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Bebop Spoken There

Béla Fleck: “ And that's the great thing about live performances, you take people on a journey. It doesn't have to be like something else they've heard. It's not supposed to be". DownBeat, April, 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

Thu 28: Vieux Carré Jazzmen @ The Holystone, Whitley Road, North Tyneside. 1:00pm. Free.
Thu 28: Gateshead Jazz Appreciation Society @ Gateshead Central Library, Gateshead. 2:30pm.
Thu 28: Richard Herdman Quartet @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 8:00pm. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig.
Thu 28: Tees Hot Club @ Dorman’s Club, Middlesbrough. 8:30pm. Guests: Josh Bentham (alto sax); Alan Marshall (tenor sax); Neil Brodie (trumpet); Adrian Beadnell (bass); Graham Thompson (keys); Steve Hunter (drums).

Fri 29: FILM: Soul @ The Forum Cinema, Hexham. 12:30pm. Jazz-themed film animation.
Fri 29: Classic Swing @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 29: Rendezvous Jazz @ The Monkseaton Arms. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 29: New Orleans Preservation Jazz Band @ The Oxbridge Hotel, Stockton. 1:00pm. £5.00.
Fri 29: Abbie Finn Trio @ The Vault, Darlington. 6:00pm. Free. POSTPONED!
Fri 29: Thundercat @ Newcastle City Hall.
Fri 29: John Logan @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 8:00pm. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig.

Sat 30: Papa G’s Troves @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 8:00pm. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig.
Sat 30: Pete Tanton’s Cuba Libre @ Whitley Bay Library, York Road, Whitley Bay. 8:00pm.

Sun 31: 4B @ The Ticket Office, Whitley Bay Metro Station. 3:00pm. Free.
Sun 31: Ruth Lambert Trio @ Juke Shed, Union Quay, North Shields NE30 1HJ. 3:00pm. Free. Lambert, Alan Law & Paul Grainger.
Sun 31: Sid Jacobs & Tom Remon @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 7:00pm. Free. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig. USA/London jazz guitar duo.
Sun 31: Bellavana @ The Globe, Newcastle. 8:00pm.

April
Mon 01: Harmony Brass @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Mon 01: Ray Stubbs R&B All Stars @ Billy Bootlegger’s, Ouseburn, Newcastle. 3:00pm. Free.

Tue 02: Jam session @ The Black Swan, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free. House trio: Dean Stockdale, Paul Grainger, Abbie Finn.

Wed 03: Vieux Carré Jazzmen @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Wed 03: Darlington Big Band @ Darlington & Simpson Rolling Mills Social Club, Darlington. 7:00pm. Free. Rehearsal session (open to the public).
Wed 03: Take it to the Bridge @ The Globe, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free.

Sunday, July 16, 2017

Colin Aitchison & Friends @ Blaydon Jazz Club - July 15

Colin Aitchison (trumpet & vocals); Franco Valussi (clarinet & vocals); Steve Andrews (clarinet, tenor saxophone & baritone saxophone); Roly Veitch (guitar) & Alan Rudd (double bass) + Olive Rudd (vocals) & Neville Sarony (vocals)
(Review by Russell)
A Zez Confrey tune to open proceedings; Stumbling written in 1922 (with thanks to Steve Andrews’ encyclopedic knowledge of the composers and musicians of the era!). This Blaydon Jazz Club gig, at the Black Bull as usual, was something of a departure in being a first ever lunchtime promotion. The unavailability of the room on the preferred Sunday evening necessitated the change, and fears of a low turn out were soon allayed as regulars rolled up bolstered by a large contingent from Hong Kong.

Blaydon Jazz Club supremo Roly Veitch extended an invitation to some friends to come along and play some tunes. Now an annual occasion, Hong Kong-based Colin Aitchison and Franco Valussi duly accepted, making a visit to Blaydon a top priority during their visit. Closer to home, a short hop over the Pennines reunited Cumbria-based Steve Andrews with Veitch, and closer still, Alan Rudd, based here on Tyneside, no doubt had time for a leisurely late breakfast. From Confrey to the Duke – Just Squeeze Me. Just perfect; small group swing, a purring rhythm section, impressive front line solos. A first vocal for trumpeter Aitchison; The Lady is a Tramp with his typical good time delivery, the smiles across the audience evidence of a good time being had by all.  A Franco Valussi feature – Memories of You – confirmed the class of the Italian clarinet maestro.

’S Wonderful was, it always is. Time for our first guest of the afternoon. Olive Rudd stepped up to sing Some of These Days, excellent stuff, we’d hear more from the Maine Street Jazzmen’s singer later. Fun time…Jeepers Creepers heard Colin and Franco sharing a mic…’where’d ya get those peepers?’ as Steve Andrews switched to clarinet to show he’s a match for Signor Valussi. Neville Sarony, of the Hong Kong touring party, joined the boys on the stand to ask: Do You Know What it Means to Miss New Orleans? Mr Sarony is a character; somewhere between a Valentino matinee idol and eloquent/elegant crooner. A ‘good value’ performer, Blaydon looks forward to the next time he’s in town. The first set closer, Oh, Lady Be Good, exemplified the afternoon’s choice material.

A choice of real ales, a decent pint of Guinness for some, a raffle generously supported by all, the interval flew by. With two master clarinetists in the house it was a fair bet that they’d have a bit of fun on a classic number and so it was Andrews and Valussi played Creole Love Call supported by . the ace string rhythm section of Messrs Veitch and Rudd. The other Rudd, vocalist Olive, made a return to the stage to give an energetic rendition of When You’re Smiling featuring Mr Rudd’s first rate bass playing. From Olive to Neville, with Andrews toting his baritone sax, Mr Sarony swore he could hear Buddy Bolden’s Blues drifting up the Tyne…yep, definitely! A sing-along Down by the River(Tyne)side engaged the audience, and a brief, unexpected interlude heard Steve Andrews in full flow reciting a poem in, as he said, a Sunderland-Gaelic accent including the line: Whoosh! Yer bugger. Aye, a class poetry reading here at the Black Bull’s literary salon! 
And so to the principal guest of the afternoon’s concert. Colin Aitchison, ever the jovial front man, on this gig he played, almost exclusively, muted trumpet. The exuberance, the joie de vivre, fine and dandy, but don’t be fooled, Aitchison is a class trumpet player. Squeezing notes, half notes, a plunger mute, the ex-pat Tynesider plays the kind of trumpet all too rarely heard these days. The vocals are always spot-on – less Louis on this session, more Aitchison – no more so than on It Don’t Mean a Thing with a two-clarinet support for good measure. A marvellous afternoon of jazz concluded with classic small combo swing – Swingin’ the Blues. Our Man in Hong Kong will return next year and when he does make sure you’re in town, you’re guaranteed to have a good time.
Photos.             
Russell.

2 comments :

Lance said...

Patti D mentioned to me, and I quote, "Oh yes, Roly sang Dear Bix at the Black Bull lunchtime session with Colin and Franco. I kind of requested it - just Roly, with guitar and bass. What a gorgeous number it is."
What a gorgeous number indeed. So sorry that I missed that.

LIz said...

love that number!

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