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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

15848 (and counting) posts since we started blogging 15 years ago. 855 of them this year alone and, so far, 53 this month (Sept. 18).

From This Moment On ...

September

Thu 21: Vieux Carré Jazzmen @ The Holystone, Whitley Road, North Tyneside. 1:00pm. Free.
Thu 21: La Malbec Orchestra @ The Globe, Newcastle. 8:00pm.
Thu 21: Merlin Roxby @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 8:00pm. Ragtime piano. A 'Jar on the Bar' gig.
Thu 21: Linsday Hannon: Tom Waits for No Man @ Harbour View, Sunderland. 8:00pm. Free.
Thu 21: Ray Stubbs R & B All Stars @ The Schooner, Gateshead. 8:30pm. Free.
Thu 21: Tees Hot Club @ Dorman's Club, Middlesbrough. 9:00pm.

Fri 22: Classic Swing @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm.
Fri 22: New Orleans Preservation Jazz Band @ Oxbridge Hotel, Stockton. 1:00pm. £5.00.
Fri 22: Rendezvous Jazz @ The Monkseaton Arms, Monkseaton. 1:00pm.
Fri 22: Brief Encounter @ Bardon Mill Village Hall, Northumberland. 7:00pm. Tickets: £10.00. adv from 07885 303166; £12.00. on the door. Chris & Veronica Perrin improvising to a screening of the 1929 'Jazz Age' silent film Piccadilly (Dir. Ewald André Dupont).
Fri 22: Paul Edis & Graeme Wilson + Three Tsuru Origami @ Jesmond United Reformed Church, Newcastle. 7:30pm. A Newcastle Festival of Jazz & Improvised Music event.
Fri 22: Crooners @ Tyne Theatre, Newcastle. 7:30pm.
Fri 22: Abbie Finn's Finntet @ Traveller's Rest, Darlington. 8:00pm. Opus 4 Jazz Club.

Sat 23: Tyne Valley Big Band @ Tanfield Railway, Gateshead. 2:00-4:00pm. Free. A '1940s Weekend' event.
Sat 23: Jason Isaacs @ Stack, Seaburn. 3:30-5:30pm. Free.
Sat 23: Andrew Porritt & Keith Barrett @ Cullercoats Watch House, Front St., Cullercoats NE30 4QB. 7:00pm.
Sat 23: Michael Woods @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 8:00pm. Free. A 'Jar on the Bar' gig. Country blues.

Sun 24: Musicians Unlimited @ Park Inn, Hartlepool. 1:00pm. Free.
Sun 24: More Jam @ The Globe, Newcastle. 2:00pm. Free.

Mon 25: Harmony Brass @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm.
Mon 25: Michael Young Trio @ The Engine Room, Sunderland. 7:00pm.

Tue 26: Paul Skerritt @ The Rabbit Hole, Hallgarth St., Durham DH1 3AT. 7:00pm. Paul Skerritt's (solo) weekly residency.

Wed 27: Vieux Carré Jazzmen @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm.
Wed 27: Darlington Big Band @ Darlington & Simpson Rolling Mills Social Club, Darlington. 7:00pm. Rehearsal session (open to the public).
Wed 27: Take it to the Bridge @ The Globe, Newcastle. 7:30pm.

Thursday, April 06, 2017

GIJF Day 3:John Pope Quintet @ Sage Gateshead - April 2

John Pope (bass), Jamie Stockbridge (alto), Faye  MacCalman   (tenor), Graham Hardy (pocket trumpet), Johnny Hunter (drums).
(Review by Steve T)
Having missed them at the Bridge last summer, this was a major fixture in the program for me, without which the Festival would likely have become two gigs over consecutive nights, which isn't that unusual at Sage Gateshead where I often spend three or four consecutive nights.
Coincidentally, Ornette Coleman's Shape of Jazz to Come is on number one son's listening list so, not having heard it for many years, I bought us each a copy. Like probably many others, I saw the great man in Sage One shortly after returning to the North East, which I expected to be an act of homage but was actually excellent, despite being younger and (even) less responsible - I think I may have nodded off during a pocket trumpet or violin part.
Although I wouldn't cite Ornette as an all-time favourite, I consider the initial breakthrough period as essential listening for any Jazz enthusiast with an interest in free, adventurous, innovative, challenging music - oh I'm sorry, I've just quoted Martin’s Listening to the Future by mistake (the Alan Barnes ones are the best).
It was a short set of just four pieces, including two from the aforementioned album, and a reminder of one of the great ironies and contradictions of Ornette, that he had a fantastic flair for melody.
Graham Hardy demonstrated why he's the first choice trumpet player for many in the North East. Jamie Stockbridge on alto was clearly an important component and rose to the challenge impeccably. Faye is at the forefront of TNG in North East Jazz, and Trekkies will know what that means and the rest may work it out - no passive reporting on BSH. She's a favourite of Jazz North East, (who did a splendid job putting the afternoon on), and you can hear why. Johnny Hunter on drums was a new name to me (I think and apologies if not) and I understand there's a Leeds or Manchester connection, but he could just as easily been dipped in the Tyne by his mam as a bairn, where we only produce top drawer drummers.
It's hard to think how anybody other than a sax player could lead a band dedicated to the music of Ornette, but there's no doubt at all who's in control of this, the horns watching him closely, providing a rock solid foundation with outstanding musicianship and stretching something already stretched beyond capacity into new musical terrain.
I missed a set I'd paid good money for to watch this and I'm satisfied it was a good call.
Steve T.

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