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Bebop Spoken There

Billy Boy Arnold: “As long as you don't think old you're good.” - DownBeat, December, 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!"

Simon Spillett: A lovely review from the dean of jazz bloggers, Lance Liddle...

Postage

16051 (and counting) posts since we started blogging 15 years ago. 1058 of them this year alone and, so far, 12 this month (Dec. 6).

From This Moment On ...

December

Mon 11: Harmony Brass @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Mon 11: Interim Final Recitals @ Newcastle University. Details TBC.

Tue 12: Stu Collingwood Organ Trio @ Forum Music Centre, Darlington. 7:00pm. £10.00.

Wed 13: Vieux Carré Jazzmen @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Wed 13: Darlington Big Band @ Darlington & Simpson Rolling Mills Social Club, Darlington. 7:00pm. Free. Rehearsal session (open to the public).
Wed 13: Take it to the Bridge @ The Globe, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free.
Wed 13: Bold Big Band @ Cluny 2, Newcastle. 7:30pm.
Wed 13: Giles Strong Quartet @ Alphabetti Theatre, Newcastle. 7:30pm.

Thu 14: Vieux Carré Jazzmen @ The Holystone, Whitley Road, North Tyneside. 1:00pm. Free.
Thu 14: Hot Fingers @ The Lubetkin Theatre, Peterlee. 7:00pm. £10.00.
Thu 14: After Hours Student Jazz Jam @ The Globe, Newcastle. 8:00pm. Free.
Thu 14: Merlin Roxby @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 8:00pm. . Free. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig.
Thu 14: Niffi Osiyemi Trio @ Harbour View, Sunderland. 8:00pm. Free.
Thu 14: Mo Scott ‘Little Mo’s Festive Appearance’ @ The Schooner, Gateshead. 8:00pm. Free.
Thu 14: Tees Hot Club w. Kevin Eland, Josh Bentham, Garry Hadfield, Adrian Beadnell @ Dorman’s Club, Middlesbrough. 9:00pm.

Fri 15: Paul Edis @ Lit & Phil, Newcastle. 1:00pm. SOLD OUT!
Fri 15: Classic Swing @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 15: New Orleans Preservation Jazz Band @ Oxbridge Hotel, Stockton. 1:00pm. £5.00.
Fri 15: Rendezvous Jazz @ The Monkseaton Arms, Monkseaton. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 15: Paul Skerritt @ Black Horse Inn, Crook. From 7:00pm.
Fri 15: Paul Edis: A Jazzy Christmas @ St Cuhtbert's Centre, Crook. 7:30pm. £15.00. SOLD OUT! Waiting list open.
Fri 15: Zoë Gilby Trio @ Seventeen Nineteen, Hendon, Sunderland. 7:30pm. £12.00. POSTPONED!
Fri 15: Strictly Smokin' Big Band @ Gosforth Civic Theatre, Newcastle. 8:00pm. First night of two. SOLD OUT!
Fri 15: Darlington Big Band @ Traveller’s Rest, Darlington. 8:00pm. £10.00. Opus 4 Jazz Club.
Fri 15: Baghdaddies @ Cobalt Studios, Newcastle. 8:00pm. £14.00.; £10.00.

Sat 16: Paul Edis: A Jazzy Christmas @ The Glasshouse, Gateshead. 2:00pm. A Jazzy Christmas + Jambone.
Sat 16: Porritt & Barrett & Friends Xmas Special @ Cullercoats Watch House. 7:00pm. £4.00.
Sat 16: Milne-Glendinning Band @ The Vault, Darlington. 7:00pm. Free.
Sat 16: Red Kites Jazz Band @ The Staithes Café, Gateshead. 7:00pm--9:00pm.
Sat 16: Hayley's Little Big Band @ Ellingham Village Hall, Chathill. 7:30pm. £12.00., £8.00.
Sat 16: Paul Edis: A Jazzy Christmas @ The Glasshouse, Gateshead. 8:00pm.
Sat 16: Strictly Smokin' Big Band @ Gosforth Civic Theatre, Newcastle. 8:00pm. Second night of two.

Sun 17: Red Kites Jazz Band @ Gibside Chapel, nr. Rowlands Gill. 1:00-2:30pm.
Sun 17: Paul Skerritt @ Hibou Blanc, Newcastle. 2:00pm.
Sun 17: Revolutionaires @ Tyne Bar, Newcastle. 4:00pm. Free. Rock ‘n’ roll excellence!
Sun 17: Tweed River Jazz Band @ Barrels Alehouse, Berwick. 7:00pm. Free.
Sun 17: The Globe Xmas Party @ The Globe, Newcastle. 7:00pm. Free. Multi-bill inc. David Gray’s Flextet + jam session.
Sun 17: Paul Edis: A Jazzy Christmas @ Queen's Hall, Hexham. 7:30pm. £17.00., £15.00.
Sun 17: Hayley's Little Big Band @ Amble Parish Hall. 7:30pm. £12.00., £6.00.
Sun 17: Snake Davis Trio @ St John’s Hall, Snods Edge, Shotley Bridge DH8 9TJ. 7:30pm. £15.00. from 07766 037893.

Saturday, July 15, 2017

Matthew's Farewell Jazz Party @ the Jazz Café (Upstairs & Downstairs) - July 13

(Further thoughts by Steve T)
The day began a little earlier for me, the ongoing search for an amp FDT is wholly happy with and arrangements for a first and last-minute run through for a band who've never played together. In fact, Michael and Joel have never played with each other at all and it continues to amaze me that Jazz musicians, even so young, can do this.
Ben Lawrence has been exploring the possibilities of the classic Fender Rhodes sound, which is exciting for a self-confessed piano trio philistine like me, reared on seventies Jazz-funk when it was so prevalent but, here restricted to the downstairs upright acoustic piano, he gave for me the best performance yet of this combo to watch, his original standing up with a classic and a current big-name American.
Early Birds are reliably great these days, Dr Phil, another keyboardist improving in leaps and bounds on his way to Leeds, the band retaining the Jazz-funk of Herbie Hancock, or is my mind playing tricks on me and it was actually Zawinul via Cannonball Mercy Mercy Mercy, another perennial. The uncertainty of memory!
I've only come across John Wilson once before, when FDT had a lesson about a year ago, and he proved an entirely different and original stylist, perhaps because his background isn't necessarily jazz, and I enjoyed it very much. I for one never doubted Matthew would know his way around a guitar.
The amp problem resolved by the kind offer of a loan from Early Bird guitarist Matthew Downey, it was only as we made our way upstairs I realised the anticipation of the first of three gigs in the North East this summer by Francis under his own name - (shameless plug). I always like to hear guitarists rock it up, one of many ongoing discussion (arguing) points, and tastefully giving a hint of Hendrix to standards is irresistible. A year in the smoke hasn't done Michael any harm either: far more intense and into it than I remember. As Simon Cowell (or some such twit, twet, twot, twut would say) it just got serious.
Who else could follow it but his lordship but by now the downstairs caff was heaving, bouncing, chocker, meaning only those in the posh seats could really get the whole thing, when it dawned on me it would all end in less than a couple of hours.
Mathew’s dad, who'd arranged a night we'll remember forever, thanked some of the major players behind Matthew’s meteoric, overnight rise to become the pre-eminent young Jazz drummer in the region, which as always actually took years of practice, dedication and hard work, but nobody, apart from Matthew himself, has done more to get him there than his dad George. As his voice faltered, he took us all with him.
I only caught a part of the Weisser set and it was welcome to see a stage full of musicians, and ladies for the first and only time, but good seats for the jam were at a premium.
The riddle was who would make up the house-band; the Pope never stays on the sidelines for long, Ben Lawrence resumed the piano stool for his third band of the evening. A shame brother Dan didn't get to play but when you're spread across Manchester, Penrith and Durham, it wasn't clear whether he’d make it at all. Anybody know a drummer?
Early Bird trooper James Metcalf did sterling work holding the melody until Weisser (pictured) arrived, Bird like, muted cornet already playing before slightly rusty FDT, with Downey holding down the guitar chair, gave a short, rare public (or private) burst on trumpet.
Next time somebody leaves for Berklee, let's make it a festival.
Steve T.

1 comment :

Russell said...

You're right Steve, MacKellar Senior did Matthew proud. A Berklee festival is a great idea. So, who else has got their sights set on Boston, USA?

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