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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

15260 (and counting) posts since we started blogging 15 years ago. 279 of them this year alone and, so far, 92 this month (March 29).

From This Moment On ...

April
Sat 01: The Big Easy @ St Augustine's Parish Centre, Darlington. 12:30pm.
Sat 01: Play Jazz! workshop @ The Globe, Newcastle. 1:30pm. Tutor: Steve Glendinning - In a Minor Key. £25.00. Enrol at: www.jazz.coop.
Sat 01: Abbie Finn Trio @ The Vault, Darlington Covered Market, Darlington DL1 5PN. 6:00pm. New venue, live jazz!
Sat 01: Jambone @ Sage Gateshead. 7:00pm. Free (book online). A YMP! event in the Northern Rock Foundation Hall.
Sat 01: Jude Murphy & Dan Stanley @ Prohibtion Bar, Newcastle. 8:00pm. A 'Jar on the Bar' gig.
Sat 01: Boys of Brass @ Stack, Seaburn. 7:00-9:00pm.
Sat 01: Hot Club du Nord @ Pleased to Meet You, Bridge St., Morpeth. 8:00pm. £79.00. A charity fundraising event.
Sat 01: Rendezvous Jazz @ Red Lion, Earsdon. 8:00pm. £3.00. RESCHEDULED to next week (Sat 08).

Sun 02: Smokin' Spitfires @ The Cluny. 12:45pm.
Sun 02: 4B @ The Exchange, North Shields. 3:00pm.

Mon 03: Harmony Brass @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm.

Tue 04: Paul Skerritt @ The Rabbit Hole, Hallgarth St., Durham DH1 3AT. 7:00pm. Paul Skerritt's (solo) weekly residency.
Tue 04: Jam session @ Black Swan, Newcastle Arts Centre. 7:30pm. House trio: Bradley Johnston (guitar); Paul Grainger (double bass); Abbie Finn (drums).

Wed 05: Vieux Carré Jazzmen @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm.
Wed 05: Darlington Big Band @ Darlington & Simpson Rolling Mills Social Club, Darlington. 7:00pm. Rehearsal session (open to the public).
Wed 05: 4B @ The Exchange, North Shields. 7:00pm.
Wed 05: Take it to the Bridge @ The Globe, Newcastle. 7:30pm.

Thu 06: Vieux Carré Jazzmen @ The Holystone, Whitley Road, North Tyneside. 1:00pm. Free.
Thu 06: Thursday Night Prayer Meeting @ The Globe, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Donations. Feat. John Pope, Marie Shreer, John Garner.
Thu 06: Merlin Roxby @ Prohibtion Bar, Newcastle. 8:00pm. Ragtime piano. A 'Jar on the Bar' gig.
Thu 06: Darlington Big Band @ Dorman's Club, Middlesbrough. 8:30pm. Note earlier start time.

Fri 07: Classic Swing @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm.
Fri 07: New Orleans Preservation Jazz Band @ Oxbridge Hotel, Stockton. 1:00pm. £5.00.
Fri 07: Rendezvous Jazz @ The Monkseaton Arms, Monkseaton. 1:00pm.
Fri 07: Gaz Hughes Trio @ Saltburn Community Hall. 7:30pm.
Fri 07: Mark Toomey Quartet @ Traveller's Rest, Darlington. 8:00pm. £8.00.
Fri 07: Finntet + Zoë Gilby & Andy Champion @ Bobik's, Punch Bowl, Newcastle. 8:00pm. JNE.
Fri 07: TBA @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 8:00pm. A 'Jar on the Bar' gig. Blind Pig Blues Club.

Monday, November 30, 2015

Full House! - Gala Big Band @ Durham Town Hall, Nov. 29.

(Review/photos by Jerry).
Despite “Clodagh” spitting and howling like a banshee outside, the Gala Big Band were welcomed by a full house (120+) and proceeded to blow up a storm of their own! Despite this being, I think, only their third public concert, they entertained the audience so successfully that when the applause had died down their departure into the inhospitable storm (Silver Street was like a wind-tunnel!) was accompanied by much animated chat (“I haven’t seen these before – why have I never seen these before?”) and a protective warm glow inside. Very seasonal!
And there were elements of a Christmas concert here – Ashleigh and Declan (students at the Sage, I believe) sang Baby It’s Cold Outside, the band-leader played Nat King Cole’s Christmas Song, the band (with trumpets very much to the fore) did a beautiful version of In the Bleak Midwinter and Ashleigh returned, accompanied by George on piano, with some sweet vocals on Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas.
Away from the seasonal and into the realms of timeless we had Duke’s A-train, Neal Hefti’s Flight of the Foo Birds, Miller’s In the Mood, Satin Doll, The Pink Panther, All of Me and, in response to shouts of “More, more, more” we had Mercy, Mercy, Mercy. I knew the tune but not the name, Joe Zawinul. You learn something new every day – or every gig, at least.
There were Edis originals, too, such as Straight to the Point, the hectic Narrow Escape and the booming baritone-driven Techtonic. By way of contrast, another original, new to me and quite new to the band, was slow-paced, atmospheric and moving. The people demonstrating round the corner against the proposed closure of the DLI Museum would have endorsed its Last Post - like mood and the sentiments of the title: Too Sad for Words. I think I’ve missed at least two numbers out (must improve my note-taking!) but it can be seen from the titles above that this was a very varied programme. Time, like those Foo Birds, flew.
There were many good solos –with each concert I think the players are becoming confident enough to step into the limelight – and the ensemble playing is really powerful (as you would expect from such a very big band)!
I must apologise for being unable to list all the musicians or attribute the solos, but hats off to all (including the trumpeters with hats ON!). This is one outfit which gets better with every outing, has its eye on the ball at all times, scores at will and has a growing fan-base eager to see more. I wish a certain other team was like that!
For more info on the band check out Gala Big Band on Facebook.
Photos.
Jerry.

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