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Bebop Spoken There

Art Blakey: "You [Bobby Watson] don't want to play too long, because you don't know they're clapping because they're glad you finished!" - (JazzTimes, Nov. 2019)..

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!"

Postage

15848 (and counting) posts since we started blogging 15 years ago. 855 of them this year alone and, so far, 53 this month (Sept. 18).

From This Moment On ...

September

Thu 21: Vieux Carré Jazzmen @ The Holystone, Whitley Road, North Tyneside. 1:00pm. Free.
Thu 21: La Malbec Orchestra @ The Globe, Newcastle. 8:00pm.
Thu 21: Merlin Roxby @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 8:00pm. Ragtime piano. A 'Jar on the Bar' gig.
Thu 21: Linsday Hannon: Tom Waits for No Man @ Harbour View, Sunderland. 8:00pm. Free.
Thu 21: Ray Stubbs R & B All Stars @ The Schooner, Gateshead. 8:30pm. Free.
Thu 21: Tees Hot Club @ Dorman's Club, Middlesbrough. 9:00pm.

Fri 22: Classic Swing @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm.
Fri 22: New Orleans Preservation Jazz Band @ Oxbridge Hotel, Stockton. 1:00pm. £5.00.
Fri 22: Rendezvous Jazz @ The Monkseaton Arms, Monkseaton. 1:00pm.
Fri 22: Brief Encounter @ Bardon Mill Village Hall, Northumberland. 7:00pm. Tickets: £10.00. adv from 07885 303166; £12.00. on the door. Chris & Veronica Perrin improvising to a screening of the 1929 'Jazz Age' silent film Piccadilly (Dir. Ewald André Dupont).
Fri 22: Paul Edis & Graeme Wilson + Three Tsuru Origami @ Jesmond United Reformed Church, Newcastle. 7:30pm. A Newcastle Festival of Jazz & Improvised Music event.
Fri 22: Crooners @ Tyne Theatre, Newcastle. 7:30pm.
Fri 22: Abbie Finn's Finntet @ Traveller's Rest, Darlington. 8:00pm. Opus 4 Jazz Club.

Sat 23: Tyne Valley Big Band @ Tanfield Railway, Gateshead. 2:00-4:00pm. Free. A '1940s Weekend' event.
Sat 23: Jason Isaacs @ Stack, Seaburn. 3:30-5:30pm. Free.
Sat 23: Andrew Porritt & Keith Barrett @ Cullercoats Watch House, Front St., Cullercoats NE30 4QB. 7:00pm.
Sat 23: Michael Woods @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 8:00pm. Free. A 'Jar on the Bar' gig. Country blues.

Sun 24: Musicians Unlimited @ Park Inn, Hartlepool. 1:00pm. Free.
Sun 24: More Jam @ The Globe, Newcastle. 2:00pm. Free.

Mon 25: Harmony Brass @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm.
Mon 25: Michael Young Trio @ The Engine Room, Sunderland. 7:00pm.

Tue 26: Paul Skerritt @ The Rabbit Hole, Hallgarth St., Durham DH1 3AT. 7:00pm. Paul Skerritt's (solo) weekly residency.

Wed 27: Vieux Carré Jazzmen @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm.
Wed 27: Darlington Big Band @ Darlington & Simpson Rolling Mills Social Club, Darlington. 7:00pm. Rehearsal session (open to the public).
Wed 27: Take it to the Bridge @ The Globe, Newcastle. 7:30pm.

Saturday, November 25, 2017

In Other Words @ Tynemouth Station Christmas Market - November 25

Alex Thompson (alto saxophone), Nathan Lawson (guitar) & Dylan Thompson (drums)
(Review by Russell)
Tynemouth Station Christmas Market. Yes, November isn’t out, yet the Santa hats were out in numbers. The weekend market on either side of the Metro line is as popular as ever and today there was an added incentive to catch a train from Newcastle to the coast – In Other Words, in Santa and bobble hats themselves, were entertaining late morning visitors to a bustling market.
In Other Words (think Fly Me to the Moon) are Alex Thompson, alto, Nathan Lawson, guitar and Dylan Thompson, drums. The chances are you’ve heard them without knowing their names. On Sage Gateshead’s concourse these young men have entertained the crowds in numerous band permutations – Jazz Attack, JB’s Cats (that’s James Birkett’s young charges), Jambone (the big band based at Sage Gateshead) and the Early Bird Band to name but four.   

Let it Snow! Let it Snow! Let it Snow! (please no, Christmas Eve will be soon enough!). Alex and Nathan donned Santa hats, Dylan a snazzy bobble hat. Beyond the Sea (not too far as the crow flies), Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas – the trio knew what to play, Christmas songs even though November isn’t out. In Other Words can’t help playing some jazz, it’s what they do, given the chance. Herbie Hancock’sWatermelon Man is a favourite, similarly Georgia. Alex played as well as ever, be it ballad tempo (Georgia) or a full steam ahead Caravan. Brother Dylan has the Juan Tizol/Duke Ellington drum part down to a tee. Metro passengers to and from trains stopped by to listen. One couple said: The alto player and drummer are really good, and the left-handed guitarist can play. The couple have ears.

The guitarist, the one who can play, is Nathan Lawson. The Gretsch-playing young man featured on Christmas Time is Here. Lots of Joe Pass-like stuff going on here. Marvellous. Remember it’s Christmas time…almost. Rudolph the Red Reindeer (all together now…), the trio’s signature tune, Fly me to the Moon and a reprise of Let it Snow! Let it Snow! Let it Snow! The lads can play, that’s for sure. They played for a fee, rightly, and they made more than a couple of bob with not one but two strategically placed collection buckets. A pleasant, if cold, hour and a quarter, be sure to check out In Other Words   

Russell

6 comments :

Unknown said...

Nice to find out who these young players were. I passed through the station soon after they started playing, and only had to stop briefly to hear how good they were, individually and as a 'band'. No doubt we'll see them popping up again - maybe at a local jam session ?? Nice one, despite it still being November ! :)

Russell said...

Ken, these young lads are veterans of the Jazz Cafe's jam session. There is the possibility that they could turn up at the last session of the year on Tuesday 19 December. It would be good to see you there.

Unknown said...

Ah ! Tnx Russell, good to hear !

Andrea said...

Great review Russell thank you!
Yes they do get around a bit these three although none of them can claim to have been members of Jazz Attack. Their other band is 'Paraffernalia', Gateshead Music Service's youth Big Band - Dylan past, Alex and Nathan still current members :)
Andrea

Russell said...

You're right Andrea, Paraffernalia is another of the bands! Will the band be competing at next year's Great North Big Band Jazz Festival, I wonder?

It's hard to believe that Jazz Attack wasn't/isn't one of their bands!

Andrea said...

Hopefully Paraffernalia will be there Russell.
Although we really could do with recruiting some new members as numbers in the band have really dwindled this year due to so many going off to university!

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