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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.

Saturday, May 16, 2015

Nick Pride and the Pimptones @ Hoochie Coochie - May 15.

Nick Pride (gtr); Keith Nicholson (tpt/flug/triangle); Al Saxon (alt/fl); James Brown (bs gtr); Oz Cassidy (dms); Beth Macari (vcl).
(Review by Lance).
And I thought Hoochie was loud on Thursday - brother you ain't heard nuthin' yet! In truth, I doubt if I'll ever hear anything again!
I jest, yes it was loud, but not, after a couple of London Prides, unbearable. In fact it was brilliant - London Pride works well in these situations. I'm told Pinot Grigot also does the business!
A mix of soul, funk, ska, reggae, rock, blues and jazz - yes jazz! I read, somewhere  or other, that the Pimptones' jazz content was minimal but - take it from me - when these guys blow they are blowing jazz irrespective of the surface genre.
That they put a whole lot of showmanship into the act doesn't detract at all from the fact that they are doing what musicians have been doing for time immemorial - entertaining their public. When music ceases to be entertaining - as well as meaningful (is there a difference?) - then maybe I'll just die of boredom.
No chance of that tonight. Hoochie was crowded, the band were groovin', New singer Beth looked good in the tightest fitting LBD I've seen in many a long year spent looking at tight fitting LBDs. Complemented by hair whose colour was as fiery as her strident voice, Beth strutted her stuff with attitude. You've heard of Howlin' Wolf? Well this was Howlin' She-Wolf - bring it on!
Not that this was a one person show - this was a jamboree where everyone pimped. Leader Pride, no relation to the aforementioned London Pride, played a whole lotta guitar with some occasional country creeping into his jazz/rock licks. The two horns, Saxon on flute and alto, Nicholson on trumpet and flugel, blew for England although the latter sounded more like his roots were in New Orleans rather than Hebburn whilst the former was surely conceived on 52nd Street.
Cassidy on kit provided the drive - Formula One drumming - and dep bass James Brown (how appropriately named) didn't get many solos but, when he did, he was right on the money.
From the opening Come and Get It to the "final" Nothin' But the Good Times we came and got it and had nothin' but good times!
In between, the horns did the Soul Food Strut, blowing a path through the crowded floor, Massive Attack's Unfinished Sympathy had Beth in top gear and one number, I forget which, had Nicholson standing on a bar stool blowing for gold. Man, that guy doesn't need a stool to hit top C!
There was so much more happening but already my typing finger is getting tired.
So, catch them on a gig (which could be anywhere in Europe) or check out their CDs.
Lance.
PS:Nice to meet up again with Helen who isn't called Val! 

1 comment :

Unknown said...

The 2 of us Leicester City fans, spending a night in Newcastle before our game today at Sunderland, were very glad we chose Hoochie Coochies for our evenings entertainment. A fine band and a fine venue. Thank you Pimptones for a great gig!

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