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Bebop Spoken There

Quincy Jones: ''What's great about coming from a little town is that you're a big fish in a little pond and it gives you the confidence when you get to New York to be able to really compete''. (Jazzwise, December 2024/January 2025).

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

17562 (and counting) posts since we started blogging 16 years ago. 836 of them this year alone and, so far, 74 this month (Nov. 22).

From This Moment On ...

December

Sun 01: Smokin’ Spitfires @ The Cluny, Newcastle. 12:15pm (12 noon doors). £7.50. Note earlier start.
Sun 01: Sax Choir @ The Globe, Newcastle. 2:00pm. Free.
Sun 01: Paul Skerritt @ Hibou Blanc, Newcastle. 2:00pm. Free. Vocalist Skerritt working with backing tapes.
Sun 01: Ruth Lambert Trio @ The Juke Shed, Union Quay, North Shields. 3:00pm. Free.
Sun 01: 4B @ The Ticket Office, Whitley Bay. 3:00pm. Free.
Sun 01: Lindsay Hannon: Tom Waits for No Man @ Laurels, Whitley Road, Whitley Bay. 4:00pm. £10.00. SOLD OUT!
Sun 01: Martin Fletcher Band @ Tyne Bar, Ouseburn, Newcastle. 4:00pm. Free. Blues.
Sun 01: Mark Williams Trio @ The Globe, Newcastle. 8:00pm. Album launch gig.
Sun 01: Christmas After Hours @ Fabio’s, Saddler St., Durham. 8:00pm. Free. A Durham University Jazz Society event. Six piece band.

Mon 02: Harmony Brass @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Mon 02: Vieux Carré Jazzmen @ The Wheatsheaf, Benton Sq., Whitley Road, Palmersville NE12 9SU. Tel: 0191 266 8137.1:00pm. Free.

Tue 03: Customs House Big Band @ The Masonic Hall, North St., Ferryhill DL17 8HX. 7:00pm. Free.
Tue 03: Jam session @ The Black Swan, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free. House trio: Dean Stockdale, Paul Grainger, John Hirst.
Tue 03: Bold Big Band @ Cluny 2, Newcastle. 7:30pm.

Wed 04: Vieux Carré Jazzmen @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Wed 04: Jason Isaacs @ St. James’ STACK, Newcastle. 2:30-4:30pm. Free. Vocalist Isaacs working with backing tapes.
Wed 04: Darlington Big Band @ Darlington & Simpson Rolling Mills Social Club, Darlington. 8:00pm. Concert. Free. .
Wed 04: Take it to the Bridge @ The Globe, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free.
Wed 04: Kat Eaton @ Hoochie Coochie, Newcastle. 8:15pm. Soulful vocals, excellent band.

Thu 05: Vieux Carré Jazzmen @ The Holystone, Whitley Road, North Tyneside. 1:00pm. Free.
Thu 05: Jazz Appreciation North East @ Brunswick Methodist Church, Newcastle NE1 7BJ. 2:00pm. £4.00. ‘George - named musicians, vocalists & composers (Chisholm, Duke, Lewis, Shearing, Benson, Melly, Gershwin et al)’.
Thu 05: Jools Holland’s R & B Orchestra @ Newcastle City Hall. 7:30pm.
Thu 05: Indigo Jazz Voices @ The Globe, Newcastle. 7:45pm. Free.
Thu 05: Tees Hot Club @ Dorman’s Club, Middlesborough. Guest band special with the Middlesbrough Jazz and Blues Orchestra 8pm. Free.

Fri 06: Classic Swing @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 06: Rendezvous Jazz @ The Monkseaton Arms. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 06: New Orleans Preservation Jazz Band @ The Oxbridge Hotel, Stockton. 1:00pm. £5.00.
Fri 06: Sue Ferris Quintet @ The Traveller’s Rest, Darlington. 8:00pm. Opus 4 Jazz Club.

Sat 07: New Century Ragtime Orchestra @ St Augustine's Parish Centre, Darlington. 12:30pm. Darlington New Orleans Jazz Club.
Sat 07: Play Jazz! workshop @ The Globe, Newcastle. 1:30pm. £25.00. Tutor: Steve Glendinning. Enrol at: learning@jazz.coop.
Sat 07: Hot Club du Nord @ St. Cuthbert’s Church, Shadforth DH6 1LB. Tel: 01429 823400. 7:30pm. £15.00. (inc. refreshments).
Sat 07: NUJO Jazz Jam @ Cobalt Studios, Newcastle. 7:00pm. £3.00.
Sat 07: Bellavana @ Revoluçion de Cuba, Newcastle. 7:45-9:45pm. Free.
Sat 07: Rendezvous Jazz @ The Red Lion, Earsdon. 8:00pm. £3.00.

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, September 02, 2016

New Century Ragtime Orchestra @ Ushaw Durham Jazz Festival August 27













(Review by Russell/Photos courtesy of Gordon Carlton)
Let us pray! The first words of Steve Andrews introducing the New Century Ragtime Orchestra in the hallowed surroundings of Ushaw College. Andrews’ one-liners came thick and fast, although on this engagement the band’s MC was pressed into action in
the reed section, occupying the chair usually reserved for Gavin Lee, resulting in an impressive display of  multi-tasking combining comic asides with first rate playing.
Gavin Lee, renowned clarinettist and saxophonist, assumed the drum chair, the band’s regular percussionist being unavailable for this concert date. Lee began playing jazz as Brian Carrick’s drummer, and now, after a number of years, he was to act as drum dep. The indications were good: a minimalist’s set-up of bass drum, snare and two cymbals. Piano duties were put the way of Paul Edis. One could be forgiven for thinking he had little else to do! Dr Edis donned a fetching white bow tie…
 King Oliver towers over the early years of the so-called ‘classic jazz era’. And so it was that the ensemble began with Too Bad, recorded by Oliver’s Dixie Syncopators. I Can’t Give You Anything But Love, Baby introduced vocalist Caroline Irwin and she stayed on to sing I’m Through with Love. Not to be outdone, Jim McBriarty, affectionately known as the band’s boy singer asked the question: What do we do on a Dew, Dew, Dewy Day? Cole Porter’s Let’s Do It, Dorothy Fields/Jimmy McHugh’s Doin’ the Low Down and a rather nice rendition, in French, sung by Irwin, of  J’attendrai were three of many great numbers played during two sets. Steve Andrews featured on the Jean Goldkette hit I’m Gonna Meet My Sweetie Now playing alto, either side of a string of witty observations, some of which poked fun, albeit gently, at some of his band mates.                    
 The New Century got down to playing some serious jazz on Ellington’s Black and Tan Fantasy. Andrews alluded to Bubber Miley and Arthur Whetsol in introducing Graham Hardy’s growling, plungered mute, trumpet part. The Northern Monkey did just fine, as did Ed Cross (violin), Edis, and Andrews himself playing clarinet. Patrol Wagon Blues produced more fine jazz as Hardy (trumpet), and McBriarty (vocals and arrangement),   took on a classic number. Steve Andrews reminded the audience of Henry ‘Red’ Allen’s fondness for the tune, so, no pressure on Messrs Hardy and McBriarty! The boys ‘done good’. MC Andrews picked up his tenor for some spirited playing on a rousing finale: Limehouse Blues. The New Century Ragtime Orchestra, to coin a phrase, should be on everyone’s ‘bucket list’. A unique ensemble doing invaluable work under the dedicated direction of band leader Dave Kerr, make a point of hearing the band.    
Footnote. MC Steve Andrews declared: Paul Edis is as significant as it gets [on the jazz scene] in the northeast.
Russell.
Steve Andrews (MC, tenor & alto saxophones, clarinet), Jim McBriarty (alto saxophone, clarinet & vocals), Alan Marshall (tenor & alto saxophones, clarinet), Graham Hardy (trumpet), Alistair Lord (trumpet); Neville Hartley (trombone); Ed Cross (violin); Keith Stephen (guitar & banjo); Paul Edis (piano); Phil Rutherford (sousaphone); Gavin Lee (drums) & Caroline Irwin (vocals)



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