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Bebop Spoken There

Spasmo Brown: “Jazz is an ice cream sandwich! It's the Fourth of July! It's a girl with a waterbed!”. (Syncopated Times, July, 2024).

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

17328 (and counting) posts since we started blogging 16 years ago. 612 of them this year alone and, so far, 17 this month (Sept. 5).

From This Moment On ...

September

Tue 10: ???

Wed 11: Vieux Carré Jazzmen @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Wed 11: Darlington Big Band @ Darlington & Simpson Rolling Mills Social Club, Darlington. 7:00pm. Free. Rehearsal session (open to the public).
Wed 11: The Tannery Jam Session @ The Tannery, Gilesgate, Hexham. 7:00-9:00pm. Free. A ‘second Wednesday in the month’ jam session.
Wed 11: Take it to the Bridge @ The Globe, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free.

Thu 12: Vieux Carré Jazzmen @ The Holystone, Whitley Road, North Tyneside. 1:00pm. Free.
Thu 12: Gateshead Jazz Appreciation Society @ Brunswick Methodist Church, Newcastle NE1 7BJ. 2:30pm. £4.00. ‘A Great Day in Harlem’.
Thu 12: The Cuban Heels @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 8:00pm. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig. Pete Tanton & co.
Thu 12: Tees Hot Club @ Dorman’s Club, Middlesborough. 8:30pm. Free. THC with guests Donna Hewitt, Bill Watson, Dave Archbold, Adrian Beadnell, Mark Hawkins.

Fri 13: Jeff Barnhart & Neville Dickie @ The Lit & Phil, Newcastle. 1:00pm. Two pianos, two pianists! SOLD OUT!
Fri 13: Noel Dennis Quartet @ The Old Library, Auckland Castle, Bishop Auckland. 1:00pm. £8.00.
Fri 13: Classic Swing @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 13: Rendezvous Jazz @ The Monkseaton Arms. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 13: New Orleans Preservation Jazz Band @ The Oxbridge Hotel, Stockton. 1:00pm. £5.00.
Fri 13: Dilutey Juice @ Old Coal Yard, Byker, Newcastle. 7:30pm. £11.00. adv..
Fri 13: Ray Stubbs R & B All-stars @ The Forum, Darlington. 7:30pm. Classic blues.

Sat 14: Jeff Barnhart’s Silent Film Fest @ St Augustine's Parish Centre, Darlington. 12:30pm. Darlington New Orleans Jazz Club.
Sat 14: Customs House Big Band w. Ruth Lambert @ St Paul’s Centre, St Paul’s Gardens, Spennymoor DL16 7LR. 7:00pm (6:45pm doors). Tickets £10.00. from the venue or tel: 01388 813404. A ‘BYOB’ event.
Sat 14: Emma Wilson @ Claypath Deli, Durham. 7:00pm. £12.00. Acoustic blues.
Sat 14: Rat Pack - Swingin’ at the Sands @ Billingham Forum. 7:30pm.

Sun 15: 4B @ The Ticket Office, Whitley Bay. 3:00pm. Free.
Sun 15: Jude Murphy, Steve Chambers & Sid White @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 7:00pm. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig.
Sun 15: Tweed River Jazz Band @ Barrels Ale House, Berwick-upon-Tweed. 7:00pm. Free.
Sun 15: Panharmonia @ The Globe, Newcastle. 8:00pm.

Mon 16: Swing Manouche @ Yamaha Music School, Blyth. 1:00pm. £9.00.
Mon 16: Harmony Brass @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Mon 16: John Hallam with the James Birkett Trio @ The Black Bull, Blaydon. 8:00pm. £10.00. A Blaydon Jazz Club 40th anniversary concert!

Monday, June 19, 2017

James Birkett & Bradley Johnston @ Blaydon Jazz Club - June 18

James Birkett (guitar) & Bradley Johnston (guitar)
(Review by Russell/Photos courtesy of Roly Veitch)
Doors leading to the Black Bull’s beer garden were open all evening in a futile attempt to circulate fresh air through the lounge. The air stilled, nothing was moving. This month’s jazz concert drew a good crowd, with many of those present no doubt aware that Blaydon Jazz Club had recently lost one of its most loyal supporters with the passing of Margaret Barnes. The guitar duo of Dr James Birkett and Bradley Johnston expressed their admiration for Margaret, known to all as a keen jazz fan, and, quite simply, a very nice lady.
Our duo began with Black Orpheus. Birkett’s Blues for BJ (for his six string partner), then a Lonnie Johnson/Eddie Lang classic – Blue Room – set the highest of standards. The Birkett-Johnston duo began as a master and pupil arrangement. Now, Johnston, the 1st Class Honours graduate, is the equal partner in this musical relationship. Luiz Bonfá’s Uma Prece held the audience spellbound, a magical All the Things You Are, and as Birkett suggested, the Gershwin’s Someone to Watch Over Me an appropriate tune for us to remember Margaret, this was jazz guitar playing par excellence.
A bumper raffle (no fewer than nine prizes), a Deuchar’s glass replenished, the still, balmy evening encouraged all present to listen intently to our magicians – Messrs Birkett and Johnston – at work. Jobim’s Wave, Metheny’s Farmer’s Market (there had to be a Metheny number!), Doxy – a familiar set list perhaps, yet this concert performance exceeded expectations. The arrangements, changes, solos, everything about the evening just seemed right. John Lewis’ Skating in Central Park, elegant to the last, a brilliant – yet not too quick! – Cherokee, Johnston’s James’ Waltz (for you know who), this Blaydon Jazz Club presentation will live long in the memory. To close, the duo’s party piece –  Chick Corea’s Spain. Long fuse, light the blue touch paper, slow burn, stand back, wait, watch the fireworks. It works every time. Encore…Bacharach’s Alfie. A memorable evening at Blaydon Jazz Club. Margaret would have loved it.
Russell
All proceeds from the evening will be donated in memory of Margaret Barnes to Marie Curie Cancer Care.                                 

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