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Bebop Spoken There

Wendell Brunious: "Because the blues is not 1,4 and 5 or 1,4,5,2,1. You could wake up with a flat tyre or a headache this morning, that's the blues, man" - (DownBeat, Oct. 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

15878 (and counting) posts since we started blogging 15 years ago. 885 of them this year alone and, so far, 83 this month (Sept. 30).

From This Moment On ...

October

Wed 04: Vieux Carré Jazzmen @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm.
Wed 04: Darlington Big Band @ Darlington & Simpson Rolling Mills Social Club, Darlington. 7:00pm. Rehearsal session (open to the public).
Wed 04: Paul Skerritt @ Vespa Italian Bar & Steakhouse, Primrose Hill, Jarrow. From 7:00pm. To book a table - 0191 483 3355.
Wed 04: Take it to the Bridge @ The Globe, Newcastle. 7:30pm.

Thu 05: Vieux Carré Jazzmen @ The Holystone, Whitley Road, North Tyneside. 1:00pm. Free.
Thu 05: Sound the Trumpets @ King's Hall, Newcastle University. 1:15pm. Free.
Thu 05: Hot Club du Nord @ The Lubetkin Theatre, Peterlee. 7:00pm. £10.00. POSTPONED!
Thu 05: Thursday Night Prayer Meeting @ The Globe, Newcastle. 7:30pm.
Thu 05: Tommy Bentz Trio + Mark Croft Duo + George Shovlin & George Lamb @ The Harbour View, Sunderland. 8:00pm. Free. Harbour View Speakeasy's USA blues double bill + Shovlin & Lamb!
Thu 05: Merlin Roxby @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 8:00pm. Ragtime piano. A 'Jar on the Bar' gig.
Thu 05: Tees Hot Club @ Dorman's Club, Middlesbrough. 9:00pm.

Fri 06: Alcyona Mick @ Lit & Phil, Newcastle. 1:00pm. A Newcastle Festival of Jazz & Improvised Music event.
Fri 06: Classic Swing @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm.
Fri 06: New Orleans Preservation Jazz Band @ Oxbridge Hotel, Stockton. 1:00pm. £5.00.
Fri 06: Rendezvous Jazz @ The Monkseaton Arms, Monkseaton. 1:00pm.
Fri 06: WORKSHOP: Philosophy of Arts & Entertainment @ Lit & Phil, Newcastle. 2:00pm. A Newcastle Festival of Jazz & Improvised Music event.
Fri 06: Balo @ Lit & Phil, Newcastle. 6:20pm. A Newcastle Festival of Jazz & Improvised Music event.
Fri 06: Paul Skerritt @ 3Sixty Champagne Lounge, Hadrian’s Tower, Newcastle. From 7:00pm. To book a table - 0191 933 8591.
Fri 06: Lexer/Mayes/Noble + Semay Wu + Miman @ Lit & Phil, Newcastle. 7:20pm. A Newcastle Festival of Jazz & Improvised Music event.
Fri 06: Dulcie May Moreno @ The Vault, Hexham. 7:30pm. £20.00. Book in advance. Moreno with Alan Law, Paul Grainger & John Bradford.
Fri 06: Dean Stockdale Quartet @ Saltburn Community Hall. 7:30pm. 'Celebrating Oscar'.
Fri 06: Nu Brass Sounds: Big Brass Bash @ Billy Bootlegger’s, Newcastle. 8:00pm. Free.
Fri 06: King Bees @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 8:00pm. Blind Pig Blues Club. A 'Jar on the Bar' gig.

Sat 07: WORKSHOP: Philosophy of Arts & Entertainment @ Lit & Phil, Newcastle. 10:15am. A Newcastle Festival of Jazz & Improvised Music event.
Sat 07: Hot Club du Nord @ St Augustine's Parish Centre, Darlington. 12:30pm.
Sat 07: Bugge & Niccols + Moore & Fairhall @ Lit & Phil, Newcastle. 1:00pm. A Newcastle Festival of Jazz & Improvised Music event.
Sat 07: Play Jazz! workshop @ The Globe, Newcastle. 1:30pm. Tutor: Steve Glendinning - All the Things You Are. £25.00. Enrol at: www.jazz.coop.
Sat 07: Abbie Finn Trio @ The Vault, Darlington. 6:00pm. Free.
Sat 07: Rie Nakajima @ Lit & Phil, Newcastle. 6:20pm. A Newcastle Festival of Jazz & Improvised Music event.
Sat 07: Paul Skerritt @ 3Sixty Champagne Lounge, Hadrian’s Tower, Newcastle. From 7:00pm. To book a table - 0191 933 8591.
Sat 07: Boys of Brass @ Salt Market Social, Liddell St., North Shields. From 7:00pm. £9.00. + bf.
Sat 07: Samuel Blaser Trio + Toxvaerd & Zeeberg + Muramatsu & Welch @ Lit & Phil, Newcastle. 7:20pm. A Newcastle Festival of Jazz & Improvised Music event.
Sat 07: Anth Purdy @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 8:00pm.
Sat 07: Rendezvous Jazz @ Red Lion, Earsdon. 8:00pm. £3.00.

Sun 08: Zoë Gilby Quintet + Ubunye @ The Globe, Newcastle. 2:00pm. Line-up inc. Tony Kofi. A Newcastle Festival of Jazz & Improvised Music event.
Sun 08: Tommy Bentz Band @ Tyne Bar, Newcastle. 4:00pm. Free. USA blues band.

Mon 09: Harmony Brass @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm.
Mon 09: Cherise Adams-Burnett @ The Grove, Byker, Newcastle. 7:30pm. .

Tue 10: Abbie Finn Trio @ Forum Music Centre, Darlington. 7:30pm.

Thursday, May 21, 2015

Kurt Elling with the Scottish National Jazz Orchestra @ Sage Gateshead. May 20

(Review by Russell)
It is rare to be in the presence of a genuine superstar. On Wednesday evening one such occasion occurred at Sage Gateshead. The Scottish National Jazz Orchestra once again graced the stage in the world-class surroundings of Hall One on the banks of the Tyne. Master of Ceremonies George Duncan introduced the band, led by its Artistic Director Tommy Smith, to present a concert celebrating the centenary year of the birth of Frank Sinatra featuring special guest star Kurt Elling.
To describe Kurt Elling as a ‘special guest’ doesn't begin to attest to the singer’s global status; the vocalist from Chicago, Illinois, is, indisputably, top of the list, number one. The American strolled out into the spotlight in bespoke light grey, check suit and tan shoes. Sixty five minutes later the first set drew to a close. Elling sang without a break, never leaving the stage, the epitome of class. The baritone voice opened the programme with I Only Have Eyes For You. Fabulous, absolutely fabulous. Day In, Day Out. More fabulous singing, a man in total command of his art. The SNJO, perhaps the finest band in Europe, gave Elling everything he could possibly desire of an ensemble. Well known names peppered the sections: Tommy Smith and his fellow reeds of  Konrad Wisznieski, Martin Kershaw, Paul Towndrow and Bill Fleming; trombone men Chris Grieve and the hirsute Michael Owers; Tom MacNiven and Cameron Jay (trumpets) and one of the best rhythm sections around led by Brian Kellock (piano), new boy Joe Williamson (guitar), the very hirsute Calum Gourlay (double bass) and the pocket battleship, drummer Alyn Cosker.
Witchcraft, a dynamic Luck Be a Lady, The Good Life, Nelson Riddle’s arrangement of All or Nothing, then, same arranger, Summer Wind (the rich baritone simply wonderful), every tune out of this world. How about Night and Day? A favourite tune, magnificent! The interval consensus: magnificent! Collective surprise at, and admiration of, Elling’s stamina. Second set…
Altoist Martin Kershaw stepped out front to solo on a Lawrence Hobgood arrangement of Come Fly with Me (very much Elling’s personal take on the timeless number). You Make Me Feel So Young (the excitement was palpable, your reviewer’s notes: WOW!). Konrad Wiszniewski impressed as Elling implored: Get Me to the Church on Time. This being a Sinatra (Elling/Sinatra) show, My Kind of Town was kinda inevitable, and none the worse for it.
The orchestra performed brilliantly (as one has come to expect), Tommy Smith for once played second fiddle (tenor sax) to Kurt Elling. A word about Joe Williamson (guitar), a young musician studying in Scotland, schooled in the Tees Jazz Delta, it was just great that Smith informed the young man he was ready to make his debut with the band at Sage Gateshead. The north east of England is a hotbed of talent, no doubt about it. A new arrangement, again a personal take by Elling, of I Only Have Eyes For You featured a superb flugelhorn solo by Lorne Cowieson. Solo spots were limited as the focus of attention for much of the evening was, rightly, on the magnetic Kurt Elling.
Kurt Elling is a superstar, Frank Sinatra is a legend. Different eras, differing styles. One should avoid comparison, they stand alone as imperious performers. Gig of the Year. 
Russell.
Kurt Elling (vocals), The Scottish National Jazz Orchestra: George Duncan MC,
Tommy Smith MD (tenor saxophone, flute), Konrad Wiszniewski (tenor saxophone, clarinet & flute), Martin Kershaw (alto saxophone, clarinet & flute), Paul Towndrow (alto saxophone & flute), Bill Fleming (baritone saxophone & flute), Tom Walsh (trumpet), Tom MacNiven (trumpet), Cameron Jay (trumpet), Lorne Cowieson (trumpet & flugelhorn), Chris Greive (trombone), Kieran McLeod (trombone), Phil O’Malley (trombone), Michael Owers (trombone), Brian Kellock (piano), Joe Williamson (guitar), Calum Gourlay (double bass) & Alyn Cosker (drums)

3 comments :

Debra Milne (on F/b) said...

I think Russell might have enjoyed the gig!

Kath Jobes said...

Yeah so much that Elling got an additional L in his name lol ;-)

Lance said...

Well spotted Ms Spell-Check - you've got the job(es). Now corrected.

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