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Bebop Spoken There

Billy Boy Arnold: “As long as you don't think old you're good.” - DownBeat, December, 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!"

Simon Spillett: A lovely review from the dean of jazz bloggers, Lance Liddle...

Postage

16051 (and counting) posts since we started blogging 15 years ago. 1058 of them this year alone and, so far, 12 this month (Dec. 6).

From This Moment On ...

December

Wed 06: Vieux Carré Jazzmen @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Wed 06: Darlington Big Band @ Darlington & Simpson Rolling Mills Social Club, Darlington. 8:00pm. Free. Note later start time, concert performance (open to the public).
Wed 06: Take it to the Bridge @ The Globe, Newcastle. 7:30pm.

Thu 07: Vieux Carré Jazzmen @ The Holystone, Whitley Road, North Tyneside. 1:00pm. Free CANCELLED!
Thu 07: Vieux Carré Hot 4 @ Spanish City, Whitley Bay, Newcastle. 12 noon - 4:00pm. £26.00 (inc 3-course meal in in St Mary's Lighthouse Suite). SOLD OUT!
Thu 07: Gateshead Jazz Appreciation Society @ Gateshead Central Library, Gateshead. 2:30pm. All welcome.
Thu 07: Thursday Night Prayer Meeting @ The Globe, Newcastle. 7:30pm.Donations. Feat. Mark Sanders. CANCELLED!
Thu 07: Indigo Jazz Voices @ The Globe, Newcastle. 7:45pm. £5.00. Downstairs. CANCELLED!
Thu 07: Tees Hot Club: Just Friends @ Dorman’s Club, Middlesbrough. Guest band night w. Richie Emmerson, Ian Bosworth, Dave Archbold, Ron Smith, Mark Hawkins. 9:00pm.

Fri 08: Classic Swing @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm.
Fri 08: New Orleans Preservation Jazz Band @ Oxbridge Hotel, Stockton. 1:00pm. £5.00.
Fri 08: Rendezvous Jazz @ The Monkseaton Arms, Monkseaton. 1:00pm.
Fri 08: Giles Strong Quartet @ The Old Library, Auckland Castle. 1:00pm. £7.00.
Fri 08: Hayley's Little Big Band @ Woodland Village Hall, Bishop Auckland. 7:00pm. £12.00.
Fri 08: Sleep Suppressor + Redwell @ Head of Steam, Neville St., Newcastle. 8:00pm. £10.00. (£8.00. adv); £5.00. student.
Fri 08: Hot Club du Nord @ St Cuthbert's Church, Shadforth, Co. Durham.
Fri 08: Têtes de Pois + Nauta @ Cobalt Studios, Newcastle. 8:00pm. £12.00., £8.00.

Sat 09: Prudhoe Community Band @ Central Station, Newcastle. 10:00am - 12 noon. Charity fundraiser.
Sat 09: Durham Alumni Big Band @ Number One Bar, Skinnergate, Darlington. 1:00pm.
Sat 09: Castillo Nuevo Trio @ Revoluçion de Cuba, Newcastle. 5:30pm. Free.
Sat 09: Hayley's Little Big Band @ Middleton & Todridge Village Hall, Morpeth. 7:30pm. £12.00., £6.00.
Sat 09: Paul Skerritt @ Slaley Hall, Hexham NE47 0BX. 7:30pm. From £42.00.

Sun 10: Musicians Unlimited’s Xmas Party with Zoe Gilby Quartet @ Park Inn, Hartlepool. MU 1:00-3:00pm; Zoë Gilby Quartet 4:00-6:00pm. Tickets: £7.50.
Sun 10: Alan Law, Paul Grainger & Abbie Finn @ Darlington Market, Market Square, Darlington. 1:00pm. Free. A ‘Christmas Market’ outdoor gig. Wrap up warm!
Sun 10: Am Jam @ The Globe, Newcastle. 2:00-4:00pm. Free.
Sun 10: Funk Soul Sista @ Stack, Seaburn. 5:00-7:00pm. Free.
Sun 10: Beth Clarke @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 7:00pm. Free. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig.
Sun 10: Hayley's Little Big Band @ Whittingham Memorial Institute, Alnwick. 7:30pm. £12.00., £10.00.
Sun 10: Tele-Port @ The Globe, Newcastle. 8:00pm. Line-up inc. Zhenya Strigalev.

Mon 11: Harmony Brass @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Mon 11: Interim Final Recitals @ Newcastle University. Details TBC.

Tue 12: Stu Collingwood Organ Trio @ Forum Music Centre, Darlington. 7:00pm. £10.00.

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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