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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

15245 (and counting) posts since we started blogging 15 years ago. 264 of them this year alone and, so far, 77 this month (March 25).

From This Moment On ...

March

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.
Mar 26: Pop Jazz @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 8:00pm. 'Jazzified' tunes by the likes of Sylvester, Bowie, the Monkees etc., feat. Alan Law, David Gray, Richard Herdman & Jude Murphy.
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).

Wed 29: Vieux Carré Jazzmen @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm.
Wed 29: Darlington Big Band @ Darlington & Simpson Rolling Mills Social Club, Darlington. 7:00pm. Rehearsal session (open to the public).
Wed 29: 4B @ The Exchange, North Shields. 7:00pm.
Wed 29: Take it to the Bridge @ The Globe, Newcastle. 7:30pm.

Thu 30: Gateshead Jazz Appreciation Society @ Gateshead Central Library. 2:30-4:30pm. £2.00. All welcome.
Thu 30: Vieux Carré Jazzmen @ The Holystone, Whitley Road, North Tyneside. Back to 1:00pm stomp off. Free.
Thu 30: '58 Jazz Collective @ Hops & Cheese, Hartlepool. 7:30pm. Free.
Thu 30: Lindsay Hannon: Tom Waits for No Man @ Harbour View, Sunderland. 8:00pm.
Thu 30: Tees Hot Club @ Dorman's Club, Middlesbrough. 9:00pm.

Fri 31: Lewis Watson Quartet @ Bishop Auckland Town Hall. 1:00pm. SOLD OUT!
Fri 31: Classic Swing @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm.
Fri 31: New Orleans Preservation Jazz Band @ Oxbridge Hotel, Stockton. 1:00pm. £5.00.
Fri 31: Rendezvous Jazz @ The Monkseaton Arms, Monkseaton. 1:00pm. CANCELLED! Back next week (April 7).
Fri 31: Jasmine Myra + Waclaw Zimpel @ Cobalt Studios, Newcastle. 7:00pm.
Fri 31: The Revolutionaires @ The Shack, Boldon Colliery. 7:30pm. £10.00. The Revolutionaires' big band (horn section) line-up.
Fri 31: Andrew McCormack @ Maltings, Berwick. 8:00pm. £20.00.

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: Hot Club du Nord @ Pleased to Meet You, Bridge St., Morpeth. 8:00pm. £79.00. A charity fundraising event.
Sat 01: Boys of Brass @ Stack, Seaburn. 7:00-9:00pm.
Sat 01: Rendezvous Jazz @ Red Lion, Earsdon. 8:00pm. £3.00. RESCHEDULED to next week (Sat 08).

Thursday, February 08, 2018

RIP Bill Brooks.

During my recent hospital stay I received the following sad news from Gordon Solomon:

Just a bit of sad news. Bill Brooks passed away last night (February 2). I can only describe Bill as a Gentleman of Jazz, he never spoke ill of anyone, regardless of the situation he found himself in. He was a fine bass player and possessed that much sought after quality - the ability to swing. He was also a good guitar player, indeed he started playing jazz as a guitarist before switching to bass when he was offered the position with the Vieux Carre Jazzmen in 1961. He joined the River City band in 1978 and played with them until a few years ago when his increasing problems with dementia forced him to retire. Bill spent his last years in a nursing home. He was a good friend and will be sadly missed.
Gordon.
True words, Gordon, Bill was indeed a fine fellow and an excellent bassist. In the photo, he is playing at the Breda Jazz Festival in Holland circa 1980/1.
Sadly missed by all who knew him.
The funeral is on Tuesday, February 20 at Mountsett Crematorium, Dipton, nr. Stanley.

5 comments :

Brian Bennett said...

It hadn't occurred to me before, but it's true that Bill "never spoke ill of anyone". Also, I can't recall him ever using a profanity. Noble qualities which few of us live up to. Bill Brooks - a great guy and a terrific string bass player - it was a privilege to know him and play alongside him. RIP.

Anonymous said...

Very sad to hear of the passing of Bill Brooks. A real gent and a very fine player of the double bass. R.I.P
Raymond Newton Double Bass player

Steve Andrews said...

I was very sorry to hear of Bill's death. He and I played together in different bands - mostly the Vieux Carre - right through the '70's. He was a cheerful, funny man, and a great bass-player for that time, especially after he took lessons from Albert Collins to improve his (self-taught?) technique. I got to know him quite well when we both played in a rather good "hybrid" band called the Gateway/Panama Jazzband in 1974/75, in Hexham at the Beaumont Hotel and other gigs from Haltwhistle to Carlisle (including a memorable night with George Chisholm, who turned out to be a superb pianist!). Gordon Solomon was on trombone and Joe McMullon on Cornet - I took over the gig from Stan Martin - with Micky Potts on piano and Albert Holliday on drums. Bill had an Escort van, full of his work gear, and the neck of his bass used to come through the middle of the two front seats. One night, coming back from Carlisle or somewhere, on the military road just coming down the hill towards Chollerford, Bill fell asleep at the wheel, just before a corner. I shouted and he frantically turned left and hit the brakes and the neck of the bass shot sideways and forwards straight through the steering wheel so he couldn't steer the van! Thank God we stopped before hitting anything or going off the road. He stayed awake after that! He was a fully qualified explosives expert, too - but that's another story........

Anonymous said...

Sad to hear of Bill's passing. He was a lovely person who was a solid bass player with great time and drive. Rhythm sections with Bill on bass were always very good rhythm sections. As has been mentioned he was a great guitar enthusiast, very keen on Django style playing. He told me too about his work at the pit (I think Greenside) where he had responsibility for the use of explosives.
Roly

CCJAZZMEN said...

I was so sad to hear the news about Bill, great musician and a lovely person, an saw Bill & Dad many times at the Corner House and with various bands over the years. The big surprise for me was when Bill and I think his sister, Heather ?? came out to Hong Kong to see me at Ned Kelly's back in 2004. What a surprise and such a wonderful memory to hold. RIP.

Colin Aitchison
Hong Kong


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