Total Pageviews

Bebop Spoken There

Ambrose Akinmusire: “ I am certainly always aware of what the masses are doing. And when I see too many people going one way, I'm going another way - even when I don't know what's over that way". DownBeat, March, 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

16287 (and counting) posts since we started blogging 16 years ago. 169 of them this year alone and, so far, 41 this month (Mar 18).

From This Moment On ...

March

Tue 19: Jam session @ The Black Swan, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free. House trio: Michael Young, Paul Grainger, Tim Johnston.

Wed 20: Vieux Carré Jazzmen @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Wed 20: Darlington Big Band @ Darlington & Simpson Rolling Mills Social Club, Darlington. 7:00pm. Free. Rehearsal session (open to the public).
Wed 20: Take it to the Bridge @ The Globe, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free.

Thu 21: Vieux Carré Jazzmen @ The Holystone, Whitley Road, North Tyneside. 1:00pm. Free.
Thu 21: Castillo Neuvo Trio + Conor Emery & His ‘Bones Band @ The Grove, Ouseburn, Newcastle. 7:30pm (7:00pm doors). £10.00. (£7.00. student).
Thu 21: Remi Banklyn + Chris Corcoran Trio @ The Globe, Newcastle. 8:00pm. £12.50. Chicago blues. An International Guitar Foundation promotion.
Thu 21: Merlin Roxby @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 8:00pm. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig. Ragtime piano.
Thu 21: Tees Hot Club @ Dorman’s Club, Middlesbrough. 8:30pm.

Fri 22: Vasilis Xenopoulos & Paul Edis @ The Gala, Durham. 1:00pm. £8.00. SOLD OUT!
Fri 22: Classic Swing @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 22: Rendezvous Jazz @ The Monkseaton Arms. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 22: New Orleans Preservation Jazz Band @ The Oxbridge Hotel, Stockton. 1:00pm. £5.00.
Fri 22: Nauta + Remy CB + Last Orders @ Hoochie Coochie, Newcastle. 8:30pm (7:30pm doors). Free.
Fri 22: Vasilis Xenopoulos-Paul Edis Quartet @ Traveller’s Rest, Darlington. 8:00pm. £15.00. Opus 4 Jazz Club.
Fri 22: Redwell @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 8:00pm. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig.

Sat 23: Jambone @ The Glasshouse, Gateshead. 6:30pm. Free (ticketed). End of term performance in the Northern Rock Foundation Hall.
Sat 23: Milne-Glendinning Band @ The Vault, Darlington. 7:00pm. Free.
Sat 23: Red Kites Jazz @ Rowlands Gill Community Centre NE39 1JB. 7:00pm. Tickets: £12.00. (gibsidecommunityfarm@gmail.com). A ‘Build a Barn’ fundraiser. BYOB, tea/coffee available.
Sat 23: New Century Ragtime Orchestra @ Gosforth Civic Theatre, Newcastle. 7:30pm. £20.00. + bf (book in person at venue - no booking fee!). Featuring pianist Martin Litton.
Sat 23: Pete Tanton’s Cuba Libre @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 8:00pm. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig.

Sun 24: Musicians Unlimited @ Park Inn, Hartlepool. 1:00pm. Free.
Sun 24: More Jam @ The Globe, Newcastle. 2:30pm. Free.
Sun 24: Luis Verde @ Queen’s Hall, Hexham. 3:00pm. Verde (alto sax); Joe Steels (guitar); John Pope (double bass); John Hirst (drums). Alto sax brilliance!
Sun 24: Elsie Franklin @ The Globe, Newcastle. 3:00pm. £10.00. Country blues. An International Guitar Foundation promotion.
Sun 24: 4B @ The Ticket Office, Whitley Bay Metro Station. 3:00pm. Free.
Sun 24: Las Vegas Live with the Rat Pack @ The Forum, Billingham.
Sun 24: Ian Millar & Dominic Spencer @ Otterburn Memorial Hall. 7:30pm. £12.00.
Sun 24: Lindsay Hannon: Tom Waits for No Man @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 7:00pm. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig. Note start time - 7:00pm.
Sun 24: Bold Big Band @ The Globe, Newcastle. 8:00pm.

Mon 25: Harmony Brass @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Mon 25: Michael Young Trio @ The Engine Room, Sunderland. 6:30pm. Free.

Wednesday, June 07, 2017

Notes from day three of Durham City Jazz Festival - June 3.

(Review by Steve T/Photos courtesy of Carlo Viglianisi)
Day three and the years, booze and late nights have caught up, so apologies to Mark and Joel (pictured left), Barry and the Boys and Nebulas, all of whom I heard good things about from people with longer legs and greater stamina.
The Steve Glendinning Quartet gave a legendary performance at the Empty Shop a couple of years back and I know Steve will forgive me for saying the audience were mesmerised by the creative virtuosity of vibraphonist Chris Jelly. They both feature in fine funk band King Bee but the quartet gives them greater opportunity to show what they've got and, my goodness, what a lot they've got. Solid bass and drums too who are happy to stay back.
Some Pat Metheny, some Chick Corea, a fine original in a later Santana vein, Steve taking several opportunities to rock it up, this was a strong contender for set of the festival, and everyone I spoke to agreed.
Some people stuck around for the Sue Ferris Quartet, some crossed the bridge to the Empty Shop for Triptych, some of those returned to see both and others, myself included, watched a bit of Sue before heading over to catch a bit of Triptych.
Sue is always wonderful, a soulful player and a genuinely lovely person who always plays a tasteful set of lesser known gems from the greats including lesser known greats. She also had a cracking band of Dean Stockdale, Paul Grainger and boy wonder Matthew Mackellar depping on drums.
Triptych (pictured left) were deeper and funkier than I'd expected, with a definite Fender Rhodes sound which took me by surprise and means Paul Edis just about covers the entire spectrum across the various bands he fronts or features in. Serious music but in a different way to Sue, with mostly original compositions aimed at the head.
At the end he paid a sincere and heartfelt tribute to Carlo for his role in the festival, acknowledging that, as a Chester-le-Street lad, he would have loved this growing up. I had similar thoughts, having grown up in Durham City, odd unknowing flirtations notwithstanding, my introduction to Jazz (funk) was at mid-week nights at the old Coach and Eight, a triple jump from the Empty Shop. A seventeen year old me wouldn't have believed it.
Shock of the festival for me came from the Danny Allan Band. Great sax player who was happy to leave the stage to let the rest of this excellent band run and run. Not just a saxophone quartet, it was like alternating with a piano trio, like two bands for the price of one, sometimes funky, sometimes straight.
The closing party was at Jam Jah, an institution in Durham for a number of years, which began with another jam session and I regret to inform you, number one son was dominant again. A local professional drummer from a pop/rock covers band had played the final number at the Friday jam session which turned out to be Spain which he'd never heard, so good effort. Tonight they put together a funk workout to play to his strengths, FDT ramping it up to a funky blues, giving him carte blanch to just play and play without anyone thinking he should take the plectrum out of his hand.
The regular Jam Jah DJ brought the festival to a close with some funk, soul, fusion, disco, club classics, hip hop, rare groove - these terms become redundant - including Roy Ayers, Lamont Dozier, Idris Muhammed, Thundercat and Fela Kuti; and some reggae too.
First Class Honours with stars to Heather, Nick, Carlo and Ali and everybody who worked tirelessly to put this together, and I'm already looking forward to part two. 
Steve T

No comments :

Blog Archive