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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

15245 (and counting) posts since we started blogging 15 years ago. 264 of them this year alone and, so far, 77 this month (March 25).

From This Moment On ...

March

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.
Mar 26: Pop Jazz @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 8:00pm. 'Jazzified' tunes by the likes of Sylvester, Bowie, the Monkees etc., feat. Alan Law, David Gray, Richard Herdman & Jude Murphy.
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).

Wed 29: Vieux Carré Jazzmen @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm.
Wed 29: Darlington Big Band @ Darlington & Simpson Rolling Mills Social Club, Darlington. 7:00pm. Rehearsal session (open to the public).
Wed 29: 4B @ The Exchange, North Shields. 7:00pm.
Wed 29: Take it to the Bridge @ The Globe, Newcastle. 7:30pm.

Thu 30: Gateshead Jazz Appreciation Society @ Gateshead Central Library. 2:30-4:30pm. £2.00. All welcome.
Thu 30: Vieux Carré Jazzmen @ The Holystone, Whitley Road, North Tyneside. Back to 1:00pm stomp off. Free.
Thu 30: '58 Jazz Collective @ Hops & Cheese, Hartlepool. 7:30pm. Free.
Thu 30: Lindsay Hannon: Tom Waits for No Man @ Harbour View, Sunderland. 8:00pm.
Thu 30: Tees Hot Club @ Dorman's Club, Middlesbrough. 9:00pm.

Fri 31: Lewis Watson Quartet @ Bishop Auckland Town Hall. 1:00pm. SOLD OUT!
Fri 31: Classic Swing @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm.
Fri 31: New Orleans Preservation Jazz Band @ Oxbridge Hotel, Stockton. 1:00pm. £5.00.
Fri 31: Rendezvous Jazz @ The Monkseaton Arms, Monkseaton. 1:00pm. CANCELLED! Back next week (April 7).
Fri 31: Jasmine Myra + Waclaw Zimpel @ Cobalt Studios, Newcastle. 7:00pm.
Fri 31: The Revolutionaires @ The Shack, Boldon Colliery. 7:30pm. £10.00. The Revolutionaires' big band (horn section) line-up.
Fri 31: Andrew McCormack @ Maltings, Berwick. 8:00pm. £20.00.

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: Hot Club du Nord @ Pleased to Meet You, Bridge St., Morpeth. 8:00pm. £79.00. A charity fundraising event.
Sat 01: Boys of Brass @ Stack, Seaburn. 7:00-9:00pm.
Sat 01: Rendezvous Jazz @ Red Lion, Earsdon. 8:00pm. £3.00. RESCHEDULED to next week (Sat 08).

Wednesday, August 31, 2016

Durham Alumni Big Band with Al Wood @ Ushaw Durham Jazz Festival. August 27

 (Review by Russell).
The first jazz festival to be held in Durham’s Ushaw College couldn’t possibly omit the county’s finest big band from the programme. A Saturday afternoon slot in the magnificent surroundings of the circa 1808 Exhibition Hall attracted a large crowd eager to hear the award-winning band. An indication of the commitment of band members was that few deps were required on this August bank holiday weekend. Guest MD Al Wood was booked to work with the band and two star names were to sit-in.
An ensemble with exceptional soloists in the ranks, the Alumni presented a balanced set of tunes. Star tenor soloist Alex Baker featured on several numbers including Al Wood’s Over the Top with the band in fine form, and a magnificent Lady Day. Veteran trombone man Terry ‘Smokin’ Spitfire’ O’Hern grabbed a solo on I Love Paris and Ian Robinson’s flugelhorn solo on Black Orpheus (arr. Phil Steel) deservedly met with applause.

MD Wood took five leaving the Alumni to tackle James Hamilton’s Back on Your Heads with several soloists standing up – Baker (tenor), Jonny Dunn (trumpet), Steve McGarvie (another Smokin’ Spitfire!) blowing alto, and ’bone man O’Hern. The sections never fail to deliver the goods: the all-star trumpets led by young Tom Hill (grandfather Mick sat in the section to keep an eye on the young whippersnapper!), the ace trombones and a hard to beat reeds’ section, not forgetting the best big band rhythm section around - Edis, Amy Baker and Stephen Fletcher.

A bonus for the audience (and band) was an unannounced appearance of Alan Barnes and Bruce Adams. Arriving at Ushaw in good time the duo sat in on a couple of numbers with  the Alumni ahead of their advertised festival engagements. Barnes’ Side Steppin’  with A. Barnes on alto and Barnes and Bruce Adams playing I Love You set things up nicely for a rip-roaring Be-Bop Charlie featuring guests AB and BA and depping pianist (and festival director) Paul Edis, and typically rousing alto once more from McGarvie.
Al Wood, on alto, closed the show with Bernie’s Tune. Mr Wood is an institution in these parts. A life-long educator and first class multi-instrumentalist to boot, Wood has inspired countless young musicians, long may he continue to do so.          
Russell.
Al Wood (MD, alto & baritone saxophones); Alex Baker (tenor saxophone), Dan Johnson (tenor saxophone), Steve McGarvie (alto & soprano saxophones), Danielle Drew (alto saxophone), Omar Shade (baritone saxophone); Shaune Eland (trumpet), Jonny Dunn (trumpet), Tom Hill (trumpet), Ian Robinson (trumpet), Mick Hill (trumpet); Andrew Kirtley (trombone), Alastair Wood (trombone), Terry O’Hern (trombone), David Hamilton (bass trombone); Paul Edis (piano), Amy Baker (bass), Stephen Fletcher (drums) + Alan Barnes (alto saxophone) & Bruce Adams (trumpet & flugelhorn).
Band photo courtesy of John Marlor.
Alex Baker photo courtesy of Eric Robertson.
Al Wood photo courtesy of Gordon Carlton.

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