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Bebop Spoken There

Kurt Elling: ''There's something to learn from every musician you play with''. (DownBeat, December 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

17630 (and counting) posts since we started blogging 16 years ago. 904 of them this year alone and, so far, 49 this month (Dec. 20).

From This Moment On ...

December

Mon 23: Harmony Brass @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Mon 23: Vieux Carré Jazzmen @ The Wheatsheaf, Benton Sq., Whitley Road, Palmersville NE12 9SU. Tel: 0191 266 8137. 1:00pm. Free. CANCELLED!
Mon 23: Edison Herbert Trio @ The Vault, Darlington. 4:00pm. Free.
Mon 23: Jason Isaacs @ St. James’ STACK, Newcastle. 4:00-6:00pm. Free. Vocalist Isaacs working with backing tapes.
Mon 23: Milne-Glendinning Band @ The Vault, Darlington. 7:00pm. Free.

Tue 24: Lindsay Hannon & Mark Williams @ Ernest, Ouseburn, Newcastle. 11:00am-1:00pm. Free.
Tue 24: Paul Skerritt @ Mambo Wine & Dine, South Shields. 1:00pm. Free. Vocalist Skerritt working with backing tapes.

Wed 25: Wot? No jazz!

Thu 26: The Boneshakers @ Tyne Bar, Ouseburn, Newcastle. 4:00pm. Free. The 17th annual Boneshakers’ Shindig.

Fri 27: Classic Swing @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 27: Rendezvous Jazz @ The Monkseaton Arms. 1:00pm. Free. Business as usual!.
Fri 27: Jason Isaacs @ Seaburn STACK, Seaburn. 3:30-5:30pm. Free. Vocalist Isaacs working with backing tapes.
Fri 27: Michael Woods @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 8:00pm. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig. Country blues guitar & vocals.

Sat 28: Jason Isaacs @ St. James’ STACK, Newcastle. 11:30am. Free. Vocalist Isaacs working with backing tapes.
Sat 28: Fri 20: Castillo Nuevo @ Revoluçion de Cuba, Newcastle. 5:30pm. Free.
Sat 28: Jude Murphy, Rich Herdman & Giles Strong @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 8:00pm. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig.
Sat 28: Ray Stubbs R & B All-Stars @ Billy Bootlegger’s, Stepney Bank, Newcastle. 9:00pm. Free.

Sun 29: Paul Skerritt @ Hibou Blanc, Newcastle. 2:00pm. Free. Vocalist Skerritt working with backing tapes.
Sun 29: Alexia Gardner Quintet @ The Globe, Newcastle. 8:00pm.

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, November 02, 2015

Cormac Loane's 60th Birthday @ the Old Joint Stock Theatre, Birmingham - October 17

(Review by 'Our Man in Brum'/Photos courtesy of Mike Bates).
Saturday afternoon October 17 saw a formidable gathering of jazz musicians at the Old Joint Stock Theatre in Birmingham where Newcastle born saxophonist, and 1970’s Newcastle Big Band member, Cormac Loane was celebrating his 60th Birthday. Nearly 100 musicians and friends crowded into the candlelit upstairs room of this famous City centre pub, which assumed an authentic jazz club atmosphere for the occasion. Cormac kicked off the proceedings on alto sax with a swinging version of Duke Ellington’s Satin Doll, accompanied by his brother Terry Loane on piano, Nick Wiltshire on bass and Maurice Colby on drums. After a laid back, Latin-American interpretation of Black Orpheus, singer Fred Webb took to the stage, slowing the tempo right down with a very relaxed version of Body and Soul, with Roger Heeley now taking over on keyboard.
Three members of Jazz Strata, resident band at Birmingham’s Malt House, then came to the stage - Peter Carlton on clarinet, Andy Peat on trumpet and Allan Jones on drums, opening with Take the A Train, which included an energetic contribution on vocals from Jim Denham. And then singer Sheila Fawkes joined in on some more standards, accompanied by her multi-instrumentalist “guy”, Terry McGrath – on this occasion playing the trombone!
The Duo Montmartre – Parisian singer Celine Donmart accompanied by acoustic guitarist Cris Tolley – introduced a completely different mood with their beautiful interpretation of traditional, French, jazz-flavoured chansons. Soprano saxophone player Alan Davis then continued the French theme with his rendition of Sidney Bechet’s Petite Fleur. For this number the drum chair was taken by the legendary Steve Palmer – one time member of Birmingham Ronnie Scott’s Club resident band, and brother of the famous Carl Palmer. And Terry Loane sat in again on keyboard -  Terry explained later that he and Alan Davis had been music students together at Birmingham University in the 60s and this was the first occasion they had played together since performing the two solo recorder parts in Bach’s Brandenburg Concerto No 4 in the Barber Institute in 1969!
From this point onwards the celebration turned into a true jam session, with different musicians freely dropping in and out of the band, including Martyn Brown on guitar, along with his ultra-talented 15-year-old daughter Sophia on bass, and Nick Wiltshire’s son Reuben on drums. Singer Fred Webb took to the stage again to perform a swinging version of On the Sunny Side of the Street, with Cormac soloing again on alto sax. Then Ex Cathedra soprano Claire Hollocks sang Gershwin’s I Got Rhythm, opening with the song’s beautiful verse, which is not usually heard in jazz clubs! Cormac’s son, Cian – drummer with the rock band Spitting Feathers – joined in on this number. And Howard Gregory, guitarist from the Steve Gibbons Band, contributed a brilliant solo on violin!
Sheila Fawkes returned to a stage crowded with musicians, to close the proceedings with a rousing version of Lover Come Back to Me. It had been a great celebration, re-uniting many old friends, with fantastic music in a beautiful venue!
Photos.
OMIB

3 comments :

Lance said...

Wow Cormack it sounds like it was a swell party! I wish I could have taken up your invitation. Tell me, is Alan Davis the same Alan Davis who gave Dave Weisser's daughter such invaluable recorder tuition? Looking at the photo I think it is (we once jammed together at The Chilli in Heaton many years ago.)

Cormac said...

Yes, probably. As well as being a jazz musician, Alan Davis is one of the country's leading baroque recorder players, and I too was privileged to have a recorder lesson with him on one occasion!

Jim Denham said...

Is "energetic" some kind of euphemism?

A great time was had by all, in honour of a great guy!

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