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Bebop Spoken There

Abbie Finn: "Even though there's a lot of great work being done to promote women in jazz, I still come up against some attitudes! I pulled up at a recording session with my drums in the car and the studio owner said, 'I'm sorry, this space is reserved for the drummer!'" - (Jazzwise April 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

15229 (and counting) posts since we started blogging 15 years ago. 248 of them this year alone and, so far, 61 this month (March 20).

From This Moment On ...

March

Fri 24: Classic Swing @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm.
Fri 24: New Orleans Preservation Jazz Band @ Oxbridge Hotel, Stockton. 1:00pm. £5.00.
Fri 24: Rendezvous Jazz @ The Monkseaton Arms, Monkseaton. 1:00pm.
Fri 24: FILM: Mo' Better Blues @ Forum Cinema, Hexham. 7:00pm.
Fri 24: Ian Millar & Dominic Spencer @ Scarth Hall, Staindrop, Co. Durham. 8:00pm. £10.00.
Fri 24: Archipelago + Bulbils @ Cobalt Studios, Newcastle. 7:00pm.

Sat 25: Vermont Big Band @ Walker Community Centre, Walker, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Fundraiser for Benfield Juniours Football Club. Hot food available, BYOB.
Sat 25: John Logan & Friends @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 8:00pm. Rat Pack, Motown etc. 8:00pm. Free (donations).

Sun 26: Musicians Unlimited @ Park Inn, Hartlepool. 1:00pm.
Sun 26: More Jam @ The Globe, Newcastle. 3:00pm. Free.
Sun 26: 4B @ The Exchange, North Shields. 3:00pm.
Sun 26: Outlines @ The Globe, Newcastle. 8:00pm. JNE promotion (upstairs).

Mon 27: Harmony Brass @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm.

Tue 28: Paul Skerritt @ The Rabbit Hole, Hallgarth St., Durham DH1 3AT. 7:00pm. Paul Skerritt's (solo) weekly residency.
Tue 28: Sanaz Lavasani Trio @ Black Swan, Newcastle Arts Centre. 8:00pm. £12.00 (£10.00. adv).

Wed 29: Vieux Carré Jazzmen @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm.
Wed 29: Darlington Big Band @ Darlington & Simpson Rolling Mills Social Club, Darlington. 7:00pm. Rehearsal session (open to the public).
Wed 29: 4B @ The Exchange, North Shields. 7:00pm.
Wed 29: Take it to the Bridge @ The Globe, Newcastle. 7:30pm.

Thu 30: Gateshead Jazz Appreciation Society @ Gateshead Central Library. 2:30-4:30pm. £2.00. All welcome.
Thu 30: Vieux Carré Jazzmen @ The Holystone, Whitley Road, North Tyneside. Back to 1:00pm stomp off. Free.
Thu 30: '58 Jazz Collective @ Hops & Cheese, Hartlepool. 7:30pm. Free.
Thu 30: Lindsay Hannon: Tom Waits for No Man @ Harbour View, Sunderland. 8:00pm.
Thu 30: Tees Hot Club @ Dorman's Club, Middlesbrough. 9:00pm.

Wednesday, July 29, 2015

Schmazz presents the Jonathan Silk Big Band @ The Black Swan - July 28









(Review by Lance/Photos courtesy of Ken Drew.)
The ethereal, tentative, probing, opening bars confirmed, what the pre-concert blurb had hinted at, that this was to be no powerhouse "hit him in the slats Bob"* big band but more of a contemporary jazz orchestra approach. Not that it was without excitement although some wag sitting at the back, stage whispered "I thought they were still tuning up!" - he left shortly after! It was complex and cleverly arranged without seeming to have been arranged at all. Section pitted against section, not in the traditional call and response format but rather like a 20th century symphonic work whereby contrasting melodic lines complemented each other. Dissonant at times? Yes, but dissonance has come a long way since the Peanut Vendor.
The addition of tuba added extra depth, as it has done in the past with various legendary ensembles including Miles Davis, Gil Evans and John Dankworth, making for a fuller ensemble sound
Tenor saxists Fleming and Wright slugged it out, Adam Chatterton, cucumber cool on flugel, Tom McNiven blew trumpet like he does when let off the leash in the SNJO, Silk played a major part as leader, composer/arranger and drummer - he kicked off the second set with an extended solo that showed us what he could do with a pair of sticks but, in the main, contented himself with meaningful support. Guitar, keys, bass (guitar and upright) kept us in the present whilst Mikey Owers, who I'm reliably informed has replaced Ryan Quigley in Brass Jaw, excelled on trombone. Not many trumpet players could replace Quigley so for a trombonist to get the gig speaks volumes.
Talking about volumes...
The lack of microphones made many of Silk's announcements inaudible to those of us sitting in 'the gallery'.  The absence of mics also presented problems for the sax soloists - particularly when the band were riffing behind them. Baritone sax (Maddock?) the most notable casualty.
The personnel given below is what was advertised, however, Phil O'Malley played some cracking trombone solos so he too was in there sliding - clarification needed. 
A quite memorable occasion.
Lance.
John Fleming, Mike Fletcher, Adam Jackson; Chris Maddock, Joe Wright (reeds); Mike Adlington, Adam Chatterton, Matt Gough, Tom McNiven (trumpets); Richard Foote, Kieran McLeod, Mikey Owers (trombones); Andy Johnson (tuba); Tom Ford (guitar); Andy Bunting (keyboards); Nick Jurd (bass); Jonathan Silk (drums).
"Hit him in the slats Bob" the legendary instruction Mrs Fitzsimmons is reported to have shouted to her husband during Bob Fitzsimmons' world title fight with James J. Corbett which, interpreted, meant "Hit him in the guts".

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