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Bebop Spoken There

Kelly Sill: "Just because everyone is playing through the changes in the same time doesn't mean they're actually playing together" - (JazzTimes March/April 2023).

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!"

Postage

15260 (and counting) posts since we started blogging 15 years ago. 279 of them this year alone and, so far, 92 this month (March 29).

From This Moment On ...

April

Sun 02: Smokin' Spitfires @ The Cluny. 12:45pm.
Sun 02: 4B @ The Exchange, North Shields. 3:00pm.

Mon 03: Harmony Brass @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm.

Tue 04: Paul Skerritt @ The Rabbit Hole, Hallgarth St., Durham DH1 3AT. 7:00pm. Paul Skerritt's (solo) weekly residency.
Tue 04: Jam session @ Black Swan, Newcastle Arts Centre. 7:30pm. House trio: Bradley Johnston (guitar); Paul Grainger (double bass); Abbie Finn (drums).

Wed 05: Vieux Carré Jazzmen @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm.
Wed 05: Darlington Big Band @ Darlington & Simpson Rolling Mills Social Club, Darlington. 7:00pm. Rehearsal session (open to the public).
Wed 05: 4B @ The Exchange, North Shields. 7:00pm.
Wed 05: Take it to the Bridge @ The Globe, Newcastle. 7:30pm.

Thu 06: Vieux Carré Jazzmen @ The Holystone, Whitley Road, North Tyneside. 1:00pm. Free.
Thu 06: Thursday Night Prayer Meeting @ The Globe, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Donations. Feat. John Pope, Marie Shreer, John Garner.
Thu 06: Merlin Roxby @ Prohibtion Bar, Newcastle. 8:00pm. Ragtime piano. A 'Jar on the Bar' gig.
Thu 06: Darlington Big Band @ Dorman's Club, Middlesbrough. 8:30pm. Note earlier start time.

Fri 07: Classic Swing @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm.
Fri 07: New Orleans Preservation Jazz Band @ Oxbridge Hotel, Stockton. 1:00pm. £5.00.
Fri 07: Rendezvous Jazz @ The Monkseaton Arms, Monkseaton. 1:00pm.
Fri 07: Gaz Hughes Trio @ Saltburn Community Hall. 7:30pm.
Fri 07: Mark Toomey Quartet @ Traveller's Rest, Darlington. 8:00pm. £8.00.
Fri 07: Finntet + Zoë Gilby & Andy Champion @ Bobik's, Punch Bowl, Newcastle. 8:00pm. JNE.
Fri 07: TBA @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 8:00pm. A 'Jar on the Bar' gig. Blind Pig Blues Club.

Sat 08: Me Lost Me + Ceitidh Mac + Heather Ferrier @ Bobik's, Punch Bowl, Newcastle. 7:30pm. JNE.
Sat 08: Joseph Carville Trio @ The Vault, Darlington Covered Market, Darlington DL1 5PN. 6:00pm. New venue, live jazz!
Sat 08: Rendezvous Jazz @ Red Lion, Earsdon. 8:00pm. £3.00. RESCHEDULED from last week (Sat 01).
Sat 08: Robbie Reay @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 8:00pm. Acoustic blues. A 'Jar on the Bar' gig.
Sat 08: Anth Purdy @ Mr Tighe's, Bebside, Northumberland. 8:30pm.

Saturday, March 28, 2015

Val Wiseman - Lady Sings The Blues @ Gala Theatre, Durham. March 27.

Val Wiseman (vcl) w. Digby Fairweather (tpt); Roy Williams (tmb); Julian Marc Stringle (ten/clt); Brian Dee (pno); Len Skeat (bs); Eric Ford (dms).
(Review by Lance)
The auditorium was near full and justifiably so. Whilst few, if any, have equaled the poignancy and emotional content of Billie Holiday in this, the centenary of Lady Day's birth, Val Wiseman came as close as possible without losing her own identity.
The many fine songs included, Ain't Nobody's Business if I doGood Morning Heartache; God Bless the Child; Fine and Mellow; Miss Brown to You; Just one of Those Things; Comes Love; Me, Myself and I; One For my Baby; What a Little Moonlight Can Do; Am I Blue? Loverman - just piano and voice - was spellbinding and a grandiose My Man captivated. 
There were others but, such was the lady's presence, it seemed almost irreverent to take notes!
In between numbers, Val gave us a potted biography of Billie which, whilst it may be familiar to the many old hands in the audience, I'm sure it also inspired other, younger fans, to find out more - both about Billie and Val.
Of course Billie Holiday was ever in the company of great musicians - Buck Clayton, Lester Young, Teddy Wilson and other greats of the swing era - and, needless to say, Val did likewise with the cream of British mainstreamers. 
Digby and Roy we've known for years and they didn't disappoint. Julian Marc Stringle I knew of but this was the first time I'd heard him play and can he play! Great sound on both tenor and clarinet - his shoulder length locks may not have been in keeping with the idiom but his 'licks' certainly were! Come to think of it I remember when Digby too had hair of similar length and Roy actually had hair (I should talk!).
The rhythm section was an object lesson in the art of swinging. Len Skeat, Eric Ford and the legendary Brian Dee combined to make this truly an unforgettable experience.
The only downside - apart from standing on the wrong platform and missing the train - was I inexplicably erased the photos when transferring from camera to PC! These included an excellent one of Val with our own nightingale Olive Rudd and a pub shot of Digby, Roy and Brian.
Sorry guys and dolls!
Lance.

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