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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

15229 (and counting) posts since we started blogging 15 years ago. 248 of them this year alone and, so far, 61 this month (March 20).

From This Moment On ...

March

Wed 22: Vieux Carré Jazzmen @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm.
Wed 22: Darlington Big Band @ Traveller's Rest, Cockerton. 7:00pm. Rehearsal session (open to the public). Note change of venue - CANCELLED CEILING COLLAPSED!
Wed 22: 4B @ The Exchange, North Shields. 7:00pm.
Wed 22: Take it to the Bridge @ The Globe, Newcastle. 7:30pm.

Thu 23: Vieux Carré Jazzmen @ The Holystone, Whitley Road, North Tyneside. 4:00-6:00pm. Free.
Thu 23: NUJO Jazz Jam @ Bar Loco, Newcasatle. From 6:30pm 'til late. Free. Newcastle University Jazz Orchestra jam session. All welcome (students & non-students).
Thu 23: Kerrin Tatman + John Garner & John Pope @ Cobalt Studios, Newcastle. 7:00pm.
Thu 23: Sunna Gunnlaugs & Julia Hülsmann @ Sage Gateshead. 8:00pm. A two-piano gig. A Sage Gateshead-JNE promotion.
Thu 23: Merlin Roxby @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 8:00pm. Ragtime piano.
Thu 23: Sleep Suppressor @ The Globe, Newcastle. 8:00pm. £10.00., £8.00. adv. Upstairs.
Thu 23: Tees Hot Club @ Dorman's Club, Middlesbrough. 9:00pm.

Fri 24: Classic Swing @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm.
Fri 24: New Orleans Preservation Jazz Band @ Oxbridge Hotel, Stockton. 1:00pm. £5.00.
Fri 24: Rendezvous Jazz @ The Monkseaton Arms, Monkseaton. 1:00pm.
Fri 24: FILM: Mo' Better Blues @ Forum Cinema, Hexham. 7:00pm.
Fri 24: Ian Millar & Dominic Spencer @ Scarth Hall, Staindrop, Co. Durham. 8:00pm. £10.00.
Fri 24: Archipelago + Bulbils @ Cobalt Studios, Newcastle. 7:00pm.

Sat 25: Vermont Big Band @ Walker Community Centre, Walker, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Fundraiser for Benfield Juniours Football Club. Hot food available, BYOB.
Sat 25: John Logan & Friends @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 8:00pm. Rat Pack, Motown etc. 8:00pm. Free (donations).

Sun 26: Musicians Unlimited @ Park Inn, Hartlepool. 1:00pm.
Sun 26: More Jam @ The Globe, Newcastle. 3:00pm. Free.
Sun 26: 4B @ The Exchange, North Shields. 3:00pm.
Sun 26: Outlines @ The Globe, Newcastle. 8:00pm. JNE promotion (upstairs).

Mon 27: Harmony Brass @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm.

Tue 28: Paul Skerritt @ The Rabbit Hole, Hallgarth St., Durham DH1 3AT. 7:00pm. Paul Skerritt's (solo) weekly residency.
Tue 28: Sanaz Lavasani Trio @ Black Swan, Newcastle Arts Centre. 8:00pm. £12.00 (£10.00. adv).

Wednesday, February 21, 2018

Alto Summit @ Jazz Café Jam Session - February 20

(Review by Lance).
If the keyword tonight had been sex as opposed to sax then this wouldn't have been a jam session but a bacchanalian orgy. As it was, with 4 altos and 2 tenors strutting their stuff it was certainly an evening of musical hedonism for both players and listeners.
It all began quite sedately with the house trio, this week with Stu Collingwood at the helm, gently swinging through A Foggy Day and Masquerade. The temperature rose with the arrival of Ray Johnson all the way from Northallerton. This may seem a distance but, as he previously commuted from Rothbury, probably an easier trip thanks to Richard Branson.
Ray was on flugel tonight and the mellow-toned instrument did justice to Pennies From Heaven and likewise, an edgier take on Stanley Turrentine's Sugar.
Debra Milne is never one to take the easy way out and our girl met the challenge of vocalising Coltrane's Equinox head on - the gal's got guts!
By now the room was alive as the student population descended.
Ben Richardson spelled Stu on piano, Abbie Finn gave Paul a break on drums and George Sykes set the pace on tenor with There Will Never be Another You. So far so good but when Dan Garel (the first of the altos) joined him we knew this really was a jam session. Kenny Burrell's Chitlins Con Carne the test piece. (Photo by Russell)
To describe Garel's playing as 'fluent' is like describing Usain Bolt as a 'jogger'. Garel fairly soared through the changes at almost twice the speed of light. Wisely, Sykes didn't try to outrun him but, instead, concentrated on content culminating with a bass and tenor exchange that levelled the score.
Ben Richardson separated the protagonists with a fine solo whilst Abbie Finn had a few explosions of her own to keep the boys on their toes. Needless to say, John Pope played a blinder all night despite there being no bass players in the house to give him a break.
Garel stayed aboard for Days of Wine and Roses. Ray Johnson returned along with tenorist Simon Probyn and Tom Hogg on drums.
Dan and Tom stepped down for Adam Stapleford, of the contemporary jazz group Taupe at the kit.
It Don't Mean a Thing proved that Adam has studied jazz past, present and future. He fitted in.
The delightful Inês Gonçalves from Portugal (photo by Russell), in the company of guitarist Peter, played Spain! It was one of those jam session moments when nobody quite knew when to stop - all good fun!
It had been a while since alto player number 2, Jordan Alfonso, showed at the Caff. He excelled on Take the A Train and held his own with alto number 3, Jimmy Jefford, on Beautiful Love. Paul Wight took the honours, however, with an amazing solo on brushes.
Inês returned, this time to sing Corcovado. Alto number 4, Tom Dixon joined the gang for this popular (with Portuguese singers) bossa nova.
The evening was drawing to a close but there was still time for Joel Brown to capture the piano stool for Autumn Leaves.
Final number, I'm told, was Mercy, Mercy, Mercy! but, by this time, I was on the platform waiting for the Metro.
Another killer jam at the Jazz Café.
Photos.
Lance.
PS: Because of the abundance of pianists we didn't hear as much of Stu Collingwood as many of us would have wished. However, needless to say, when he was playing he did the business as one would expect from such a classy player.
Stu Collingwood (piano); John Pope (bass); Paul Wight (drums) + Ray Johnson (flugel); Debra Milne (vocal); Ben Richardson (piano); George Sykes (tenor); Abbie Finn (drums); Dan Garel (alto); Simon Probyn (tenor); Tom Hogg (drums); Adam Stapleford (drums); Inês Gonçalves (piano & vocals); Peter ? (guitar); Jordan Alfonso (alto); Jimmy Jefford (alto); Tom Dixon (alto); Joel Brown (piano).

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