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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

15229 (and counting) posts since we started blogging 15 years ago. 248 of them this year alone and, so far, 61 this month (March 20).

From This Moment On ...

March

Wed 22: Vieux Carré Jazzmen @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm.
Wed 22: Darlington Big Band @ Traveller's Rest, Cockerton. 7:00pm. Rehearsal session (open to the public). Note change of venue - this week only.
Wed 22: 4B @ The Exchange, North Shields. 7:00pm.
Wed 22: Take it to the Bridge @ The Globe, Newcastle. 7:30pm.

Thu 23: Vieux Carré Jazzmen @ The Holystone, Whitley Road, North Tyneside. 4:00-6:00pm. Free.
Thu 23: NUJO Jazz Jam @ Bar Loco, Newcasatle. From 6:30pm 'til late. Free. Newcastle University Jazz Orchestra jam session. All welcome (students & non-students).
Thu 23: Kerrin Tatman + John Garner & John Pope @ Cobalt Studios, Newcastle. 7:00pm.
Thu 23: Sunna Gunnlaugs & Julia Hülsmann @ Sage Gateshead. 8:00pm. A two-piano gig. A Sage Gateshead-JNE promotion.
Thu 23: Merlin Roxby @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 8:00pm. Ragtime piano.
Thu 23: Sleep Suppressor @ The Globe, Newcastle. 8:00pm. £10.00., £8.00. adv. Upstairs.
Thu 23: Tees Hot Club @ Dorman's Club, Middlesbrough. 9:00pm.

Fri 24: Classic Swing @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm.
Fri 24: New Orleans Preservation Jazz Band @ Oxbridge Hotel, Stockton. 1:00pm. £5.00.
Fri 24: Rendezvous Jazz @ The Monkseaton Arms, Monkseaton. 1:00pm.
Fri 24: FILM: Mo' Better Blues @ Forum Cinema, Hexham. 7:00pm.
Fri 24: Ian Millar & Dominic Spencer @ Scarth Hall, Staindrop, Co. Durham. 8:00pm. £10.00.
Fri 24: Archipelago + Bulbils @ Cobalt Studios, Newcastle. 7:00pm.

Sat 25: Vermont Big Band @ Walker Community Centre, Walker, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Fundraiser for Benfield Juniours Football Club. Hot food available, BYOB.
Sat 25: John Logan & Friends @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 8:00pm. Rat Pack, Motown etc. 8:00pm. Free (donations).

Sun 26: Musicians Unlimited @ Park Inn, Hartlepool. 1:00pm.
Sun 26: More Jam @ The Globe, Newcastle. 3:00pm. Free.
Sun 26: 4B @ The Exchange, North Shields. 3:00pm.
Sun 26: Outlines @ The Globe, Newcastle. 8:00pm. JNE promotion (upstairs).

Mon 27: Harmony Brass @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm.

Tue 28: Paul Skerritt @ The Rabbit Hole, Hallgarth St., Durham DH1 3AT. 7:00pm. Paul Skerritt's (solo) weekly residency.
Tue 28: Sanaz Lavasani Trio @ Black Swan, Newcastle Arts Centre. 8:00pm. £12.00 (£10.00. adv).

Saturday, April 16, 2016

GIJF – Strictly Smokin’ Big Band @ Sage Gateshead. April 15

(Review/photos by Kath Jobes)
After a brief welcome and introduction from Ros Rigby OBE, Performance Programme Director at The Sage, a wall of sound that is the SSBB greeted the audience which encompassed several local Jazz musicians including the delightfully talented and elegant Alice Grace, who hopefully we shall hear at next year’s festival… it’s fantastic that local musicians support one another. 

The tables soon filled up and the standing area was jam packed within minutes A fabulous intro with the lovely Lindsay Hannon singing The More I See You.  This was equalled in impact by F’reez’s first number, Harry Connick Jnr’s version of I Could Write A Book.  I have seen SSBB on many occasions and this was one of the best sound-wise, I guess that pro sound guys make all the difference when it comes to getting that wall of sound, and it would seem that the relocation of the concourse stage between the two staircases has provided a more intimate setting and greatly improved acoustics!
A couple of really tight numbers from the Band, I love Paris featuring the mellow trombone of  Mark Ferris and My Favourite Things led to a newer number from Ms. Hannon,  Bob Milner’s TV Blues with a stupendous  frontline of all five Saxes, followed by  Not Just a Date.  The band went from strength to strength with a Disney tune, Zero to Hero and Song for my Father featuring Steve Summers (Alto), Keiron Parnaby (tmb) and Band Leader, Michael Lamb (tpt),  F’reez finished off the first set with Let the Good Times Roll, and boy oh boy were they rollin’!
The second set kicked off with F’reez and Cheek to Cheek, which brought 2 pairs of dancers to the floor, and for most of the second set we were given a superb display of swing dance; the couples alternated partners to take rest breaks and show off a variety of moves.
Art Blakey’s Moanin’ featured more of the usual suspects, Paul Gowland, (ten) Pete Tanton (tpt), Graham Don (pno) and Steve Summers (Alto), then  gave way to F‘reez turned on That Old Black Magic and F’reez responded with Almost Like Being in Love.  Then Miss Hannon said things became Too Darn Hot, so for the final number she took us on a cool trip down Route 66… the crowd yelled for one more so F’reez obliged with Hallelujah I Love Her So…  yep… the crowd loved the SSBB so too!
Saturday evening sees more fabulous concourse music, all for free, I recommend The Lindsay Hannon Plus who are in the same late spot from 10pm onwards, and the Late Night Jam Session at the Jazz Café with the Pete Gilligan Trio… not to be missed!
Kath.
Strictly Smokin’ Big Band: MD Michael Lamb, Pete Tanton, Tom Hill, Dick Stacey (trumpets); Kieran Parnaby, Mark Ferris, Robert ‘Pez’ Perry, Dr John Flood (trombones); Laurie Rangecroft, Paul Gowland, Jamie Toms, Steve Summers, Keith Robinson (reeds), Graham Don (piano), Pawel Jedrzejewski (guitar), Michael Whent (bass), Guy Swinton (drums), Lindsay Hannon (vocals) & F’reez (vocals)

1 comment :

Patti said...

I shouldn't have wussed out after the first set - excuses, excuses! I'll have to wait until June - I've booked my tickets for this fab band's Hoochie Coochie gig. A great review, Kath - and yes, the sound was excellent.

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