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Bebop Spoken There

Abbie Finn: "Even though there's a lot of great work being done to promote women in jazz, I still come up against some attitudes! I pulled up at a recording session with my drums in the car and the studio owner said, 'I'm sorry, this space is reserved for the drummer!'" - (Jazzwise April 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!"

Postage

15260 (and counting) posts since we started blogging 15 years ago. 279 of them this year alone and, so far, 92 this month (March 29).

From This Moment On ...

April
Sat 01: The Big Easy @ St Augustine's Parish Centre, Darlington. 12:30pm.
Sat 01: Play Jazz! workshop @ The Globe, Newcastle. 1:30pm. Tutor: Steve Glendinning - In a Minor Key. £25.00. Enrol at: www.jazz.coop.
Sat 01: Abbie Finn Trio @ The Vault, Darlington Covered Market, Darlington DL1 5PN. 6:00pm. New venue, live jazz!
Sat 01: Jambone @ Sage Gateshead. 7:00pm. Free (book online). A YMP! event in the Northern Rock Foundation Hall.
Sat 01: Jude Murphy & Dan Stanley @ Prohibtion Bar, Newcastle. 8:00pm. A 'Jar on the Bar' gig.
Sat 01: Boys of Brass @ Stack, Seaburn. 7:00-9:00pm.
Sat 01: Hot Club du Nord @ Pleased to Meet You, Bridge St., Morpeth. 8:00pm. £79.00. A charity fundraising event.
Sat 01: Rendezvous Jazz @ Red Lion, Earsdon. 8:00pm. £3.00. RESCHEDULED to next week (Sat 08).

Sun 02: Smokin' Spitfires @ The Cluny. 12:45pm.
Sun 02: 4B @ The Exchange, North Shields. 3:00pm.

Mon 03: Harmony Brass @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm.

Tue 04: Paul Skerritt @ The Rabbit Hole, Hallgarth St., Durham DH1 3AT. 7:00pm. Paul Skerritt's (solo) weekly residency.
Tue 04: Jam session @ Black Swan, Newcastle Arts Centre. 7:30pm. House trio: Bradley Johnston (guitar); Paul Grainger (double bass); Abbie Finn (drums).

Wed 05: Vieux Carré Jazzmen @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm.
Wed 05: Darlington Big Band @ Darlington & Simpson Rolling Mills Social Club, Darlington. 7:00pm. Rehearsal session (open to the public).
Wed 05: 4B @ The Exchange, North Shields. 7:00pm.
Wed 05: Take it to the Bridge @ The Globe, Newcastle. 7:30pm.

Thu 06: Vieux Carré Jazzmen @ The Holystone, Whitley Road, North Tyneside. 1:00pm. Free.
Thu 06: Thursday Night Prayer Meeting @ The Globe, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Donations. Feat. John Pope, Marie Shreer, John Garner.
Thu 06: Merlin Roxby @ Prohibtion Bar, Newcastle. 8:00pm. Ragtime piano. A 'Jar on the Bar' gig.
Thu 06: Darlington Big Band @ Dorman's Club, Middlesbrough. 8:30pm. Note earlier start time.

Fri 07: Classic Swing @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm.
Fri 07: New Orleans Preservation Jazz Band @ Oxbridge Hotel, Stockton. 1:00pm. £5.00.
Fri 07: Rendezvous Jazz @ The Monkseaton Arms, Monkseaton. 1:00pm.
Fri 07: Gaz Hughes Trio @ Saltburn Community Hall. 7:30pm.
Fri 07: Mark Toomey Quartet @ Traveller's Rest, Darlington. 8:00pm. £8.00.
Fri 07: Finntet + Zoë Gilby & Andy Champion @ Bobik's, Punch Bowl, Newcastle. 8:00pm. JNE.
Fri 07: TBA @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 8:00pm. A 'Jar on the Bar' gig. Blind Pig Blues Club.

Saturday, December 09, 2017

Ayanna Witter-Johnson @ The Black Swan December 7

Ayanna Witter-Johnson (cello/keys/voice).
(Review by Steve H/photo courtesy of Mike Tilley from archives)
Ayanna Witter-Johnson made a more than welcome return to Newcastle at The Black Swan, virtually a year after appearing the Jazz Café. Everything I said in the review of that gig still applies The audience ….. were rewarded with a performance of charm, elegance, and sheer quality’. Her performance on Thursday night seemed to be more relaxed and confident than previously and there were some new songs to appreciate and enjoy. A measure of just how comfortable Witter-Johnson felt on stage was that she invited questions from the audience in between numbers. 
Two questions were asked about the history of Reuben her beloved cello which we found out was originally loaned and then subsequently purchased from her headmaster at secondary school. A lot of the self-penned songs are autobiographical referring to relationships past and present. One composition Romeo was a commission from the Hip Hop Shakespeare Company which featured many of the bard's most famous works. 
A traditional Jamaican call and response song  Hill an Gully gave the gave the audience the opportunity to participate in proceedings. As a tribute to the 100th anniversary of Ella’s birth, a moving version of Misty was performed. One of the advantages of performing in the larger venue of the Black Swan as opposed to the Jazz Café was that it allowed Witter-Johnson to use the large stage to great effect. Her main stance was standing upright at a microphone whilst accompanying herself on Reuben but this was only one of the performance positions adopted. Reuben was played lying on the floor, guitar like on the lap and at one point Witter-Johnson curled herself downwards and sung into the cello mike. The only method not employed seemed to be the classical one of cello being rested on chest whilst being sat down on a chair. However, she did adopt a more conventional style when playing the keyboard on a selection of numbers. 
The final scheduled piece of the evening was a non-reggae cover of Bob Marley’s One Love but luckily for the select and highly appreciative audience, they managed to coax one more tune. Unconditionally dedicated to her mother which seemed only fair since her father had previously had a song Chariot honouring him. A really entertaining evening and I look forward to not only seeing Witter-Johnson back in Newcastle again but also to see her becoming a major star on the British music scene which her talent and personality surely deserve.
Steve H.

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