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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, September 13, 2015

Greg Spero Quartet @ Dacre Hall, Lanercost Priory - Sept. 12

Greg Spero (pno); John Pope (bs/bs gtr); Russ Morgan (dms); Roz Sluman (sax/fl) + Jack Moore (alt).
(Review by Peter Ninnim)
 I’d missed Greg Spero on his previous visits to the North East so I was pleased to have the chance to hear him at a venue new to me. David Gosling and his team are doing a great job putting on class, well supported, jazz concerts in this historic setting. Not knowing what to expect, it was good to see the room full, with perhaps 70 people. The hall was dressed with great care, a proper low level stage, excellent sound system and a bar with hand pull beer; what a pity I was driving!
I'd had no advance info re the music on offer but, after seeing the band line up, I knew it would be good. Greg was using the exciting sax player Roz Sluman on flute, alto and tenor; the bundle of fun John Pope on acoustic bass and 5 string electric and the outstanding Russ Morgan on drums. The band had only met up at 2.00pm - spending the afternoon working out the set.
Impressive!  
The majority of the numbers were Spero’s own compositions and, to say the least, difficult!
First up was Shades. Not sure if that was the full title but, as he explained it, was on the new album to be called Polyphonic. The fact that it was in 17/16 time (I kid you not) wasn’t immediately apparent  although, as far as I could see, Morgan was right on top of it and, in truth, it wasn’t a great all round performance, Pope, as usual, all over the acoustic bass in brilliant style. Spero followed this up with a version of Blackbird which did him no favours with me, but the audience seemed to like it. This was followed by Actual Proof and then Tune 12 off the new album. This had all the band feverishly turning over music as actually he was playing Tune 11! However, it all sounded good and had impressive solos all round. Next a Chick Corea number with great drumming by Morgan. When we actually heard Tune 12 it turned out to be a polyphonic tune with the left hand in 3/4 and the right hand in 4/4, still sounded good though. There were a few other tunes particularly one by Herbie Hancock but I just could not get all the titles.
After an appealing vocal, No Rest For the Weary, the programme concluded with Slide for which Spero called up Alto player Jack Moore to join Sluman on stage. Moore is a 13 years old up and coming Jazz talent; I look forward to hearing him in the years to come.  Greg Spero is a very accomplished and versatile pianist and his outgoing personality definitely won over the audience.
There were a few piano introductions which started out like lift music, although very good lift music. But I’m being picky as the whole concert was first class mainly in the Jazz fusion genre and I would be keen to see him again. An excellent concert at a great venue.
Peter N.

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