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Bebop Spoken There

Branford Marsalis: "As ignorance often forces us to do, you make a generalisation about a musician based on one specific record or one moment in time." - (Jazzwise June 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

15491 (and counting) posts since we started blogging 15 years ago. 512 of them this year alone and, so far, 133 this month (May 31).

From This Moment On ...

June

Sat 03: Newcastle Record Fair @ Northumbria University, Newcastle NE8 8SB. 10:00am-3:00pm. Admission: £2.00.
Sat 03: Pedigree Jazz Band @ St Augustine's Parish Centre, Darlington. 12:30pm.
Sat 03: Play Jazz! workshop @ The Globe, Newcastle. 1:30pm. Tutor: Sue Ferris. £25.00. Enrol at: www.jazz.coop.
Sat 03: Abbie Finn Trio @ The Vault, Darlington. 6:00pm. Free.
Sat 03: Rendezvous Jazz @ Red Lion, Earsdon. 8:00pm. £3.00.
Sat 03: Papa G's Troves @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 8:00pm. A 'Jar on the Bar' gig.

Sun 04: Smokin' Spitfires @ The Cluny, Newcastle. 12:45pm.
Sun 04: Central Bar Quintet @ Central Bar, Gateshead. 2:00-4:00pm. £5.00. The Central Bar Quintet plays Sonny Rollins' Saxophone Colossus. Featuring Lewis Watson.
Sun 04: 4B @ The Exchange, North Shields. 3:00pm.
Sun 04: Struggle Buggy + Michael Littlefield @ Tyne Bar, Newcastle. 4:00pm. Free. Acoustic blues.
Sun 04: Swinging at the Cotton Club: Harry Strutters' Hot Rhythm Orchestra @ The Fire Station, Sunderland. 7:30pm.
Sun 04: Richard Jones Trio @ The Globe, Newcastle. 8:00pm.
Sun 04: Jam No. 18 @ Fabio's Bar, Saddler Street, Durham. 8:00pm. Free. All welcome. A Durham University Jazz Society event.

Mon 05: Harmony Brass @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm.

Tue 06: Paul Skerritt @ The Rabbit Hole, Hallgarth St., Durham DH1 3AT. 7:00pm. Paul Skerritt's (solo) weekly residency.
Tue 06: Jam session @ Black Swan, Newcastle Arts Centre. 7:30pm. House trio: Stu Collingwood (piano); Paul Grainger (double bass); Sid White (drums).

Wed 07: Vieux Carré Jazzmen @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm.
Wed 07: Darlington Big Band @ Darlington & Simpson Rolling Mills Social Club, Darlington. 7:00pm. Rehearsal session (open to the public).
Wed 07: 4B @ The Exchange, North Shields. 7:00pm.
Wed 07: Take it to the Bridge @ The Globe, Newcastle. 7:30pm.

Thu 08: Vieux Carré Jazzmen @ The Holystone, Whitley Road, North Tyneside. 1:00pm. Free. CANCELLED! BACK ON JUNE 15.
Thu 08: Easington Colliery Brass Band @ The Lubetkin Theatre, Peterlee. 7:00pm. £10.00.
Thu 08: Faye MacCalman + Blue Dust Archive @ Cobalt Studios, Newcastle. 7:00pm.
Thu 08: Dilutey Juice + Ceramic @ The Ampitheatre, Sea Road, South Shields. 7:00pm. Free. A South Tyneside Festival event.
Thu 08: Lara Jones w. Vigilance State @ Lubber Fiend, Blandford Square, Newcastle. 7:00pm.
Thu 08: Michael Littlefield @ the Harbour View, Roker, Sunderland. 8:00pm. Free. Country blues.
Thu 08: Tees Hot Club @ Dorman's Club, Middlesbrough. 9:00pm.

Fri 09: Classic Swing @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm.
Fri 09: New Orleans Preservation Jazz Band @ Oxbridge Hotel, Stockton. 1:00pm. £5.00.
Fri 09: Rendezvous Jazz @ The Monkseaton Arms, Monkseaton. 1:00pm.
Fri 09: Castillo Nuevo @ Revolución de Cuba, Newcastle. 5:30-8:30pm.
Fri 09: Emma Rawicz @ Sage Gateshead. 8:00pm.

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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