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Bebop Spoken There

Kelly Sill: "Just because everyone is playing through the changes in the same time doesn't mean they're actually playing together" - (JazzTimes March/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

15260 (and counting) posts since we started blogging 15 years ago. 279 of them this year alone and, so far, 92 this month (March 29).

From This Moment On ...

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: Abbie Finn Trio @ The Vault, Darlington Covered Market, Darlington DL1 5PN. 6:00pm. New venue, live jazz!
Sat 01: Jambone @ Sage Gateshead. 7:00pm. Free (book online). A YMP! event in the Northern Rock Foundation Hall.
Sat 01: Jude Murphy & Dan Stanley @ Prohibtion Bar, Newcastle. 8:00pm. A 'Jar on the Bar' gig.
Sat 01: Boys of Brass @ Stack, Seaburn. 7:00-9:00pm.
Sat 01: Hot Club du Nord @ Pleased to Meet You, Bridge St., Morpeth. 8:00pm. £79.00. A charity fundraising event.
Sat 01: Rendezvous Jazz @ Red Lion, Earsdon. 8:00pm. £3.00. RESCHEDULED to next week (Sat 08).

Sun 02: Smokin' Spitfires @ The Cluny. 12:45pm.
Sun 02: 4B @ The Exchange, North Shields. 3:00pm.

Mon 03: Harmony Brass @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm.

Tue 04: Paul Skerritt @ The Rabbit Hole, Hallgarth St., Durham DH1 3AT. 7:00pm. Paul Skerritt's (solo) weekly residency.
Tue 04: Jam session @ Black Swan, Newcastle Arts Centre. 7:30pm. House trio: Bradley Johnston (guitar); Paul Grainger (double bass); Abbie Finn (drums).

Wed 05: Vieux Carré Jazzmen @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm.
Wed 05: Darlington Big Band @ Darlington & Simpson Rolling Mills Social Club, Darlington. 7:00pm. Rehearsal session (open to the public).
Wed 05: 4B @ The Exchange, North Shields. 7:00pm.
Wed 05: Take it to the Bridge @ The Globe, Newcastle. 7:30pm.

Thu 06: Vieux Carré Jazzmen @ The Holystone, Whitley Road, North Tyneside. 1:00pm. Free.
Thu 06: Thursday Night Prayer Meeting @ The Globe, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Donations. Feat. John Pope, Marie Shreer, John Garner.
Thu 06: Merlin Roxby @ Prohibtion Bar, Newcastle. 8:00pm. Ragtime piano. A 'Jar on the Bar' gig.
Thu 06: Darlington Big Band @ Dorman's Club, Middlesbrough. 8:30pm. Note earlier start time.

Fri 07: Classic Swing @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm.
Fri 07: New Orleans Preservation Jazz Band @ Oxbridge Hotel, Stockton. 1:00pm. £5.00.
Fri 07: Rendezvous Jazz @ The Monkseaton Arms, Monkseaton. 1:00pm.
Fri 07: Gaz Hughes Trio @ Saltburn Community Hall. 7:30pm.
Fri 07: Mark Toomey Quartet @ Traveller's Rest, Darlington. 8:00pm. £8.00.
Fri 07: Finntet + Zoë Gilby & Andy Champion @ Bobik's, Punch Bowl, Newcastle. 8:00pm. JNE.
Fri 07: TBA @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 8:00pm. A 'Jar on the Bar' gig. Blind Pig Blues Club.

Saturday, October 01, 2016

James Harrison Trio @ The Lit &Phil - September 30

James Harrison (piano); Anthony Ord (bass guitar); Tom Chapman (drums) + 
David Gray (trombone on 2 numbers)
(Review by Ann Alex/Photo courtesy of Brian Ebatson).
Went to Newcastle to collect new shoes that I’d ordered and somehow ended up at this brilliant gig! Not sure how that happened, but no regrets, as mon amie Edith once said.
Smart dark suits and open-necked shirts (why should only women’s clothes be mentioned), James introduced the band over the opening music, which was exciting from the start, Strasbourg St Denis, very danceable rhythms, all equal partners in this band with the drummer doing well up there with a solo, and the tune ending in what sounded like the middle, to my inexperienced ears. There followed a complete contrast, the gentle swing of Our Love Is Here To Stay with smooth brushes on drums, and I could hardly stop myself singing, so the lads had a lucky escape there!
Obsession featured hand drumming and long runs on cymbals, and on St James Infirmary the piano was played low down, heavy strong blues, then up steps a trombone from the audience, playing what I’d call warm tones. After an entrancingly quiet piano solo for Pure Imagination, there was He Has Made Me Glad with a bass solo and a long ending on piano which kept the audience guessing when it would actually end, great fun.  My Favourite Things was performed as per Harrison’s arrangement done in the West End no less, slow then fast, great stuff! (I hate this tune as much as Lance hates Summertime, but loved it today as a jazz number).  Blue Bossa , solos for all, with the piano doing insistent riffs during the other solos, an effect I love, a swinging Cheek To Cheek then the finale, Caravan, all stops out, trombone as well, all soloed and piano and trombone did a cheeky call and response with 4’s (2’s?), setting each other up wonderfully. The explanatory programme notes were a bonus, the list of tunes especially useful to BSH. The last tune listed was Sister Sadie but she didn’t appear, so I look forward to hearing her the next time the band plays, as I want to be there.
The future of jazz is definitely safe AND exciting in their hands.
Ann Alex

2 comments :

James Harrison (on f/b) said...

As much as Lance hates Summertime... now that's saying something!

Lance said...

Everybody's got me wrong on this! I loved Summertime for the first zillion times I heard it then I began to cringe as each and everyone made it part of their repertoire. So James, how's about the next gig I catch you at you play My Favourite Things with the left hand and Summertime with the right hand? - Or vice versa!

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