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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.

Monday, April 11, 2016

Emma Fisk’s Hot Club du Nord @ Hot Club de Blaydon. April 9


Emma Fisk (violin), James Birkett (guitar), Dave Harris (guitar) & Paul Baxter (double bass)
(Review by Russell/photos courtesy of Emma Fisk)
Blaydon Jazz Club hosted the debut gig of Emma Fisk’s new Hot Club outfit. Several musicians on the north-east jazz scene turned out for the occasion, adding a few to the Black Bull’s regular numbers. Friends catching up, musicians making connections, an alive and kicking jazz club, the future looks bright!
Overlooking the Tyne, the Black Bull on Bridge Street became a Hot Club of the North for one night only. Django and Stephane the inspiration, violinist Fisk’s new quartet is destined for stardom, or, at the very least, a full diary of engagements up and down the land. Coquette, Charleston, I’m Confessin’ – the opener a classic, Charleston, a surprise, I’m Confessin’, magical with Fisk’s virtuosic intro.
Crazy Rhythm featured James ‘Django’ Birkett and introduced the depping Paul Baxter (contrabass). Baxter, more often heard in contemporary jazz circles, slotted in with ease, setting a benchmark for his long term successor. Bandleader Fisk took time to place the tunes in context; the 11-bar (Django’s prerogative) blues Viper’s Dream, rhythm master Dave Harris (a founding member of Djangology) on It Had to be You (Harris at pains to point out the difference between ‘noodling’ and ‘waffling’) and If You Only Knew How Much I Love You, heard the guitarist in fine form. Django Birkett followed up with great playing of his own on Exactly like You and the ensemble brought the first set to a close with a rousing Sweet Georgia Brown.
Interval conversation revolved around the forthcoming Gateshead Jazz Festival but not before a straw poll gave a unanimous thumbs up to the first set. World class jazz at the Black Bull, Blaydon. You’re thinking: Yeah, right. A pub in the Borough of Gateshead can’t possibly be home to such talent. It was and it is. Next month’s session will be just as good, but more of that later.
Historic recording sessions and arrangements peppered Fisk’s informative introductions. Birkett’s take on the 1936 gem Oriental Shuffle a delight, Minor Swing (Fisk suggesting they had to play it!) with staggering solos from Fisk and Birkett and the 1938 recording of Daphne revisited. Great musicians make it look easy. Nuages, then Swing 39 were as good as it gets. And there was more…Limehouse Blues and the showstopper Dark Eyes to end a marvellous evening. Fisk’s quartet clearly enjoyed working together and, for a first gig, things couldn’t have gone much better. Immaculate, note perfect violin playing, the astonishing guitar playing of Dr Birkett, Harris the rhythm king and a dream dep bass player, Emma Fisk’s Hot Club du Nord is up and running. Hot Club de Black Bull, Hot Club de France, Vive le jazz!
More world class jazz next month – May 15 – with the Noel Dennis-Paul Edis Quartet.
Russell.

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