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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 ...

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.

Tue 13: Paul Skerritt @ The Rabbit Hole, Hallgarth St., Durham DH1 3AT. 7:00pm. Paul Skerritt's (solo) weekly residency.
Tue 13: Infusion Trio @ Forum Music Centre, Darlington. 7:30pm.
Tue 13: Alice Grace & Pawel Jedrzejewski @ Black Swan, Newcastle Arts Centre. 8:00pm. £12.00 (£10.00. adv.).

Saturday, February 10, 2018

Ada Francis & the Italic Quartet @ North Terrace, Newcastle - Feb 3

Ada Francis (vocals); Jimmy Jefford (tenor saxophone); Ben Richardson (piano), Luke Gaul (bass) & Harry Still (drums)
(Review by Russell) 
North Terrace in Spital Tongues is within walking distance of Newcastle city centre and on the doorstep for hundreds of students. Recently reopened following a makeover the pub is once more keen to offer musicians a platform. Upon arrival, the upstairs room was already busy with animated, loud chatter filling the air. They – predominately students – were there to hear Ada Francis.

Ada Francis and the Italic Quartet is/are a Newcastle University-based student band featuring Ada Francis singing a wide-ranging selection of standards supported by the Italics. The Italics comprise Jimmy Jefford, tenor saxophone, Ben Richardson, keyboards, Luke Gaul, bass and drummer Harry Still. Several familiar faces on the stand (Jefford runs the Bold Big Band) this was a first opportunity to hear Francis. Fly Me to the Moon, This Masquerade, so, this was to be the fayre. Initially, volume levels didn’t help our vocalist – the instrumentalists a little too loud and/or Francis a little too low in the mix. However, drummer Harry Still switching to brushes on You’ve Changed heard Ms Francis to best effect. More, please!

Autumn in Paris, with Francis sitting out, afforded the band the luxury of stretching out with Jefford commanding on tenor as Still engaged in a round of fours, seated bassist Luke Gaul impressed on a Latin-infused It Don’t Mean a Thing and pianist Richardson did everything, and more, required of him.

Francis continued to impress, not least first singing the verse to Someone to Watch Over Me. This was good stuff although, students being students, the audience (by now it was standing room only) made it difficult to hear our vocalist – shush! Cry Me a River, Agua de Beber, a brisk Summertime with Jefford flying and again on Giant Steps, North Terrace was the place to be. Our oh-so-noisy bright young things fell silent as Francis, with impeccable accompaniment from bassist Gaul, sang My Funny Valentine. Spine-tingling, absolutely fabulous! Our bright young things applauded long and hard.


Nature Boy flew, Over the Rainbow sambaed and Chick Corea’s 500 Miles High, with Francis’ vocals, concluded an enjoyable evening of straight ahead jazz. Ada Francis and the Italic Quartet can be heard fortnightly Thursdays at Las Iguanas on Grey Street, Newcastle
Russell                        

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