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Bebop Spoken There

Art Blakey: "You [Bobby Watson] don't want to play too long, because you don't know they're clapping because they're glad you finished!" - (JazzTimes, Nov. 2019)..

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

15867 (and counting) posts since we started blogging 15 years ago. 874 of them this year alone and, so far, 72 this month (Sept. 25).

From This Moment On ...

September

Sat 30: John Pope Quintet + Late Girl + Shapeshifters @ Bobik's, Jesmond, Newcastle.
Sat 30: Papa G's Troves @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 8:00pm. A 'Jar on the Bar' gig.

OCTOBER

Sun 01: Smokin' Spitfires @ The Cluny, Newcastle. 12:45pm.
Sun 01: Dulcie May Moreno sings Portrait of Sheila @ Central Bar, Gateshead. 2:00pm. £10.00. Moreno sings Sheila Jordan with Giles Strong, Mick Shoulder & John Bradford.
Sun 01: Middlesbrough Jazz & Blues Orchestra @ Saltburn Community Hall. 2:00pm.
Sun 01: The Easy Rollers @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 7:00pm. £13.70., £11.55.
Sun 01: Brand/Roberts/Champion/Sanders @ Blank Studios, Newcastle. 8:00pm. A Newcastle Festival of Jazz & Improvised Music event.
Sun 01: Papa G's Troves @ The Globe, Newcastle. 8:00pm.

Mon 02: Harmony Brass @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm.
Mon 02: FILM: Wattstax; 50th Anniversary @ Forum Cinema, Hexham. 8:00pm.

Tue 03: Paul Skerritt @ The Rabbit Hole, Hallgarth St., Durham DH1 3AT. 7:00pm. Paul Skerritt's (solo) weekly residency.
Tue 03: Jam session @ The Black Swan, Newcastle. 7:30pm. House trio: Michael Young (piano); Paul Grainger (double bass); Sid White (drums). CANCELLED!

Wed 04: Vieux Carré Jazzmen @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm.
Wed 04: Darlington Big Band @ Darlington & Simpson Rolling Mills Social Club, Darlington. 7:00pm. Rehearsal session (open to the public).
Wed 04: Paul Skerritt @ Vespa Italian Bar & Steakhouse, Primrose Hill, Jarrow. From 7:00pm. To book a table - 0191 483 3355.
Wed 04: Take it to the Bridge @ The Globe, Newcastle. 7:30pm.

Thu 05: Vieux Carré Jazzmen @ The Holystone, Whitley Road, North Tyneside. 1:00pm. Free.
Thu 05: Sound the Trumpets @ King's Hall, Newcastle University. 1:15pm. Free.
Thu 05: Hot Club du Nord @ The Lubetkin Theatre, Peterlee. 7:00pm. £10.00. POSTPONED!
Thu 05: Thursday Night Prayer Meeting @ The Globe, Newcastle. 7:30pm.
Thu 05: Tommy Bentz Trio + Mark Croft Duo + George Shovlin & George Lamb @ The Harbour View, Sunderland. 8:00pm. Free. Harbour View Speakeasy's USA blues double bill + Shovlin & Lamb!
Thu 05: Merlin Roxby @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 8:00pm. Ragtime piano. A 'Jar on the Bar' gig.
Thu 05: Tees Hot Club @ Dorman's Club, Middlesbrough. 9:00pm.

Fri 06: Alcyona Mick @ Lit & Phil, Newcastle. 1:00pm. A Newcastle Festival of Jazz & Improvised Music event.
Fri 06: Classic Swing @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm.
Fri 06: New Orleans Preservation Jazz Band @ Oxbridge Hotel, Stockton. 1:00pm. £5.00.
Fri 06: Rendezvous Jazz @ The Monkseaton Arms, Monkseaton. 1:00pm.
Fri 06: WORKSHOP: Philosophy of Arts & Entertainment @ Lit & Phil, Newcastle. 2:00pm. A Newcastle Festival of Jazz & Improvised Music event.
Fri 06: Balo @ Lit & Phil, Newcastle. 6:20pm. A Newcastle Festival of Jazz & Improvised Music event.
Fri 06: Paul Skerritt @ 3Sixty Champagne Lounge, Hadrian’s Tower, Newcastle. From 7:00pm. To book a table - 0191 933 8591.
Fri 06: Lexer/Mayes/Noble + Semay Wu + Miman @ Lit & Phil, Newcastle. 7:20pm. A Newcastle Festival of Jazz & Improvised Music event.
Fri 06: Dulcie May Moreno @ The Vault, Hexham. 7:30pm. £20.00. Book in advance. Moreno with Alan Law, Paul Grainger & John Bradford.
Fri 06: Dean Stockdale Quartet @ Saltburn Community Hall. 7:30pm. 'Celebrating Oscar'.
Fri 06: Nu Brass Sounds: Big Brass Bash @ Billy Bootlegger’s, Newcastle. 8:00pm. Free.
Fri 06: TBC @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 8:00pm. Blind Pig Blues Club. A 'Jar on the Bar' gig.

Sunday, January 22, 2017

Graeme Wilson Quintet @ Opus 4, Travellers Rest, Darlington January 20.

Noel Dennis (trumpet, flugelhorn), Graeme Wilson (tenor sax), Paul Edis (piano), Mick Shoulder (bass), Adam Sinclair (drums).
(Review by Steve T)
That great Modern Jazz warhorse, from bebop pioneers Bird and Diz and Bird and Miles, through Miles and Trane and Miles and Wayne and a timely return to Darlo with Noel and Graeme. To these ears, nothing in Jazz can quite match the standard quintet.
An enthusiastic crowd of around thirty knew these musicians well but were almost entirely the senior male end, which is a shame cos a relative youngster and a relatively young couple turned up and clearly got it. Another chap told me his missus was supposed to come but then couldn't, which is a shame cos you know she'd have got it too. Hasn't anybody told the young people of Darlo that Jazz is cool again, like it ever wasn't?
Straight into Airegin by Sonny Rollins with a round of solos, sans drums, to get everyone - band and audience - warmed up.
Then the warm and likeable Scotsman - like a Geordie with his brains intact - promised some standards and some Trane. Normally his quartet play his original music, which is great cos he can write too, but it seemed appropriate with the brass, and a welcome change for him to pay tribute to some of his influences.
Then, just to keep us on our toes, he played one of his own, I think called Strolling with Mae.
Fe Fi Fo Fum followed from Wayne Shorter, and no surprise that Noel Dennis suggested it. It's great that Shorter is increasingly being recognised as one of the greats; despite a critically acclaimed solo career spanning over half a century, being one of the great Jazz Messengers and, with Zawinul, the only constant presence in Weather Report, his most golden and most high profile gig, as a towering figure in the Second Great Quintet, was spent under the shadow of the saxophonist in the first great Miles Davis Quintet.
Which brings us nicely to the next piece and the man who must be his primary influence, with a cut from Giant Steps called Syeeda’s Song Flute.
Jobim’s No More Blues closed side one with some excellent Brazilia from Noel and some suitably Latin drums and percussion from Adam. Dennis, typically alternating between trumpet and flugel, took the first solo, laying down the gauntlet and the leader (and spiritual leader of those of us smitten by bright coloured shirts), typically responded in fine fettle. Lord Paul is never not on form but tonight he was positively on fire, regular hints of humour coming through amongst his huge reservoir of references. Sinclair took his only solo of the first part, illustrating why he's up with the best of the North East’s impressive ranks of Jazz drummers.
Side two opened with more Trane and some Lee Morgan, but I was listening on the way out as my much better half confirmed I'd consumed sufficient Guinness, and that number two son loves that Friday night warhorse, the standard Chinese takeaway supper.
The programme at the club is highly impressive right through to July, not least the next night, on Feb 10 when Lord Paul and his trio are playing it straight for the return to the region of the inimitable Alan Barnes for his first appearance since his triumphant Christmas Carol Concert.
Steve T.

1 comment :

Russell said...

So, the Traveller's Rest was about half full/half empty (it depends which glass you're drinking from). Although Graeme has played Opus 4 in the past, it's a case of - for some - 'I've never heard of him, I won't bother'. Next month the room will be packed - as it should be - for the appearance of Alan Barnes. Graeme is soon to appear at Newcastle's Jazz Café - make the effort, it will be well worth it.

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