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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.

Sunday, October 02, 2016

Alice Grace Quartet @ Ushaw College, Durham - September 29

Alice Grace (voice), Peter Gilligan (piano), Paul Grainger (bass), Russ Morgan (drums). 
(Review by Steve T).
A cold, dark night at Ushaw, no students around in Durham ‘til next weekend and the numbers were down on what we've come to expect for this most sumptuous of venues, with quite a few regulars missing and attendance hovering just under thirty.
No reflection on the band, Alice Grace is exactly the sort of thing the regulars soak up, a great singer with a swinging band, and a well thought out mix of classic, cult and contemporary.
Contemporary to open and an original, Lullaby on/of Broadway - is there really not a standard with this title? The lady seemed uncharacteristically nervous but settled in during the first of much scatting through the night, and little wonder, she's masterful (or is it mistressful?) at it.
This was followed by Windows by Corea/Grace, the Rodgers and Hammerstein of Transatlantic Jazz, and look out for a forthcoming recording of it, presumably part of an EP or an album. After a piano/ vocal intro there was some fabulous interaction between the two before she closed the number with some lovely adlibbing. In fact Gilly - does he mind if I call him Gilly? - proved an excellent foil for the singer on every piece and the show has almost become a double act, with bass and drums happy to stay back but never putting a finger or thumb, sticks, hands or feet wrong throughout.
Something called Invitation followed by Love Dance as interpreted by Streisand and surprisingly only a couple of takers when she asked if the audience were into Babs. Even I think she's a fantastic singer.
I'm beginning to see the Light closed the first set, featuring fours between scat and drums, and by now applause had risen to raucous, with cheering, yelps and whoops.
Set two opened with the first of two Kenny Wheeler originals, this one with lyrics by Norma Winstone and a duet between Alice and Gilly called Winter Sweet.
Alone Together found Russ playing toms with his hands and hi-hat and I've gushed about this in these pages before, switching it up with sticks for Gillys' solo and a first bass solo of the night, which was characteristically tasteful and welcome.
Between the Devil and the Deep Blue Sea next and a wager between me and my far better half whether she'd go Kylie or Steps. Stalemate as she went Ella, in hindsight unsurprisingly given her obvious scatting skills, and the piece ended with her exchanging scat with piano, then bass, then drums.
Before the next song she confessed to loving a bit of scatting cos we were all thinking she wasn't very good at remembering lyrics. The Gentle Rain to end before the compere asked for an encore and she gave us The Sky is There by Lars Johnson with lyrics by the lady herself. Hi-hat and walking bass-line behind the voice and Gilly’s entrance after a couple of verses propelled her into the greatest joyfulness I've ever heard from her voice.
I hope she makes a return to Ushaw when all the regulars are around and a few students and university types take it back to capacity; she deserves it and they deserve it.
Steve T.

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