booth has worked with him quite a lot in more recent times.
Ah well - the Swinging Sixties eh??  I wonder if any site visitors have any Club Agogo memories to relate?
Here are some links for anyone wanting to know more. 
http://www.hendrixnortheast.pwp.blueyonder.co.uk/hendrix/clubagogo.htm
http://www.chroniclelive.co.uk/lifestyle/nostalgia/club-oozing-real-up-gogo-1492046
Roly

3 comments :

Patti D. said...

This sounds fabulous - really swinging!! I moved up in 1966 - but M and I never went .... shame, shame, shame!! I did used to go to the clubs in Brighton though - and there was a Whiskey A Gogo place, plus the infamous Starlight Rooms. Where many a young lad and lass went astray!!

Brian Bennett said...

Undoubtedly the best live music venue in Newcastle during the 60's. Along with a group of friends and colleagues from Redheads Advertising Ltd, we went there mainly on Thursday evenings and heard some of the best bands around at the time. One of my favourites was the Herbie Goins Band who I first saw at a beat club in Oxford Street, London, in the mid 60's and again shortly afterwards when they played the A'Gogo. Californian band, Captain Beefheart & The Magic Band were incredible. Also Julie Driscoll & the Brian Auger Trinity. I remember the Jazz Lounge was absolutely jam packed; the heat was unbearable and you could see condensation running down the walls. The Trinity came on stage and played an opening number, then just as Brian Auger brought Julie Driscoll onto stage to perform her first song, my then girlfriend fainted. Somehow we managed to carry her through to the 'Young Set' lounge where she eventually recovered...in the distance I could hear Julie singing 'This Wheels on Fire' which was her big hit at the time.

David Murphy said...

What a coincidence! Haven't checked this blog for years and immediately I see Roly's note about the Go Go club, somewhere I can closely relate to with fond memories. For a couple of years ('62-'64) I was proud to be a young bass player with the Mike Carr jazz group playing Saturday nights ten till two am in the jazz lounge. Mike was on piano and vibes, Johnny Butts drums, Ian Carr trumpet, Gary Cox tenor sax, and Willie Payne guitar. What a place, heaving with punters. Big name jazz players used to sit in after playing their gig at the City Hall or whatever. I learned so much in those two years in a terrific atmosphere with musicians who were up there with the best. Happy nights! (Hope you're keeping OK Roly).

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