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Bebop Spoken There

Branford Marsalis: "As ignorance often forces us to do, you make a generalisation about a musician based on one specific record or one moment in time." - (Jazzwise June 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

15491 (and counting) posts since we started blogging 15 years ago. 512 of them this year alone and, so far, 133 this month (May 31).

From This Moment On ...

Tue 06: Paul Skerritt @ The Rabbit Hole, Hallgarth St., Durham DH1 3AT. 7:00pm. Paul Skerritt's (solo) weekly residency.
Tue 06: Jam session @ Black Swan, Newcastle Arts Centre. 7:30pm. House trio: Stu Collingwood (piano); Paul Grainger (double bass); Sid White (drums).

Wed 07: Vieux Carré Jazzmen @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm.
Wed 07: Darlington Big Band @ Darlington & Simpson Rolling Mills Social Club, Darlington. 7:00pm. Rehearsal session (open to the public).
Wed 07: 4B @ The Exchange, North Shields. 7:00pm.
Wed 07: Take it to the Bridge @ The Globe, Newcastle. 7:30pm.

Thu 08: Vieux Carré Jazzmen @ The Holystone, Whitley Road, North Tyneside. 1:00pm. Free. CANCELLED! BACK ON JUNE 15.
Thu 08: Easington Colliery Brass Band @ The Lubetkin Theatre, Peterlee. 7:00pm. £10.00.
Thu 08: Faye MacCalman + Blue Dust Archive @ Cobalt Studios, Newcastle. 7:00pm.
Thu 08: Dilutey Juice + Ceramic @ The Ampitheatre, Sea Road, South Shields. 7:00pm. Free. A South Tyneside Festival event.
Thu 08: Lara Jones w. Vigilance State @ Lubber Fiend, Blandford Square, Newcastle. 7:00pm.
Thu 08: Michael Littlefield @ the Harbour View, Roker, Sunderland. 8:00pm. Free. Country blues.
Thu 08: Tees Hot Club @ Dorman's Club, Middlesbrough. 9:00pm.

Fri 09: Classic Swing @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm.
Fri 09: New Orleans Preservation Jazz Band @ Oxbridge Hotel, Stockton. 1:00pm. £5.00.
Fri 09: Rendezvous Jazz @ The Monkseaton Arms, Monkseaton. 1:00pm.
Fri 09: Castillo Nuevo @ Revolución de Cuba, Newcastle. 5:30-8:30pm.
Fri 09: Emma Rawicz @ Sage Gateshead. 8:00pm.

Sat 10: Miners' Picnic @ Woodhorn, Ashington. Music inc. Northern Monkey Brass Band (3:00-3:50pm); New York Brass Band (4:00-4:55pm).
Sat 10: Front Porch Three @ The Globe, Newcastle. 7:00pm. Free. Americana, blues, jazz etc.
Sat 10: Merlin Roxby @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 8:00pm. A 'Jar on the Bar' gig.

Sun 11: WORKSHOP: Tim Richards' Jazz Piano Workshop @ JG Windows, Newcastle. Time TBC. Further details tel. 0191 232 1356.
Sun 11: Jeremy McMurray's Pocket Jazz Orchestra @ Ropner Park, Stockton TS18 4EF. 2:00-4:00pm. Free.
Sun 11: Am Jam @ The Globe, Newcastle. 2:30pm. Free.
Sun 11: 4B @ The Exchange, North Shields. 3:00pm.
Sun 11: Groovetrain @ Innisfree Sports & Social Club, Longbenton NE12 8TY. Doors 6:30pm. £15.00 (£7.00. under 16).
Sun 11: Jeffrey Hewer Collective @ The Globe, Newcastle. 8:00pm.

Mon 12: Harmony Brass @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm.

Friday, December 08, 2017

Riviera Quartet @ Empty Shop, Durham - December 7

Pete Tanton (trumpet, flugelhorn & vocals), Mark Williams (guitar), John Pope (double bass) & Russ Morgan (drums)
(Review by Russell)
35c Framwellgate Bridge, Durham. Empty Shop was open for business on a freezing winter’s night. Upon arrival, proprietor Carlo just happened to be at the speakeasy’s door. Many in? enquired your correspondent. Yeah said our welcoming host. At the top of the stairs a ‘hello’ to JP, Mr John Pope. The bar snuggly warm, a Pinot Grigio and a bottle of Pavlov’s Dog the order, MC Tony Eales hadn’t reserved seats…tut tut! 
A few seats were available as Pete Tanton and co prepared to begin their first set. December in Durham, starting with Barbados, of course. Tanton is the Riviera Quartet’s principal composer and a second of the multi-talented ex-pat American’s tunes, a waltz – Turf Warfollowed. Pete Tanton opened on flugelhorn with master guitarist to his left, Mark Williams, ready to craft another amazing solo. (MW doesn’t do anything other than amazing). Tanton said the Rivieras were known for their ‘bossa, blues and bebop’. True enough. What they weren’t known for was Tanton’s vocals! Yes, as the trumpet and flugelhorn player would say during an interval chat he has always thought himself a ‘singer-songwriter’. The multi-talented Pete Tanton! His vocal style? Chet Baker-ish, plaintive, the voice of Johnny Lonely (Tanton’s first novel – Johnny Lonely – is required reading). A surprise, the kind of surprise that makes one exclaim: Well, I never!

Musically, the Riviera Quartet has developed apace. The core ‘bossa, blues and bebop’ remains in place, now with the addition of Tanton’s vocals (!), and, from time to time, the quartet introduced an element of freer improvisation. There is an easy going relationship between the four musicians and at one point during the evening Tanton turned to John Pope to ask how many bands the bassist is currently involved with. JP began to count on his fingers: There’s…and there is…and...then there is… losing count at nine. A few favourites from the pad were given an outing including  The Cat’s Reply and the set closer, Williams’ Booze Blues but this Empty Shop gig will be remembered for an unexpected occurrence, that of Pete Tanton singing. Check out the Riviera Quartet and you could hit lucky in hearing PT singing Lately I’ve Been Lonely or, perhaps, You Don’t Smile Anymore.           
Russell

1 comment :

Patti said...

Geordie jazz nuts don't stay at home because of a few degrees of freezing - not when a band like this has a gig! A fabulous evening of great jazzy numbers, all originals - with one of the top rhythm sections in the land, and front man Pete, sweetly mellow on trumpet and flugelhorn.

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