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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

15867 (and counting) posts since we started blogging 15 years ago. 874 of them this year alone and, so far, 72 this month (Sept. 25).

From This Moment On ...

September

Fri 29: Classic Swing @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm.
Fri 29: New Orleans Preservation Jazz Band @ Oxbridge Hotel, Stockton. 1:00pm. £5.00.
Fri 29: Rendezvous Jazz @ The Monkseaton Arms, Monkseaton. 1:00pm.

Sat 30: John Pope Quintet + Late Girl + Shapeshifters @ Bobik's, Jesmond, Newcastle.
Sat 30: Papa G's Troves @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 8:00pm. A 'Jar on the Bar' gig.

OCTOBER

Sun 01: Smokin' Spitfires @ The Cluny, Newcastle. 12:45pm.
Sun 01: Dulcie May Moreno sings Portrait of Sheila @ Central Bar, Gateshead. 2:00pm. £10.00. Moreno sings Sheila Jordan with Giles Strong, Mick Shoulder & John Bradford.
Sun 01: Middlesbrough Jazz & Blues Orchestra @ Saltburn Community Hall. 2:00pm.
Sun 01: The Easy Rollers @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 7:00pm. £13.70., £11.55.
Sun 01: Brand/Roberts/Champion/Sanders @ Blank Studios, Newcastle. 8:00pm. A Newcastle Festival of Jazz & Improvised Music event.
Sun 01: Papa G's Troves @ The Globe, Newcastle. 8:00pm.

Mon 02: Harmony Brass @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm.
Mon 02: FILM: Wattstax; 50th Anniversary @ Forum Cinema, Hexham. 8:00pm.

Tue 03: Paul Skerritt @ The Rabbit Hole, Hallgarth St., Durham DH1 3AT. 7:00pm. Paul Skerritt's (solo) weekly residency.
Tue 03: Jam session @ The Black Swan, Newcastle. 7:30pm. House trio: Michael Young (piano); Paul Grainger (double bass); Steve White (drums).

Wed 04: Vieux Carré Jazzmen @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm.
Wed 04: Darlington Big Band @ Darlington & Simpson Rolling Mills Social Club, Darlington. 7:00pm. Rehearsal session (open to the public).
Wed 04: Paul Skerritt @ Vespa Italian Bar & Steakhouse, Primrose Hill, Jarrow. From 7:00pm. To book a table - 0191 483 3355.
Wed 04: Take it to the Bridge @ The Globe, Newcastle. 7:30pm.

Thu 05: Vieux Carré Jazzmen @ The Holystone, Whitley Road, North Tyneside. 1:00pm. Free.
Thu 05: Sound the Trumpets @ King's Hall, Newcastle University. 1:15pm. Free.
Thu 05: Hot Club du Nord @ The Lubetkin Theatre, Peterlee. 7:00pm. £10.00.CANCELLED!
Thu 05: Thursday Night Prayer Meeting @ The Globe, Newcastle. 7:30pm.
Thu 05: Tommy Bentz Trio + Mark Croft Duo + George Shovlin & George Lamb @ The Harbour View, Sunderland. 8:00pm. Free. Harbour View Speakeasy's USA blues double bill + Shovlin & Lamb!
Thu 05: Merlin Roxby @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 8:00pm. Ragtime piano. A 'Jar on the Bar' gig.
Thu 05: Tees Hot Club @ Dorman's Club, Middlesbrough. 9:00pm.

Sunday, December 03, 2017

Jasper Høiby Masterclass @ The Music Department, Durham University - December 2

(Report by Russell)
Lunchtime, Saturday, Palace Green. The ‘Green’ was covered by the biggest marquee ever seen this side of a so-called ‘high society’ wedding ‘do’. A Christmas market, three quid admission and the place was buzzing. The adjacent Durham Cathedral was open for business, doing very nicely, as was Durham Castle on the other side of the temporarily covered ‘Green’, thank you very much.

Durham University Jazz Society invited Jasper Høiby to conduct a masterclass on Palace Green. The London-based Dane happened to be ‘up north’ in Wakefield on Friday evening with his band Fellow Creatures and an afternoon engagement in Durham the next day appeared to be an ideal arrangement for all concerned as Durham Cathedral’s bells rang out.
Bells pealed, and pealed, and pealed. Durham University’s ancient Music Department was hosting a symposium about something or other in a room to the left, and turning right through the door, the masterclass, soon to begin, would be conducted in peace once the bell ringing was done. DUJS’s Dan Garel and Tristan Bacon were making last minute preparations prior to bassist Høiby’s arrival,  and a student colleague was doing something important on a laptop. The Dane arrived and made for the first floor common room. Student musicians, the masterclass participants, started to arrive, student style, ie. in their own time. The stage set, Steinway grand at one side, Tristan’s drum kit at the other (in front of another, covered, Steinway).

Bells pealed, and pealed, and pealed. A relaxed Høiby strolled in, water, possibly coffee, in hand. Final year music student Dan Garel (seen and heard on killing alto at the Jazz Café’s jam session) introduced Mr Høiby to the still arriving students. Bells pealed, and pealed, and pealed. The Dane suggested that some of the participating students take to the stage to play a couple of numbers to enable him to gauge their abilities. Dan leapt into action…get the A-Team on stage! Dan, Tristan, bassist Dylan Purches (would Høiby be protective or hypercritical of a fellow member of the bass players’ union?) and pianist Sander Priston were among the first to give it their best shot.

Bells pealed, and pealed, and pealed. The Music Department is but a stone’s throw (oops!, sorry Bishop, we’ll phone for a glazier) from the pealing bells. A blues (Now’s the Time comes in useful on such occasions!), then Have You Met Miss Jones? Short solos all round. What would the Dane make of their efforts? Good! Fine! said Høiby. The bells pealed, and pealed, and pealed. Your BSH correspondent wondered if Quasimodo would put in an appearance.

Høiby thought it a good idea to take a look at one or two of his compositions. As dots were passed around, the Dane took centre stage behind the front line, calling out chord and key changes, giving encouragement where needed, stopping at times to expand upon his writing methods and thought processes. Høiby quipped: You said the bells would stop! Dan: They will! Bells pealed, and pealed, and pealed.

Two hours later, with a number of changes in the student line-up along the way including Zach Fox on alto saxophone, and Honor Hornsby, trumpet, it was time to go. An approachable Jasper Høiby had conducted an enjoyable, informative masterclass, and, with the bells pealing, it can be said the day was an unqualified success. Esmeralda, where are you?                        
Russell

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