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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.

Sunday, May 17, 2015

Ruth Lambert Trio @ St. Cuthbert's Centre, Crook - May 15.











Ruth Lambert, vocals. Giles Strong, guitar and Mick Shoulder, bass.
(Review/photos by Jerry)
 Ruth, Mick and Giles have a CD out and, having heard most of the tracks from it here tonight, I bought one! The sleeve-notes include this quote (not sure from whom): “It’s all about the intimacy of the trio. Three voices, each one as important as the other.” That sums up the distinctive atmosphere and experience here tonight. Thanking the band at the end, the MC likened it to chamber music in its clarity and apparent simplicity and he knows more about music than I do! I stress “apparent” simplicity as there is much complexity in the writing and arrangements and much subtlety of technique in performance to achieve that end. A treat of a gig!
The GASbook was well represented with You and the Night and the Music and Old Devil Moon in the first few numbers. Later came Carmichael’s wistful Skylark  (bass and vocals only)followed  by I’m in the Mood for Love. We also had Devil May Care and Arlen’s perky I’ve got the World on a String.
During the interval the band had discussed possible rhythmic augmentation – conga drums or an egg, maybe? In the event neither of those were deployed but on Tizol’s Caravan Giles tapped out the rhythm on the body of his guitar just as Mick had done on the bass on Love for Sale. Later we had Cole Porter’s You’d Be so Nice to Come Home To, Time After Time (with Mick sort-of-singing on his solo – always a good sign!) and, as an encore (vociferously requested), Secret Love.
Ruth admitted that the GASbook has always been her “comfort zone” but  tonight (and this is mirrored on the CD) she was stepping boldly and brilliantly out of it! Mick’s arrangement of Softly, as in a Morning Sunrise, for example, was “tricky to sing”, but how well she sung it! Then there was a blues – Love me Like a Man – dedicated to B.B. King with whom Bonnie Raitt often collaborated. I loved this version!
Ruth’s love of a song that tells a story brought us something more recent (well, 1969!) – Al Wilson’s The Snake - a happy song about a tender lady rescuing a poorly snake from death in return for which “he gave her a vicious bite”! When they told me this was “a seminal Northern Soul song”, I didn't believe them! Their version was mesmerising and if you ever want hissing sibilants, Ruth’s the girl!
There were originals, too, which showed that Carmichael & Cahn did not have a monopoly on good tunes and thoughtful lyrics! I have heard Ruth sing A Love That Never Dies countless times but never knew till now that she penned it. I assumed it was someone like Jobim (which I assume Ruth will take as a compliment)! She and Mick co-wrote Lullaby, a slow, moody piece teetering on the line between comfortable and spooky! Giles Strong’s Everything Was Beautiful lived up to its name and had lyrics which, in my opinion, the old masters would be proud of, suggesting positives which might emerge from the otherwise sad break-up of a relationship. Mick Shoulder’s How Could I? was introduced with the speculation that one day people might refer to the Great North-Eastern Songbook! Why not? say I  - the first chapter has already been written!
With Mick Shoulder on bass and Giles Strong on guitar Ruth will be in good voice” was how Bebop…flagged up this gig. Spot on! Three more concerts are coming up here between now and November – do NOT miss them!
Jerry.

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