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Bebop Spoken There

Quincy Jones: ''What's great about coming from a little town is that you're a big fish in a little pond and it gives you the confidence when you get to New York to be able to really compete''. (Jazzwise, December 2024/January 2025).

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

17562 (and counting) posts since we started blogging 16 years ago. 836 of them this year alone and, so far, 74 this month (Nov. 22).

From This Moment On ...

December

Sun 01: Smokin’ Spitfires @ The Cluny, Newcastle. 12:15pm (12 noon doors). £7.50. Note earlier start.
Sun 01: Sax Choir @ The Globe, Newcastle. 2:00pm. Free.
Sun 01: Paul Skerritt @ Hibou Blanc, Newcastle. 2:00pm. Free. Vocalist Skerritt working with backing tapes.
Sun 01: Ruth Lambert Trio @ The Juke Shed, Union Quay, North Shields. 3:00pm. Free.
Sun 01: 4B @ The Ticket Office, Whitley Bay. 3:00pm. Free.
Sun 01: Lindsay Hannon: Tom Waits for No Man @ Laurels, Whitley Road, Whitley Bay. 4:00pm. £10.00. SOLD OUT!
Sun 01: Martin Fletcher Band @ Tyne Bar, Ouseburn, Newcastle. 4:00pm. Free. Blues.
Sun 01: Mark Williams Trio @ The Globe, Newcastle. 8:00pm. Album launch gig.
Sun 01: Christmas After Hours @ Fabio’s, Saddler St., Durham. 8:00pm. Free. A Durham University Jazz Society event. Six piece band.

Mon 02: Harmony Brass @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Mon 02: Vieux Carré Jazzmen @ The Wheatsheaf, Benton Sq., Whitley Road, Palmersville NE12 9SU. Tel: 0191 266 8137.1:00pm. Free.

Tue 03: Customs House Big Band @ The Masonic Hall, North St., Ferryhill DL17 8HX. 7:00pm. Free.
Tue 03: Jam session @ The Black Swan, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free. House trio: Dean Stockdale, Paul Grainger, John Hirst.
Tue 03: Bold Big Band @ Cluny 2, Newcastle. 7:30pm.

Wed 04: Vieux Carré Jazzmen @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Wed 04: Jason Isaacs @ St. James’ STACK, Newcastle. 2:30-4:30pm. Free. Vocalist Isaacs working with backing tapes.
Wed 04: Darlington Big Band @ Darlington & Simpson Rolling Mills Social Club, Darlington. 8:00pm. Concert. Free. .
Wed 04: Take it to the Bridge @ The Globe, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free.
Wed 04: Kat Eaton @ Hoochie Coochie, Newcastle. 8:15pm. Soulful vocals, excellent band.

Thu 05: Vieux Carré Jazzmen @ The Holystone, Whitley Road, North Tyneside. 1:00pm. Free.
Thu 05: Jazz Appreciation North East @ Brunswick Methodist Church, Newcastle NE1 7BJ. 2:00pm. £4.00. ‘George - named musicians, vocalists & composers (Chisholm, Duke, Lewis, Shearing, Benson, Melly, Gershwin et al)’.
Thu 05: Jools Holland’s R & B Orchestra @ Newcastle City Hall. 7:30pm.
Thu 05: Indigo Jazz Voices @ The Globe, Newcastle. 7:45pm. Free.
Thu 05: Tees Hot Club @ Dorman’s Club, Middlesborough. Guest band special with the Middlesbrough Jazz and Blues Orchestra 8pm. Free.

Fri 06: Classic Swing @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 06: Rendezvous Jazz @ The Monkseaton Arms. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 06: New Orleans Preservation Jazz Band @ The Oxbridge Hotel, Stockton. 1:00pm. £5.00.
Fri 06: Sue Ferris Quintet @ The Traveller’s Rest, Darlington. 8:00pm. Opus 4 Jazz Club.

Sat 07: New Century Ragtime Orchestra @ St Augustine's Parish Centre, Darlington. 12:30pm. Darlington New Orleans Jazz Club.
Sat 07: Play Jazz! workshop @ The Globe, Newcastle. 1:30pm. £25.00. Tutor: Steve Glendinning. Enrol at: learning@jazz.coop.
Sat 07: Hot Club du Nord @ St. Cuthbert’s Church, Shadforth DH6 1LB. Tel: 01429 823400. 7:30pm. £15.00. (inc. refreshments).
Sat 07: NUJO Jazz Jam @ Cobalt Studios, Newcastle. 7:00pm. £3.00.
Sat 07: Bellavana @ Revoluçion de Cuba, Newcastle. 7:45-9:45pm. Free.
Sat 07: Rendezvous Jazz @ The Red Lion, Earsdon. 8:00pm. £3.00.

Reviewers wanted

Whilst BSH attempts to cover as many gigs, festivals and albums as possible, to make the site even more comprehensive we need more 'boots on the ground' to cover the albums seeking review - a large percentage of which never get heard - report on gigs or just to air your views on anything jazz related. Interested? then please get in touch. Contact details are on the blog. Look forward to hearing from you. Lance

Monday, September 21, 2015

Strictly Smokin' Big Band w. Anthony Strong @ Hoochie Coochie - September 20.


(Review by Lance)
What a weekend of singers! 
Alice Grace, in the audience tonight, basking in the glory of her stupendous gig at les jazz café on Friday. Paul Skerritt, one of our top swingmen and occasional frontline crooner with this band was also on hand to give a standing ovation to the man of the match Anthony Strong.
But, first things first.
Needless to say 'The Smokers' were on fire despite, or maybe because of, having a few deps in the line-up. They played the opening set which had vocals by Lindsay (her Daydream was something else) and Freez (It Had to be You/Way You Look Tonight), a tremendous take on Chico O'Farrell's Pianitis by Graham Don. Paul Gowland, Keith Robinson and Chris Kurgi-Smith also had 32 bars here and there.
The scene was set. Strong, a cool, light suited dude, took his place at the strategically placed centre stage piano and we were off down Broadway.
Whatever Lola Wants Lola Gets (from, if memory serves me right, The Pyjama Game) revealed the guest to be, not only a fine singer but no mean pianoman either. Luck be a Lady Tonight (Guys and Dolls) had an exceptional trumpet solo from leader Lamb. Pete Tanton shouldered the trumpet chores on Stevie Wonder's Higher Ground, Elvis Costello's Baby Plays Around was done just with the rhythm section and Stepping Out With my Baby had more stunning piano work to complement the vocal. Anthony informed us that this latter tune was the title of his latest CD. Throughout the evening the CD plugs reached the overkill stage and would perhaps be more effective if the references had been made more sparingly.
A minor quibble. 
No quibbles about his own Gambling Man Blues. With a Guy Madison lyric and a Paul Gowland tenor blast this was quite something. A rapid Cheek to Cheek brought the set to a close.
The crowded room applauded, the bar was stormed and still another set to go - Heaven, I'm in Heaven...
Recharged, They Can't Take That Away From me had some booting tenor from Jamie Toms. More Stevie Wonder with Overjoyed a couple with the rhythm section: Whole Lotta Shakin' à la Jerry Lee L, and another original - Learning to Unlove You.
That Kind of Guy (original); On a Clear Day; Too Darn Hot (Kiss me Kate) and, finally, Hallelujah I Just Love Her So brought the show to a close. Great singer, great band, great audience.
Photos.
Lance.
Anthony Strong (vcl/pno); Michael Lamb (tpt/md), Gordon Marshall, Pete Tanton, Dick Stacey (tpts); Chris Kurji-Smith;John Day, Tom Dowling, John Flood (tmbs); Steve Summers, Keith Robinson (alt), Paul Gowland, Jamie Toms (ten); Niall Armstrong (bar); Graham Don (pno); Giles Strong (gtr); Michael Whent (bs); Steve Wall (dms).

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