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Bebop Spoken There

Spasmo Brown: “Jazz is an ice cream sandwich! It's the Fourth of July! It's a girl with a waterbed!”. (Syncopated Times, July, 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

17421 (and counting) posts since we started blogging 16 years ago. 695 of them this year alone and, so far, 100 this month (Sept. 30).

From This Moment On ...

October

Fri 04: Satoko Fujii @ The Lit & Phil, Newcastle. 1:00pm. £8.00. NFOJIM in assoc. w. JNE & Lit & Phil.
Fri 04: Classic Swing @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 04: Rendezvous Jazz @ The Monkseaton Arms. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 04: New Orleans Preservation Jazz Band @ The Oxbridge Hotel, Stockton. 1:00pm. £5.00.
Fri 04: Amirtha Kidambi w. Manon McCoy @ The Lit & Phil, Newcastle. 6:20pm. £8.00. + bf. NFOJIM in assoc. w. Gem Arts, JNE & Lit & Phil.
Fri 04: Ziv Taubenfeld/Olie Brice/Kresten Osgood + Andy Champion + Izumi Kimura & Gerry
Hemingway @ The Lit & Phil, Newcastle. 7:20pm. £10.00. + bf. NFOJIM in assoc. w. JNE & Lit & Phil.
Fri 04: Maggie Nicols & Tim Dalling: As I Sing & Breathe @ The Tute, Ridley Terrace, Cambois NE24 1QS. 7:30pm. Free. Tickets: www.eventbrite.com. ‘Songs & Improvisations’ - Nicols, Dalling & guests.
Fri 04: Jeremy McMurray & the Pocket Jazz Orchestra @ Saltburn Community Hall. 7:30pm.
Fri 04: John Rowland Quartet @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 8:00pm. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig.

Sat 05: Maggie Nicols & Tim Dalling: Musical Boxing Training @ The Tute, Ridley Terrace, Cambois NE24 1QS. 2:30pm. Free. Tickets: www.eventbrite.com. ‘A workshop for musical improvisers’. An event in a boxing ring!
Sat 05: Lewis Watson Quartet @ Wylam Village Institute, Church Road, Wylam NE41 8AP. Doors 7:00pm. Tickets £15.00. + £1.50. bf, available from: www.gigantic.com.
Sat 05: Joseph Carville Trio @ The Vault, Darlington. 7:00pm. Free.
Sat 05: Bright Street Big Band @ Washington Arts Centre. From 7:00pm. £12.00. Bright Street Big Band on stage at 7:30pm, preceded at 7:00pm by a swing dance taster session.
Sat 05: J.A.M. String Collective + Tara Cunningham + The Flame @ The Lit & Phil, Newcastle. 7:20pm. £10.00. + bf. NFOJIM in assoc. w. JNE & Lit & Phil.
Sat 05: Heavy Drunk @ Anarchy Brewery, Newcastle. 7:30pm. £15.00. + £1.50. bf. ‘Mississippi Delta Blues Experience’ feat. Heavy Drunk, Watermelon Slim & Leonardo Giuliani.
Sat 05: Maggie Nicols & Tim Dalling: Musical Boxing Night @ The Tute, Ridley Terrace, Cambois NE24 1QS. 7:30pm. Free. Tickets: www.eventbrite.com. Nicols, Dalling ao. An event in a boxing ring!
Sat 05: Milne-Glendinning Band @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 8:00pm. Free.
Sat 05: Rendezvous Jazz @ The Red Lion, Earsdon. 8:00pm. £3.00.
Sat 05: Ian Millar & Dominic Spencer @ Swarland Village Hall NE65 9JG. 8:00pm. £12.00.

Sun 06: Smokin’ Spitfires @ The Cluny, Newcastle. 12:45pm (12:30pm doors). £7.50.
Sun 06: Luis Verde Quartet @ Central Bar, Gateshead. 2:00pm. £10.00.
Sun 06: Sax Choir @ The Globe, Newcastle. 2:00pm. Free.
Sun 06: 4B @ The Ticket Office, Whitley Bay. 3:00pm. Free.
Sun 06: Catriona Bourne Quartet + Heather Ferrier + Emma Johson’s Gravy Boat @ The Globe, Newcastle. 2:00pm. £10.00. + bf. NFOJIM in assoc. w. JNE & The Globe.

Mon 07: Harmony Brass @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Mon 07: Michael Young Trio @ The Engine Room, Sunderland. 6:30-8:30pm. Free.

Tue 08: ???

Wed 09: Vieux Carré Jazzmen @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free. Wed 09: Jason Isaacs @ St James’ STACK, Newcastle. 5:00-7:00pm. Free.
Wed 09: Darlington Big Band @ Darlington & Simpson Rolling Mills Social Club, Darlington. 7:00pm. Free. Rehearsal session (open to the public).
Wed 09: Take it to the Bridge @ The Globe, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free.
Wed 09: The Tannery Jam Session @ The Tannery, Gilesgate, Hexham. 7:00-9:00pm. Free. A ‘second Wednesday in the month’ jam session.
Wed 09: Shunya, Dudù Kouate & Seb Rochford @ The Cluny, Newcastle. 8:30pm (7:30pm doors). £21.00.

Thu 10: Vieux Carré Jazzmen @ The Holystone, Whitley Road, North Tyneside. 1:00pm. Free.
Thu 10: Gateshead Jazz Appreciation Society @ Brunswick Methodist Church, Newcastle NE1 7BJ. 2:00pm. £4.00. ‘Collaborations - it happened all the time’.
Thu 10: Indigo Jazz Voices w. the Little Big Band @ The Globe, Newcastle. 7:45pm. £5.00.
Thu 10: Side Cafe Orkestar @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 8:00pm. Free. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig.
Thu 10: Tees Hot Club @ Dorman’s Club, Middlesborough. 8:30pm. With guests Donna Hewitt (sax); Bill Watson (trumpet); Graham Thompson (keys); Ron Smith (bass). Free.

Wednesday, April 29, 2015

Darlington Jazz Festival. Sunday April 26: An Afternoon Session @ St Augustine’s

(Review by Russell)
St Augustine’s Parish Centre, an established venue thanks to Darlington New Orleans Jazz Club’s monthly concert promotions, hosted the final day of this year’s Darlington Jazz Festival. Set in leafy grounds, a musician playing with his young daughter, doors open on a mild spring afternoon, the scene exemplified the festival organisers’ relaxed, welcoming approach.
Inside, preparations were almost complete. A festival banner being hung, similarly the   sponsors and Musicians’ Union’s pop up banners were put in place. Three bands were scheduled to perform. Darlington Big Band had the honour of kicking-off proceedings. Mostly old hands, ‘punctuality’ their middle name, the boys set up in good time, ready, keen to get started. 
In the absence of Richie Emmerson, Andy Bennett led the orchestra. Stan Kenton charts, a Horace Silver tune, Theme From Love Story, Frank Mantooth’s arrangement of Alfie, a varied pad, expertly played. The latter number featured a flugel solo from Bill Watson – great playing. Will Howard depped at short notice, reading the charts as they were put in front of him, taking several solos – a real talent is Mr Howard.
Darlington Big Band:
Andy Bennett (MD, alto & soprano saxophones), Will Howard (tenor saxophone & clarinet), Alan Thompson (alto saxophone), Jill ? (alto saxophone), Eric ? (baritone saxophone), Bob Temple (trumpet), Bill Watson (trumpet), Alan Smith (trumpet), Alan Catherall (trumpet), Terry O’Hern (trombone), Dave Brock (trombone), Alistair Wood (trombone), Chris Hibbard (bass trombone), ?? (piano), Tom Stephenson (guitar), Alan Smith (bass guitar) & Ray Campbell (drums)
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Out of town visitors played the middle set of three. The Nicola Farnon Trio made the trip from Sheffield in a tightly-packed estate car – double bass, keyboards, saxophone, drum kit, PA, not forgetting three musicians! Almost a quarter of a million miles on the clock, Farnon, Piero Tucci and Phil Johnson have been around the block a few times. Their set proved to be the surprise hit of the festival. Ms Farnon has three things going for her; an engaging personality, excellent musicianship and a great voice. Make that five things – Piero Tucci is equally adept playing keyboards and tenor saxophone and drummer Phil Johnson knows his way around the kit. The material comprised familiar, classic numbers given a fresh slant, played with verve and consummate skill. A perceptive listener said it was a pleasure to listen to musicians really enjoying themselves. Well said, that man!
Tunes included Cheek to Cheek, This Can’t Be Love, One Note Samba, No Moon at All and The More I See You. Every one of them hit the spot. And then there was a Farnon original – Perfect Loverly Day. Great bass playing, a fabulous voice, Tucci’s swinging tenor and keyboards, Johnson’s propulsive sticks’ work – this gig will live long in the memory for all the right reasons. Note to promoters – book the Nicola Farnon Trio as your audience will be thoroughly entertained and will demand that you book them again! A Day at the Market, a live CD recording by the Nicola Farnon Trio offers more of the same. A review of the 2014 release will be posted in the coming days.
The afternoon’s entertainment concluded with a performance by Darlington’s Little Big Band. The junior big band boasted no fewer than six trumpets, five trombones, six reeds, piano, bass and drums. Tutored by Ian Robinson, the band showed what it could do with classic material. Bill Bailey, A Nightingale Sang in Berkeley Square (beautifully played), First Time Around, a stompin’ Stompin’ at the Savoy, Splanky – all skillfully played with commitment and enjoyment. The St Augustine’s audience made a point of giving every encouragement to the stars of tomorrow. Mr Robinson spoke about the development of jazz education in County Durham over several years and this current crop of young musicians serves as testament to the invaluable work done by many of his colleagues throughout the county.           
Russell.      

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