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Bebop Spoken There

Simon Spillett: “ Bebop and hard bop came naturally to him [Tubby Hayes]". Morning Star, March 28, 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

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.
Fri 29: True Colours @ Barrels Ale House, Berwick. 9:00pm. Blues, jazz & swing.

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.

Thu 04: FILM: Soul @ Forum Cinema, Hexham. 2:00pm. Jazz-themed film animation.
Thu 04: Vieux Carré Jazzmen @ The Holystone, Whitley Road, North Tyneside. 1:00pm. Free.
Thu 04: Funky Drummer @ The Globe, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free.
Thu 04: Eva Fox & the Jazz Guys @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 8:00pm. Free. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig.
Thu 04: Tees Hot Club @ Dorman’s Club, Middlesbrough. 8:30pm.

Sunday, July 02, 2017

Matthew’s Farewell Jazz Party @ The Jazz Café

(Preview by Russell)
Matthew MacKellar first came to the attention of the jazz world sitting-in at Dave Weisser’s Take it to the Bridge weekly jazz workshop. Matthew, at the time perhaps all of fourteen, said little, a mere nod of the head to indicate he was comfortable with the next tune drawn from Weisser’s extensive pad. Wednesday evenings in the upstairs function room of the Chillingham pub house became the essential night out. Drummers Eric Stutt and Paul Wight were fulsome in their praise of Matthew.
In establishing a Saturday morning workshop band at Newcastle’s Lit and Phil, pianist, bandleader and educator Paul Edis offered Matthew the drum chair. The Early Bird Band (a Saturday morning workshop starting at the early hour of 9:30ish gave the band its name!) worked on established jazz tunes, and before long a paying public began turning up at eleven o’clock eager to hear a half-hour set by the young musicians. One Tuesday evening Matthew turned up at the Jazz Café’s top flight jam session looking to sit in. The session takes no prisoners and Matthew more than held his own. Regulars asked: Who’s he? Soon those same regulars would say: I hope Matthew turns up tonight! The house rhythm section was impressed and on more than one occasion Matthew has played the session as a member of the house band.
 In recent times Matthew has sat in with tenor saxophonist Vasilis Xenopoulos, played several sets at the Jazz Co-op’s International Jazz Day celebrations and worked with Sue Ferris at the Durham Jazz Festival. Now Matthew has good reason to celebrate. He has received an offer to study at the world-famous Berklee College of Music. In a few weeks, he will head off to Boston, Massachusetts, USA for what is sure to be a once in a lifetime experience. Matthew invites you to join him and his jazz friends for an evening of non-stop music at the Jazz Café on Thursday 13 July. Upstairs and downstairs, there will be jazz, jazz, jazz! A cast of thousands will be in attendance, this is an event you cannot afford to miss. Admission on the night is £6.00. Proceeds to the Early Birds’ youth jazz development project.

Matthew’s development as a musician is, in part, due to expert tuition. His drum tutors Dave Lourie and Geoff Hutchinson should take a bow, so too guitar tutor John Wilson. These are the behind the scenes characters who don’t seek the spotlight but are deserving of recognition.

The timetable of events on the evening, with, perhaps a little tweaking here and there, is as follows:

19:00 Doors
19:10 – 19:30 Ben Lawrence Trio (downstairs)
19:35 – 20:00 Early Bird Band (upstairs)
20:05 – 20:30 John Wilson Trio (Wilson, Deon Krishnan, Matthew MacKellar, downstairs)
20:35 – 21:00 Francis Tulip Quartet (upstairs)
21:05 Announcements & raffle draw
21:20 – 21:45 Paul Edis Trio (Edis, Deon Krishnan, John Pope TBC, Russ Morgan TBC, downstairs)
21:50 – 22:15 Dave Weisser Combo (upstairs)
22:20 – close Jam session (downstairs)

So, put the date in the diary – Thursday 13 July. Seven o’clock start. Unmissable.

2 comments :

Sylvia Truscott (on F/b) said...

I remember Ray coming home from the Chilli and telling me about this amazing young drummer who sat in...I think you were younger than 14!!....so sorry I can't be at your party......bad timing....story of my life!!...have a ball...xxxxx

George MacKellar said...

Many thanks for your good wishes Sylvia. Ray was one of the individuals who gave Matthew great encouragement over the years; Matthew and I were both very fond of him. Best wishes George xx

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