Bebop Spoken There

Ludovic Beier (Django Festival Allstars): ''Manouche means 'free man,' and gypsies have been travelers since they migrated west from India to Europe.'' (DownBeat March, 2026)

The Things They Say!

This is a good opportunity to say thanks to BSH for their support of the jazz scene in the North East (and beyond) - it's no exaggeration to say that if it wasn't for them many, many fine musicians, bands and projects across a huge cross section of jazz wouldn't be getting reviewed at all, because we're in the "desolate"(!) North. (M & SSBB on F/book 23/12/24)

Postage

18361 (and counting) posts since we started blogging 18 years ago. 215 of them this year alone and, so far this month (Mar. 8 ), 25

From This Moment On ...

March

Wed 11: Vieux Carré Jazzmen @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Wed 11: Jam Session @ The Tannery, Hexham. 7:00pm. Free.
Wed 11: Darlington Big Band @ Darlington & Simpson Rolling Mills Social Club, Darlington. 7:00pm. Free. Rehearsal session (open to the public).
Wed 11: Take it to the Bridge @ The Globe, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free

Thu 12: Boomslang @ The Black Swan, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free.

Fri 13: Paul Skerritt Quartet @ Bishop Auckland Methodist Church. 1:00pm . £9.00.
Fri 13: The SH#RP Collective @ Jesmond Library, Newcastle. 1:00pm. £5.00.
Fri 13: Classic Swing @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 13: Rendezvous Jazz @ The Monkseaton Arms. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 13: New Orleans Preservation Jazz Band @ The Oxbridge Hotel, Stockton. 1:00pm. £5.00.
Fri 13: Soothsayers + Rookie Numbers @ Cobalt Studios, Newcastle. 7:00pm (doors). £17.51., £14.33., £11.16.

Sat 14: The Too Bad Jims @ Claypath Deli, Durham. 7:00pm (6:30pm doors). £13.20., £11.00. R&B.
Sat 14: NUJO @ Venue, Newcastle University Students’ Union. Time TBC. £15.00. supporter; £10.00. standard; £5.00. student. Seated event.

Sun 15: Michael Young Trio @ The Engine Room, Sunderland. 2:30pm. Free.
Sun 15: The Too Bad Jims @ The Georgian Theatre, Stockton. 3:00pm. £12.00. R&B.
Sun 15: 4B @ The Ticket Office, Whitley Bay. 3:00pm. Free.
Sun 15: Rebecca Poole @ The Globe, Newcastle. 8:00pm. £14.00., £12.00., £7.00. Poole w. Dean Stockdale & Ken Marley. CANCELLED!

Mon 16: Milne Glendinning Band @ Yamaha Music School, Blyth. 1:00pm.
Mon 16: Friends of Jazz @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Mon 16: Russ Morgan Quartet @ The Black Bull, Blaydon. 8:00pm. £10.00.

Tue 17: Jam session @ The Black Swan, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free. House trio: Alan Law (piano); Paul Grainger (double bass); Scotty Adair (drums).

Reviewers wanted

Whilst BSH attempts to cover as many gigs, festivals and albums as possible, to make the site even more comprehensive we need more 'boots on the ground' to cover the albums seeking review - a large percentage of which never get heard - report on gigs or just to air your views on anything jazz related. Interested? then please get in touch. Contact details are on the blog. Look forward to hearing from you. Lance

Tuesday, October 17, 2017

Three million and counting!











(Report by Russell/Cartoons by the late Bill Shaw.)
Bebop Spoken Here’s regular contributor Ken Drew (words and photography) has had his eye on the BSH hit counter. It has now clocked up a clicktastic (Ken’s term!) THREE MILLION hits!!! Ken suggested that this milestone should not go without comment. 
Lance Liddle, BSH Editor in Chief,  musician (retired) and lifelong jazz fan had the idea of putting a few thoughts online about the local (north east of England) jazz scene, perhaps wondering if anyone would read, let alone respond to, them.
That was back in 2008. Little did Lance know what he had started! In a 2011 interview with South Tyneside’s local newspaper the Shields Gazette, Lance revealed that his BSH blog had achieved no fewer than 200,000 hits. Musicians and promoters began contacting him to ask if he could give some publicity to forthcoming gigs. Gig reviews were written, and posted, overnight. Sometimes a review would be posted before midnight on the night of the gig! CD reviews increased the amount of work devoted to the project. Bebop Spoken Here had become a labour of love. Other jazz fans have since come on board to share the load writing reviews, reviewing albums – vinyl recordings have become increasingly frequent items arriving in the post at BSH Headquarters – and helping out in numerous other ways.

The three million has come and gone. Lance would surely appreciate offers to become involved in keeping the Bebop Spoken Here flame burning brightly. Onwards to four million hits, and, with your clicktastic support it will be achieved sooner rather than later. Oop Bop Sh’ Bam!   
Russell



8 comments :

Lance said...

Thank you Russell. I know modesty forbids you mentioning your own input to BSH - not just over the last few months when I've been semi-grounded but throughout. Your attention to detail puts national proofreaders to shame. Also Ken for photos and words; the two Steves for more words - sometimes a lot more words; Ann for her sometimes unique observations; Hugh, Debra, Dave Brownlow and a host more including Sebastian of LondonJazzNews; JNE, the Jazz Coop, The Jazz Café, Warren @ Hoochie Coochie, the cartoons of the late Bill Shaw (pictured above), my dear friend Liz in York, Roly in Blaydon and, it goes without saying the late Keith Crombie. Thank you all.

Hugh said...

Best wishes to all at BSH - hope you have a three million candlepower cake!

Roly said...

Congratulations Lance. Quite a success story. Hope you are out and about soon. Russell's done an amazing job getting to so many gigs. Best wishes. Roly

Anonymous said...

From Ann Alex, Yes, it's great to see yourself in black and white on the blog and to contribute in some way. And Lance even allows my references to Folk Music!

Patti said...

3 squillion, and counting - this is amazing! Plus, I don't know what all us jazz fans here would do without your blog!

David Brownlow (on F/b) said...

Ool - ya - koo!

Liz said...

Many congratulations Lance on this fine achievement, you're the tops!!

Anonymous said...

Well done, Lance. What a landmark!
As Ronnie Scott might have said "Three million readers can't be wrong!"
JC

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