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Bebop Spoken There

Spasmo Brown: “Jazz is an ice cream sandwich! It's the Fourth of July! It's a girl with a waterbed!”. (Syncopated Times, July, 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

17346 (and counting) posts since we started blogging 16 years ago. 630 of them this year alone and, so far, 35 this month (Sept. 11).

From This Moment On ...

September

Mon 16: Swing Manouche @ Yamaha Music School, Blyth. 1:00pm. £9.00.
Mon 16: Harmony Brass @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Mon 16: John Hallam with the James Birkett Trio @ The Black Bull, Blaydon. 8:00pm. £10.00. A Blaydon Jazz Club 40th anniversary concert!

Tue 17: Vieux Carré Hot 4 @ The Victoria & Albert Inn, Seaton Delaval. 12:30pm. £13.00. Tel: 0191 237 3697. ‘Indian Summer Afternoon Tea’.
Tue 17: Jason Isaacs @ St James’ STACK, Newcastle. 3:00-5:00pm. Free.
Tue 17: Jam session @ The Black Swan, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free. House trio: Joe Steels (guitar); Paul Grainger (double bass); Abbie Finn (drums).

Wed 18: Vieux Carré Jazzmen @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Wed 18: Darlington Big Band @ Darlington & Simpson Rolling Mills Social Club, Darlington. 7:00pm. Free. Rehearsal session (open to the public).
Wed 18: Take it to the Bridge @ The Globe, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free.
Wed 18: Hot Club of Heaton @ Elder Beer, Heaton, Newcastle. 8:00pm. A ‘third Wednesday in the month’ session.

Thu 19: Vieux Carré Jazzmen @ The Holystone, Whitley Road, North Tyneside. 1:00pm. Free.
Thu 19: Merlin Roxby @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 8:00pm. Ragtime piano. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig.
Thu 19: Tees Hot Club @ Dorman’s Club, Middlesborough. 8:30pm. Free. THC with guests Kevin Eland, Dan Johnson, Jeremy McMurray, Ron Smith.

Fri 20: Lindsay Hannon’s Tom Waits for No Man @ Gala Theatre, Durham. 1:00pm. £8.00.
Fri 20: Rob Hall & Chick Lyall @ The Lit & Phil, Newcastle. 1:00pm. Free (donations). SOLD OUT!
Fri 20: Classic Swing @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 20: Rendezvous Jazz @ The Monkseaton Arms. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 20: New Orleans Preservation Jazz Band @ The Oxbridge Hotel, Stockton. 1:00pm. £5.00.
Fri 20: Leeway @ 1719, Hendon, Sunderland. 7:30pm. The Old Black Cat Jazz Club. CANCELLED!
Fri 20: Gaz Hughes Trio @ Traveller’s Rest, Darlington. 8:00pm. Opus 4 Jazz Club.

Sat 21: Jason Isaacs @ Seaburn STACK, Seaburn. 1:00-2:45pm. Free.
Sat 21: Baghdaddies @ Two by Two, Albion Row, Byker, Newcastle NE6 1RQ. 6:00pm.
Sat 21: Jude Murphy & Alan Law @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 8:00pm. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig.

Sun 22: More Jam @ The Globe, Newcastle. 2:00pm. Free.
Sun 22: Jason Isaacs @ St James’ STACK, Newcastle. 2:30-4:30pm. Free.
Sun 22: Dulcie May Moreno Quartet @ Queen’s Hall, Hexham. 3:00pm.
Sun 22: 4B @ The Ticket Office, Whitley Bay. 3:00pm. Free.
Sun 22: Richard Herdman @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 7:00pm. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig.
Sun 22: Remy CB Band @ Blues Underground, Nelson St., Newcastle. 8:30pm. Free. Remi, 2024 Newcastle Uni graduate, superb soul/blues voice!

Tuesday, October 10, 2017

Preview: XPQ for Blaydon

(By Russell)
It’s early autumn, the nights are beginning to draw in, this means our annual tenor saxophone treat is almost upon us. Year in year out, mid-October, Darlington’s Opus 4 Jazz Club and Blaydon Jazz Club present two of the best jazz gigs anywhere in the country. A capacity audience is the norm, it pays to arrive early to secure a seat, then sit back and enjoy two sets of swinging, mainstream jazz the likes of which one can only dream about.


Yes, it’s the return of Vasilis Xenopoulos! Described by Blaydon Jazz Club’s promoter Roly Veitch as a ‘mercurial’ tenor player, Vasi X, as he is known in some quarters, is indeed a supremely gifted musician. The northeast connection comes about thanks to his longstanding friendship with pianist Paul Edis. They met in London, gigged, and have maintained an enduring musical partnership. The set list comprises the Great American Songbook sprinkled with one or two original compositions. A top class rhythm section makes all the difference on a gig like this and without question, these northeast dates are five-star affairs thanks to the calibre of musician available to Vasilis and Paul. Opus 4 Jazz Club at the Traveller’s Rest in Cockerton, Darlington, will feature Andy Champion and Russ Morgan. Andy is, for some, the finest bass player in the country, and drummer Russ is considered, rightly, as a ‘first call’ musician for prestigious gigs such as these. The Blaydon Jazz Club date will feature Bishop Auckland’s Mick Shoulder on bass working alongside Russ Morgan. Mick is one of the most accomplished musicians on the scene and Vasi has secured his services for this Blaydon gig and a second date north of the border in Eyemouth.

Of course, the piano player at Darlington and Blaydon will be Paul Edis. Based on Tyneside, Edis, if he so chose, could work in London or New York. When Vasi makes the trip ‘up north’ he must think Christmas has come early! You’re thinking: What’s the ‘XPQ’ all about. Well, not only will we get to hear Xenopoulos (Vasilis), but, believe it or not, Price (Nigel)! Guitarist Nigel Price is co-leader with Vasi of their quintet, hence XPQ. Nigel is an amazing guitarist. Gigging relentlessly, his recent tour of Britain comprised a mere fifty-six dates!!! Vasi and Nigel have worked together for ten years yet these October gigs will be the first time they have ventured north with their quintet. The saxophone-guitar format has an illustrious history in jazz and their concerts will look at some of the classic duo partnerships including Jim Hall-Sonny Rollins, Wes Montgomery-Johnny Griffin, Charlie Byrd-Stan Getz, and Kenny Burrell-Stanley Turrentine.

As an hors-d'oeuvre Xenopolous will play a duo gig with Paul Edis at the Lit and Phil Library at one o’clock on Friday 20 October. Pay on the door, £5.00 admission. It is advisable to arrive early as it will almost certainly be a sell-out. No advance sales, pay on the day, first come, first served. Then in the evening at the Traveller’s Rest it’s the quintet (XPQ). Doors at eight, first set at eight thirty, it too will be very busy. £10.00 on the door. The Blaydon Jazz Club date – Sunday 22 October – will similarly be busy. First set at 8:00pm, ten pounds on the door. Parking is available adjacent to the Black Bull on Bridge Street, and an excellent, reliable last bus departs Blaydon at 22:55, arriving at Clayton Street West, Newcastle at 23:08 leaving plenty of time to catch a Metro or last bus home.
Hopefully, XPQ will have their CD Sidekicks with them. Buy one, Christmas has come early.    

Russell

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