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Bebop Spoken There

Branford Marsalis: "As ignorance often forces us to do, you make a generalisation about a musician based on one specific record or one moment in time." - (Jazzwise June 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

15491 (and counting) posts since we started blogging 15 years ago. 512 of them this year alone and, so far, 133 this month (May 31).

From This Moment On ...

June
Thu 01: Vieux Carré Jazzmen @ The Holystone, Whitley Road, North Tyneside. 1:00pm. Free.
Thu 01: Thursday Night Prayer Meeting @ The Globe, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Donations.
Thu 01: Merlin Roxby @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 8:00pm. Ragtime piano. A 'Jar on the Bar' gig.
Thu 01: Jake Leg Jug Band @ The Globe, Newcastle. 8:00pm.
Thu 01: Tees Hot Club @ Dorman's Club, Middlesbrough. 9:00pm.

Fri 02: Classic Swing @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm.
Fri 02: New Orleans Preservation Jazz Band @ Oxbridge Hotel, Stockton. 1:00pm. £5.00.
Fri 02: Rendezvous Jazz @ The Monkseaton Arms, Monkseaton. 1:00pm.
Fri 02: Joseph Carville Trio @ Saltburn Community Hall. 7:30pm.
Fri 02: Claire Martin & Her Trio @ The Witham, Barnard Castle. 7:30pm. £25.00., £20.00. Feat. Jim Mullen, Alex Garnett & Jeremy Brown.
Fri 02: Guy Davis + Michael Littlefield & Scott Taylor @ Cluny 2, Newcastle. Doors 7:30pm. Blues double bill.
Fri 02: Anders Ingram @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 8:00pm. Blind Pig Blues Club. Country blues. A 'Jar on the Bar' gig.

Sat 03: Newcastle Record Fair @ Northumbria University, Newcastle NE8 8SB. 10:00am-3:00pm. Admission: £2.00.
Sat 03: Pedigree Jazz Band @ St Augustine's Parish Centre, Darlington. 12:30pm.
Sat 03: Play Jazz! workshop @ The Globe, Newcastle. 1:30pm. Tutor: Sue Ferris. £25.00. Enrol at: www.jazz.coop.
Sat 03: Abbie Finn Trio @ The Vault, Darlington. 6:00pm. Free.
Sat 03: Rendezvous Jazz @ Red Lion, Earsdon. 8:00pm. £3.00.
Sat 03: Papa G's Troves @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 8:00pm. A 'Jar on the Bar' gig.

Sun 04: Smokin' Spitfires @ The Cluny, Newcastle. 12:45pm.
Sun 04: Central Bar Quintet @ Central Bar, Gateshead. 2:00-4:00pm. £5.00. The Central Bar Quintet plays Sonny Rollins' Saxophone Colossus. Featuring Lewis Watson.
Sun 04: 4B @ The Exchange, North Shields. 3:00pm.
Sun 04: Struggle Buggy + Michael Littlefield @ Tyne Bar, Newcastle. 4:00pm. Free. Acoustic blues.
Sun 04: Swinging at the Cotton Club: Harry Strutters' Hot Rhythm Orchestra @ The Fire Station, Sunderland. 7:30pm.
Sun 04: Richard Jones Trio @ The Globe, Newcastle. 8:00pm.
Sun 04: Jam No. 18 @ Fabio's Bar, Saddler Street, Durham. 8:00pm. Free. All welcome. A Durham University Jazz Society event.

Mon 05: Harmony Brass @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm.

Tue 06: Paul Skerritt @ The Rabbit Hole, Hallgarth St., Durham DH1 3AT. 7:00pm. Paul Skerritt's (solo) weekly residency.
Tue 06: Jam session @ Black Swan, Newcastle Arts Centre. 7:30pm. House trio: Stu Collingwood (piano); Paul Grainger (double bass); Sid White (drums).

Wed 07: Vieux Carré Jazzmen @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm.
Wed 07: Darlington Big Band @ Darlington & Simpson Rolling Mills Social Club, Darlington. 7:00pm. Rehearsal session (open to the public).
Wed 07: 4B @ The Exchange, North Shields. 7:00pm.
Wed 07: Take it to the Bridge @ The Globe, Newcastle. 7:30pm.

Sunday, August 09, 2015

Remembering Ray Truscott @ Jazz Café


(Report by Lance)
This was quite an afternoon/early evening. Up the road "The Toon" were, alternatively, losing, drawing, winning, drawing but here in The Caff everyone was winning. We were here to celebrate the legacy of Ray Truscott - 6 string bass guitarist extraordinaire. The invited audience of friends and fellow musicians were treated to an afternoon of excellence with the house quartet of Paul Gowland (ten/alt); Pete Gilligan (pno); John Pope (bs gtr); Paul Wight (dms) laying down a very high benchmark.
In the case of John Pope it was almost as if Ray was beaming down inspiration from 'up there'! John may have opted for a four string Fender Jazz as opposed to Ray's six string bass but the feeling was 'at times', almost identical.
Bradley Johnston brought his guitar to the party and Dave Weisser brought his cornet and Lady Jude came with him.
Jude sang Like Someone in Love and Dindi - throwing in a flute chorus on the latter number. Those that didn't know Jude prior to today certainly wanted to know more - the best kept vocal secret around!
Could anyone follow that? Well, er, yes! Dave Weisser, Jude's long time partner, gave us a take on Nature Boy that decreed honours were even in that household!
Everyone was at the top of their game - they had to be! With an audience of whom 95% were musicians there was little room for error.
Barry Ascroft warmed the keyboard stool, as did Alan Law. Findens Fi and Stu took Secret Love around the block and Fi's version of You Don't Know What Love is hit the heartstrings of everyone who could equate with that statement!
Ray Burns, sans harmonica, sang Sweet Lorraine - my favourite chord sequence - before giving out with Body and Soul.
Zoe Gilby swung through Lullaby of Birdland and emoted God Bless the Child. Kath Jobes rounded things off with Bye Bye Blackbird - Kath too has moved up the pecking order.
Then, just as I was bidding farewell to Ray's wife Sylvia, the band played My One and Only Love. Sylvia's tears were understandable - and infectious.
It was a great tribute to a most lovable/likeable man. If you've got to go this is the way to do it. Friends paying their respects by playing and listening to the music we all love.
RIP
Photos.
Lance.
PS: It should also be noted that Ray was remembered not only as a bass guitarist but also as fine composer. Several of his compositions were included in the program - Requeros and Four Miles being two of them. 

4 comments :

Hilary Say (on F/b) said...

Sorry I wasn't well enough to attend. Ray, Sylvia, Mike and I were all great friends in the old days. Lots of wonderful photos from Muggleswick to confirm this. Zoe was just a little girl then.
R.I.P. Ray, gone to join that great jazz gig with the wonderful musicians who went before you.

Mal Maddock (on F/b) said...

Oh dear lord..... I didn't even know Ray Had passed away !

Anne DeVere Harper (on F/b) said...

Thanks Lance......this made me feel I was there! Xx

Jude Murphy (on F/b) said...

It was a privilege to be there - a very special day, with Sylvia and so many of his friends remembering a brilliant bloke.

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