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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, March 10, 2017

Great North Big Band Jazz Festival @ Park View Community Centre, Chester le Street. March 5

(Review by Russell)
No fewer than fifteen bands to listen to on this third and final day of the 2017 Great North Big Band Jazz Festival. Park View Community Centre awoke early to accommodate a big band workshop at 9:30am ahead of the competition programme. Tutors and participants were hard at work before the arrival of a late Sunday morning brunching big band jazz crowd.  
The day comprised two competitions – a Schools Section and a Youth Section.
School Section
Conductor Chris Smith assembled his Tudhoe area Whitworth Park School Band in time for the School Section short straw slot of being first up in front of the examiners long before the Yorkshire Puddings would be put in the oven. Eleven strong, previous winners of this event, Whitworth Park’s three numbers dispelled any Saturday night hangovers amongst the early birds taking their seats. Theme from Shaft set the pace and Jerry Gray’s arrangement of American Patrol featuring young trumpeter Thomas Barrett set feet tapping. A good start to the day.
Yarm School Big Band arrived from the Deep South (Teesside!) with conductor Chris Hibbard in smart attire, the band sporting a corporate t-shirt look. Sing Sing Sing kicked-up a storm as it does, with drummer Kyle Parker exploding out of the traps. Diminutive trumpeter James McPherson is a young man with a big sound as heard loud and clear on the Sesame Street Theme. All good big band fayre and there was more. A Cool  selection from West Side Story and The Chicken featured star alto saxophonist Beth Roberts making a confident, mature contribution.

Last year’s winning band Abraham Darby Big Band returned with a ten-strong saxophone section and numerous accomplished soloists across the ensemble. Conductor Doug Bill takes pride in the presentation of the band and its programme. Soloists project to the audience as evinced by flautist Maddie Cuthbert standing side on, front of stage for the opener, the ever-popular The Chicken. A Gordon Goodwin staple – Hunting Wabbits – featured Oliver Wust, trombone, the ensemble work of a high standard. A stout defence of the School section title.

Tyne Valley Jazz Ensemble is one of three bands directed by Dave Hignett. A development band comprising many of Northumberland’s promising young musicians, the ensemble attempted to play seven tunes in its allotted twenty minutes. With Hignett at the helm anything is possible. So, seven numbers, no problem. Excellent ensemble work, short, punchy solos, MD Hignett encourages all to do their thing. Tin Roof Blues doesn’t feature in the pad of many big bands – it should, what a tune! Trumpeter ‘Ferg’ Kilsby growled a N’Awlins intro – splendid! Hignett’s arrangement of I Feel Good showcased drummer Dom Neeson’s eight bar intro. Note the name – D Neeson, we’ll be hearing a lot more from this young man. A local jam session would be a good place to hear him.

Colin Myers returned to the GNBBJF with serious title contenders Altrincham Grammar School for Boys. Looking the part, soloists primed, MD Myers’ full strength band showed few, if any, flaws in presentation and performance. Chuck Mangione’s Bellaria and Chick Corea’s Spain were at the heart of the programme. A confident outfit.    

Greenhead College Big Band is one of half a dozen or more music ensembles based at this Sixth Form College in Huddersfield. MD Nick Dolling chose to open with Henri Mancini’s It Had Better Be Tonight featuring vocalist Bertie Yates – a big voice, a big talent. Yates was to return to sing a marvellous duet – My Funny Valentine – with Alicia Connelly. Would this catch the ear of our two hard working adjudicators?

The final band up for examination during this Sunday morning/early afternoon School Section had made the long journey from Shropshire. Burton Borough School Big Band is one of nine bands (concert, string, wind are three of the others) which regularly represents the school at festivals up and down the country and at European events. Conductor Alison Ruston was able to call upon a large contingent of female musicians in presenting four compositions. Imogen Kelly, tenor, made her mark on Sister Sadie and, everyone’s favourite, The Chicken. Alto saxophonist Katie Roberts similarly impressed on Blue Midnight and Sam Jones’ Unit 7.

Seven bands, a high standard throughout, adjudicators Mick Donnelly and Adrian Tilbrook put their heads together, compared notes and duly concluded their deliberations. The prize winners were as follows:

Adjudicators’ Award: Naomi Gledhill baritone saxophone (Abraham Darby Big Band)

Adjudicators’ Award: Katie Roberts alto saxophone (Burton Borough School Big Band)

Adjudicators’ Award: Dave Hignett* MD Tyne Valley Jazz Ensemble                    

Best Programme: Altrincham Grammar School for Boys (pictured)

Best Section: Saxophones (Abraham Darby Big Band)

Best Soloist: Oli Rath trombone (Greenhead College Big Band)

Best Band: Burton Borough School Big Band

* Awarded for being an indefatigable, all round good guy (or words to that effect!)

The Youth Section would follow with a total of eight bands being put under the microscope.
Russell
            

          


         

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