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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 ...

Mon 05: Harmony Brass @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm.

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: 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: 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.

Monday, March 12, 2018

Alter Ego: Darlington Jazz Festival Launch @ The Keys, Darlington - March 11

Keith Robinson (alto sax); Niall Armstrong (tenor sax & flute); Dave Hignett (trumpet & flugelhorn); Andy Hawking (keyboards); Ian Paterson (bass) & David Francis (drums)
(Review by Russell). 
Darlington Jazz Festival goes from strength to strength and this year’s edition, the seventh, has a big name attraction – the ubiquitous Alan Barnes – and a host of top-class musicians from across the northeast region and beyond. Trumpeter Matt Roberts returns once again to participate in his hometown festival, this year playing the music of Kenny Dorham with his promised all-star sextet. When the line-up is confirmed, and here’s a clue, it’s likely to be very similar to last year’s amazing band, it will be standing room only at the Voodoo Café. Al Wood will be involved, similarly, the duo of Emma Fisk and James Birkett, pianist Paul Edis, and Darlington New Orleans Jazz Club will be expecting a full house thanks to American piano virtuoso Jeff Barnhart renewing acquaintance with multi-reedsman John Hallam. All of this is to come over the May bank holiday weekend (Thursday 3rd to Sunday 6th), however, before then there is much more jazz to come over the coming weeks which began with yesterday’s festival launch event featuring Alter Ego.

The Keys on Skinnergate staged the launch day with posters adorning the walls informing those in attendance all about this year’s event. The jazz came courtesy of the bop-inspired sextet Alter Ego. The band made the trip from Tyneside and Tynedale to play two sets to an appreciative crowd. The continued absence of Tony Abell afforded Ian Paterson the opportunity to gig with the band and the bassist acquitted himself with distinction. Blues Marx got things underway with Keith Robinson and Andy Hawking grabbing the first solos of the evening. Get Back In followed, then a new one – Zippit – sounded good with Robinson, alto, and Hawking, keyboards, once again in the spotlight. Mustard Mash has been in the pad a while and it’s always good to hear it. Its composer Niall Armstrong and frontline partner Dave Hignett featured on tenor sax and flugelhorn respectively.

The Jazz Messengers’ much-loved sound, propelled by Art Blakey, is, perhaps, a starting point for Alter Ego. No-nonsense drummer David Francis drove the band with quiet efficiency flanked either side by depping bassist Paterson and amiable pianist Hawking. The absent Tony Abell contributed to the evening as composer with his bandmates playing Llangranog Blues. Occasionally Alter Ego up the tempo and on this Darlington gig they did just that playing Hit and Run. Given an opportunity, Dave Hignett will attempt to blow the roof off and so he did on The Perpetrator, Hawking’s Scriabin Scraps further illustrated the band’s multi-talented complement of composers, and again on a tune of Armstrong’s titled Dog Leap Bounce.

This Darlington Jazz Festival launch event was well worth the effort and those present enjoyed the music – hats off to Alter Ego – and thanks go to Shaune, Danielle, Beth and all involved in making the evening such a success. Darlington Jazz Festival. www.darlingtonjazzfestival.co.uk 
Russell.                                 

1 comment :

Ray said...

with less than 2 months to go, there is very little info on the "Jazz Festival" link !

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