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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.

Monday, April 27, 2015

Darlington Jazz Festival. April 25: Bruce Adams & Al Wood with the Durham Alumni Big Band + Durham County Youth Big Band

(Review by Russell).
The Central Hall in the Dolphin Centre has been described as a palais de danse. Built on civic pride, ornate chandeliers illuminate the grand setting as concertgoers ascend the red carpeted staircase. Function suite tables dressed in linen table cloths, flowers decorating a candlelit scene. A posh ‘do’? Nothing of the sort, this was a big band session Darlington-style!
All seats (265 of them) were sold. The Durham County Youth Big Band opened the show with a Matt Roberts’ arrangement of Mercy! Mercy! Mercy! The young musicians on the stage won applause for each and every solo effort. An abundance of talented, enthusiastic musicians were heard in all sections of the band. A Sammy Nestico arrangement of Satin Doll held no fears and a rousing St Louis Blues got the audience going. The band played This Can’t Be Love a matter of three weeks after seeing the parts for the first time at one of its regular rehearsal nights. This public premiere on such an auspicious occasion could have fallen apart but the Durham County Youth Big Band rose to the task in fine style.
The Durham County Alumni Big Band is the band to which many of the youthful players will undoubtedly graduate. The senior band took to the stage in ‘black tie’ attire. The two guest artists working with the band – Bruce Adams and Al Wood – were similarly booted and suited. Al Wood, multi instrumentalist and life-long educator put the band through its paces, expecting the best and that’s what he got. So many highlights; Alex Baker on Lady Day (magisterial), Neal Hefti’s Cute featuring Stephen Fletcher’s fine brushwork, pianist
Dean ‘Basie’ Stockdale spot-on with All of Me and Hank Mobley’s Funk in Deep Freeze putting the rhythm section to work with Adams and Wood. Trumpeter Jonny Dunn made his way down to the front of stage to give it a blast on Take the A Train. A blast!
Of course the star guests stepped-up. A Marty Paich arrangement of Bernie’s Tune heard Al wood at his best on alto. Bruce Adams played trumpet and flugelhorn. On the latter he impressed with a powerful solo on Black Orpheus and an exquisite Moonlight in Vermont in contrast to his trumpet excursions. Now, these were something else! The decibel count rose on Once I Had a Secret Love (rattling the chandeliers) and superb stratospheric work on At Last (metaphorically) brought the house down. Two numbers made the night. First, trumpeter Matthew Robinson joined Adams to play What’s New? Nerves of steel, young Robinson did himself proud. Mr Adams shook hands with Mr. Robinson - that says it all. Finally, trumpeter Tom Hill had the task of standing toe to toe with Adams on Memoiries of You. Adams played impossibly high stuff. Would the young man be able to respond? A heart-stopping moment…then Hill nailed it! Adams, impressed, shot for the stars. Could Hill do it again? You bet! The two of them went way beyond the stars time and again. A handshake. You wouldn’t believe the applause. For the first and only time during the evening Adams spoke to the audience. He said the future of jazz was in safe hands with young musicians of this calibre snapping at his heels. A grand night, grand surroundings, Darlington Jazz Festival just gets better and better.   
Russell.

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