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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.

Friday, July 17, 2015

Benny Goodman and Glenn Miller at Carnegie Hall 1939 @ The Gala Theatre, Durham. July 16

(Review by Russell).
Durham Brass Festival 2015 presented a recreation of the legendary 1939 Carnegie Hall showdown between Benny Goodman – the King of Swing – and the latest challenger to his throne – Glenn Miller. The Gala Theatre near to capacity, the band’s MC Pete Long said it seemed rather odd to be playing a concert at two o’clock on a summer’s afternoon. The orchestra comprised many of the big hitters on the London scene. As the band struck up Don’t Be That Way it was with an unoccupied trombone chair, obvious for all to see. Thanks to the inadequacies of the rail network Callum Au was nowhere to be seen. Long suggested the audience applaud upon his arrival. Two numbers in…huge applause as the casual Au strolled out and took his seat in the section for the first set (a Goodman set).
The band restored to a full compliment, One O’clock Jump made the joint jump. Trumpet section work of the highest order, led by Nathan Bray, featured the first of several superb solos from George Hogg. To their left stood Ryan Quigley – the betting was he wasn’t on the gig for the ride. A box of fire works was surely at his feet.
MC Long is a fine soloist. He featured in a Goodman trio setting on China Boy – clarinet, guitar and drums. Long also possesses a dry, witty line in repartee. He introduced the boy band singer…the ever-youthful Chris Dean. A tremendous trombone player, Dean could sing alright. The Goodman set flew by…Down South Camp Meeting (cue innuendo from the mischievous Long) and a scorching Sing Sing Sing brought the curtain down on a fine first set.
Interval chatter in the bar – a good set, great players…oh, Miller next! Well, don’t knock it ‘til you’ve tried it. Moonlight Serenade – the first few bars, then Running Wild with big tenor from Dean Masser. A further vocal feature for the boy band singer Chris Dean on a well received Stairway to the Stars highlighted Pete Long’s observation that the musicians on stage at the Gala were the same – first set, then second set, yet the sound was different due to their musicianship and the material they were playing. Long’s comment that Miller delivered a punter-friendly sound, and that he was clever in doing so, registered with your reviewer. Goodman played jazz, but so too Miller in his own way, with, as Long said, ‘the rough edges taken off it’. Certainly this ‘mature’ Gala Theatre audience loved every tune, be it Goodman or Miller. Discerning? Who cares? In the Mood…walking sticks waving, zimmer frames discarded, they were up – slowly – reliving something or other. A finale heard the same tune twice. Clever stuff from Long. Bugle Call Rag Miller-style, then by way of comparison, the Goodman take. Hear the difference! Hear Ryan Quigley. Didn’t you know he’d try and blow the roof off?!
The main man driving, if not conducting, the whole thing, Richard Pite gave a flawless performance. One remarkable feature of this Durham Brass Festival concert…the entire band played acoustically, including double bassist Calum Gourlay! It just goes to show, volume isn’t everything. A rare treat.    
Russell.
Pete Long (MC & clarinet), Dean Masser (tenor saxophone & clarinet), Paul Nathaniel (tenor saxophone & clarinet), Colin Skinner (alto & clarinet), Peter Ripper (alto saxophone & clarinet), ? (alto saxophone & clarinet),  George Hogg (trumpet), Nathan Bray (trumpet), Ryan Quigley (trumpet), Chris Dean (trombone & vocals), Andy Flaxman (trombone), Callum Au (trombone), ? (guitar), Bunny Thompson (piano), Calum Gourlay (double bass) & Richard Pite (drums)

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