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Bebop Spoken There

Abbie Finn: "Even though there's a lot of great work being done to promote women in jazz, I still come up against some attitudes! I pulled up at a recording session with my drums in the car and the studio owner said, 'I'm sorry, this space is reserved for the drummer!'" - (Jazzwise April 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

15229 (and counting) posts since we started blogging 15 years ago. 248 of them this year alone and, so far, 61 this month (March 20).

From This Moment On ...

March

Fri 24: Classic Swing @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm.
Fri 24: New Orleans Preservation Jazz Band @ Oxbridge Hotel, Stockton. 1:00pm. £5.00.
Fri 24: Rendezvous Jazz @ The Monkseaton Arms, Monkseaton. 1:00pm.
Fri 24: FILM: Mo' Better Blues @ Forum Cinema, Hexham. 7:00pm.
Fri 24: Ian Millar & Dominic Spencer @ Scarth Hall, Staindrop, Co. Durham. 8:00pm. £10.00.
Fri 24: Archipelago + Bulbils @ Cobalt Studios, Newcastle. 7:00pm.

Sat 25: Vermont Big Band @ Walker Community Centre, Walker, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Fundraiser for Benfield Juniours Football Club. Hot food available, BYOB.
Sat 25: John Logan & Friends @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 8:00pm. Rat Pack, Motown etc. 8:00pm. Free (donations).

Sun 26: Musicians Unlimited @ Park Inn, Hartlepool. 1:00pm.
Sun 26: More Jam @ The Globe, Newcastle. 3:00pm. Free.
Sun 26: 4B @ The Exchange, North Shields. 3:00pm.
Sun 26: Outlines @ The Globe, Newcastle. 8:00pm. JNE promotion (upstairs).

Mon 27: Harmony Brass @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm.

Tue 28: Paul Skerritt @ The Rabbit Hole, Hallgarth St., Durham DH1 3AT. 7:00pm. Paul Skerritt's (solo) weekly residency.
Tue 28: Sanaz Lavasani Trio @ Black Swan, Newcastle Arts Centre. 8:00pm. £12.00 (£10.00. adv).

Wed 29: Vieux Carré Jazzmen @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm.
Wed 29: Darlington Big Band @ Darlington & Simpson Rolling Mills Social Club, Darlington. 7:00pm. Rehearsal session (open to the public).
Wed 29: 4B @ The Exchange, North Shields. 7:00pm.
Wed 29: Take it to the Bridge @ The Globe, Newcastle. 7:30pm.

Thu 30: Gateshead Jazz Appreciation Society @ Gateshead Central Library. 2:30-4:30pm. £2.00. All welcome.
Thu 30: Vieux Carré Jazzmen @ The Holystone, Whitley Road, North Tyneside. Back to 1:00pm stomp off. Free.
Thu 30: '58 Jazz Collective @ Hops & Cheese, Hartlepool. 7:30pm. Free.
Thu 30: Lindsay Hannon: Tom Waits for No Man @ Harbour View, Sunderland. 8:00pm.
Thu 30: Tees Hot Club @ Dorman's Club, Middlesbrough. 9:00pm.

Monday, June 19, 2017

Strictly Smokin' Big Band @ Hoochie Coochie - June 18










(Review by Lance).
Outside they were frying eggs on the pavement, on stage SSBB were cooking with gas. Fortunately, Hoochie's air conditioning kept us comfortably cool.
At this stage of the game, there are few plaudits left to heap on this most exciting of big bands. Two ace vocalists, a host of fine soloists and a pad played with perfect precision which, given the complexity of some of the arrangements, demands a keen eye, a good ear and, seemingly, more digital extremities than a centipede.
Much has been made of the two Rolling Stones' numbers arranged by Gerard Presencer for the Danish Radio Big Band - Paint it Black and (Satis)Faction - yet, for me, they didn't quite match the other 25 numbers despite some stunning guitar work by Pavel Jedrzejewski on the former and Michael Lamb and Jamie Toms on the latter. Having said that, the others at my table were knocked out by them!
My highlights included F'reez singing I'm Just a Shy Guy which included a breathtaking chorus by the sax section; the phrasing was as one man. Another F'reez number, Gambling Man Blues had Gowland to the fore whilst That Kind of Guy saw 'Tricky Sam' David Barnes plungering.
Alice, tall and tan and young and lovely didn't sing Ipanema but did hit the jackpot with Can't we be Friends? and some scatting on Honeysuckle Rose. There were many more showstoppers but none better than Sax Alley which saw Toms, Gowland and Summers jousting on tenor - Gowland also added his soprano to the mix. T'riffic!
The band is back at Hoochie on October 15, this time with Joe Stilgoe guesting.
Lance.
Michael Lamb (MD/trumpet); Pete Tanton, Gordon Marshall, Dick Stacey (trumpets); David Barnes, Sarah Bolt, John Flood, Keiran Parnaby (trombones); Jamie Toms, Paul Gowland, Steve Summers, Keith Robinson, Laurie Rangecroft (reeds); James Peacock (keys); Pavel Jedrzejewski (guitar); Michael Whent (bass guitar); Guy Swinton (drums); Alice Grace, F'reez (vocals).

3 comments :

Patti D (on F/b) said...

The band were on fire! Fantastic - hot and ultra tight. With Alice and F'reez sounding wonderful.

Keith Robinson (n F/b) said...

Thanks for coming down Lance and supporting the band - and your complimentary words too!

Steve T said...

I can't get no (any) satisfaction, I can't get no (any) satisfaction, but I tried, and I tried, and I tried, and I tried, I can't get no (any)...Like a song a tone deaf five year old would write.

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