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Bebop Spoken There

Phillip Lutz: ''That [sight-reading], in turn, led to session work that was well-paying but unsatisfying and, after 18 months, he [John McLaughlin] unceremoniously quit. But he fortuitously hooked up with a couple of fellow northerners, organist Mike Carr and drummer Jackie Denton. They provided entrée to London's premier jazz club, Ronnie Scott's, periodically playing opening sets''. (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

17586 (and counting) posts since we started blogging 16 years ago. 860 of them this year alone and, so far, 5 this month (Dec. 2).

From This Moment On ...

December

Mon 09: Harmony Brass @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Mon 09: Vieux Carré Jazzmen @ The Wheatsheaf, Benton Sq., Whitley Road, Palmersville NE12 9SU. Tel: 0191 266 8137. 1:00pm. Free.
Mon 09: Michael Young Trio @ The Engine Room, Sunderland. 6:30-8:30pm. Free.
Mon 09: Trio Grand @ The Globe, Newcastle. 8:00pm. Free.
Mon 09: James Birkett Trio @ The Black Bull, Blaydon. 8:00pm. £10.00.

Tue 10: Customs House Big Band @ All Saints Church Hall, Cleadon. 7:30pm. £6.00. The CHBB’s annual Xmas concert featuring Ruth Lambert. A BYOB gig!

Wed 11: Vieux Carré Jazzmen @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Wed 11: Cath Stephens’ improvisation workshop @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 4:30-6:00pm. Collaborative group focusing on vocal improvisations.
Wed 11: Darlington Big Band @ Darlington & Simpson Rolling Mills Social Club, Darlington. 7:00pm. Free. Rehearsal session (open to the public).
Wed 11: The Tannery Jam Session @ The Tannery, Gilesgate, Hexham. 7:00-9:00pm. Free. Second Wednesday in the month.
Wed 11: Take it to the Bridge @ The Globe, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free.

Thu 12: Vieux Carré Hot 4 @ Spanish City, Whitley Bay. 12 noon. £27.00. (inc. three -course meal).
Thu 12: Jason Isaacs @ St. James’ STACK, Newcastle. 5:00-6:45pm. Free. Vocalist Isaacs working with backing tapes.
Thu 12: Stuart Turner @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 8:00pm. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig.
Thu 12: Tees Hot Club @ Dorman’s Club, Middlesborough. 8:30pm. Free. Guests: Jeremy McMurray (keys); Mark Toomey (alto sax); Donna Hewitt (tenor sax); Kevin Eland (trumpet); Ron Smith (bass).

Fri 13: Dean Stockdale Trio @ Auckland Castle, Bishop Auckland. 1:00pm. £8.00.
Fri 13: Classic Swing @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 13: Rendezvous Jazz @ The Monkseaton Arms. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 13: New Orleans Preservation Jazz Band @ The Oxbridge Hotel, Stockton. 1:00pm. £5.00.
Fri 13: Bellavana @ Revoluçion de Cuba, Newcastle. 3:00-5:00pm. Free.
Fri 13: Joe Steels Trio @ The Pele, Corbridge. 7:00pm. Free.
Fri 13: Customs House Big Band @ Stocksfield Community Association. 7:00pm. Featuring Ruth Lambert.
Fri 13: Paul Edis & Friends: A Jazzy Xmas @ St Cuthbert’s Centre, Crook. 7:30pm. £15.00.
Fri 13: Strictly Smokin’ Big Band @ Gosforth Civic Theatre, Newcastle. 7:30pm. £19.00. + bf. First night of two.
Fri 13: Ransom Van @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 8:00pm. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig.
Fri 13: Boys of Brass @ Hoochie Coochie, Newcastle. 9:00pm. £10.00.

Sat 14: Jambone @ The Glasshouse, Gateshead. 6:15pm. Free but ticketed.
Sat 14: Abbie Finn Trio @ The Vault, Darlington. 7:00pm.
Sat 14: Red Kites Jazz @ Staiths Café, Autumn Dr., Gateshead. 7:00pm. Free.
Sat 14 Lapwing Jazz Trio @ Three Sheets to the Wind, Alnwick. 7:00pm. Free.
Sat 14: Strictly Smokin’ Big Band @ Gosforth Civic Theatre, Newcastle. 7:30pm. £19.00. + bf. Second night of two.
Sat 14: Papa G’s Troves @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 8:00pm. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig.

Sun 15: Musicians Unlimited @ Jackson’s Wharf, Hartlepool. 12 noon. £8.50. Xmas party feat. Musicians Unlimited + Customs House Big Band. SOLD OUT!
Sun 15: Paul Edis & Friends: A Jazzy Xmas @ The Glasshouse, Gateshead. 2:00pm.
Sun 15: 4B @ The Ticket Office, Whitley Bay. 3:00pm. Free.
Sun 15: Mitch Laddie Band @ Tyne Bar, Ouseburn, Newcastle. 4:00pm. Free. Superb blues power trio.
Sun 15: Leeway @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 7:00pm. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig.
Sun 15: Tweed River Jazz Band @ Barrels Ale House, Berwick. 7:00pm. Free.
Sun 15: Paul Edis & Friends: A Jazzy Xmas @ The Glasshouse, Gateshead. 8:00pm.
Sun 15: Alligator Gumbo @ 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

Friday, November 06, 2015

Mike Durham's Classic Jazz Party - Village Hotel. the afternoon set Friday Nov. 6

(Review by Lance).
Frankly, I can't think of any Jazz Festival/Party - call it what you may - like this one. Party, I think, is the operative word because that's what it is, an annual get together of musicians and fans from all over the world to play or listen to jazz which lives up to it's title - Mike Durham's Classic Jazz Party.
Conceived by the late Mike Durham, and continued in his name by Patti Durham, Allen Walton and their team of helpers, the weekend comprises themed concerts from noon till night with after hours jam sessions into the early hours, it is little wonder that many book into the Village Hotel for the whole 3 days.
The festival actually began for those staying at the hotel on Thursday with an hour's set in the Victory Pub by the Union Rhythm Kings.
I wasn't resident so I missed this and today's opening sets which began with a Tribute to Mike, followed by a Memphis Five set and our own fave Emma Fisk's Hot Club de France. Emma on fiddle with Spats Langham, Martin Wheatley (gtrs) and Henri Lemaire (bs)..
I did arrive in time to catch the remnants of Litton's Jelly Roll set. Martin Litton emulated the Jelly Roll Morton Red Hot Peppers and, on Wolverine Blues, Josh Duffee (pictured above) gave a masterclass on the use of skulls, woodblocks and other bits of paraphernalia that the early drummers loved and used so effectively.
Rico and Bunny Berigan  -  an absolute gem! Rico (Enrico Tomasso (right) - with Matthias Seuffert) had the Berigan style off to a B. I've always regarded Berigan (Rico too) as a player who combined the bravura of Armstrong with the lyricism of Bix which, at the time, was surely a heady cocktail indeed! I particularly enjoyed their re-creation of the legendary Jam Session at Victor session by Berigan, Tommy Dorsey, Fats, Dick McDonough and George Wettling. Today it was Rico, Robert Fowler (on clarinet), Alistair Allen, Keith Nichols, Malcolm Sked (bs) and Richard Pite. Honeysuckle Rose and Blues. Rico said he grew up with those 2 sides. You and me too Rico!
The Avant-Garde, Nichols, Mole was, I suppose, avant-garde(ish) for it's time and did give me a chance to, at last hear Emma. That it was fairly straight playing on My Gal Sal didn't matter - in the going for broke ending she held her head high! Andy Schumm and Alistair Allen did Red Nichols and Miff Mole proud
An entertaining set featuring Spats Langham - Spats and his Hot Combination - added some jocularity to the proceedings even though Spats declared that Blue Evening would be the saddest song they'd hear all weekend - possibly ever!  It was melancholic despite there not being a wet eye in the house!
The afternoon session drew to a close with Frisco Jazz - Lu Watters. This was a particular delight for me. For years the 'pundits' have slighted or ignored Watters' Yerba Buena Jazz Band  - the Penguin Guide to Jazz and the Virgin Encyclopedia of Jazz ignore them yet, compared to the British 'Traddies' that came later, this was far superior. The gang assembled here by Keith Nichols put the record straight.
Lance.
For further details of today's concerts, personnel and those to follow click here.

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