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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.

Friday, February 24, 2017

Doris Day & the Strictly Smokin’ Big Band @ The Millstone. February 23

(Review by Russell/Photo of F'reez from archives).
Dire warnings from the Met Office. Storm Doris was to wreak havoc across the region. Trees would fall, chimney stacks topple and big band fans would stay at home. Isobars and sunny spells may well be the province of weather forecasters but, they don’t know much about the determination of fans of Tyneside’s roaring Strictly Smokin’ Big Band to make it to the Millstone to attend the band’s monthly public rehearsal night.
Days after the SSBB’s exhilarating Jazz Co-op gig with Bruce Adams a number of deps more than made up the numbers on this not-so-stormy Thursday night. Star vocalist Ms Alice Grace begged leave of absence to meet up with her Scarlet Street sisters at a secret location to work on their close harmonies prior to the much anticipated Hoochie Coochie concert with the SSBB on March 19. F’reez had the vocal numbers all to himself. One early highlight – Higher Ground – was, and is, F’reez at his best, the band simmering, a  soulful vocal. Flight of the Foo Birds then BBB, F’reez singing September in the Rain – varied material, all of it quality material. Tito Puente’s Oye Como Va closed the first set.
Two absolutely wonderful highlights, one during the first set, one to come in the second. The first, Tom Kubis’ Exactly Like This. Fabulous writing reworking Exactly Like You. A trip to the bar during the interval (beating the band to the bar isn’t guaranteed!), a glance at the TV (Tottenham 1 Ghent 1, Harry Kane will come to the rescue!), ‘hello’ to jazzmen Brian and Jimmy at the bar, they would soon be ascending the stairs to catch the SSBB’s second set.
Ascending the stairs to the sound of Dave McKeague spearheading the band on a Buddy Rich staple, the great man’s arrangement of Norwegian Wood acts as a rallying cry – the band was back in action! Steve Summers announced that MD Michael Lamb had given him permission to try out his new toy…an EWI. Pronk the vehicle, Summers resembled a kid in a sweet shop. Joyful playing, huge applause, and to think this is a rehearsal night!
The trumpet section incisive, McKeague’s drum and bass pattern supported by the seated Michael Whent. The Creeper, Spain (varied material!) then F’reez saying the goodbyes – Moondance (the ensemble’s snapping fingers) and Night and Day. Quite a night. Quite a stormin’ Doris (Day) night with the Strictly Smokin’ Big Band.   
Russell.                         
Michael Lamb (MD/tpt), Ben Chinnery, Gordon Marshall, Tom Hill (trumpets); Alan Marshall, Arthur Higgins (tenor), Steve Summers (alto/soprano/EWI), Keith Robinson (alto), Laurie Rangecroft (baritone); Kieran Parnaby, Mark Ferris, David Barnes, Sarah Bolt trombones; Pawel Jedrzejewski (guitar), Graham Don (keyboards), Michael Whent (bass), Dave McKeague (drums) & F’reez (vocals)    

1 comment :

Anonymous said...

That's the best headline you've ever come up with Russell :)
Thanks for coming down. Keith R

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