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Bebop Spoken There

David Hadju: "It was kind of a lightning bolt [seeing a photo of a hi-fi store that's now occupied by a phone store]. Everyone had hi-fi systems, now everyone has a phone" - (DownBeat May 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

15478 (and counting) posts since we started blogging 15 years ago. 499 of them this year alone and, so far, 120 this month (May 27).

From This Moment On ...

May 2023

Tue 30: Paul Skerritt @ The Rabbit Hole, Hallgarth St., Durham DH1 3AT. 7:00pm. Paul Skerritt's (solo) weekly residency.
Tue 30: Big Chris Barber Band @ Whitley Bay Playhouse. 7:30pm.

Wed 31: Vieux Carré Jazzmen @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm.
Wed 31: Darlington Big Band @ Darlington & Simpson Rolling Mills Social Club, Darlington. 7:00pm. Rehearsal session (open to the public).
Wed 31: 4B @ The Exchange, North Shields. 7:00pm.
Wed 31: Take it to the Bridge @ The Globe, Newcastle. 7:30pm.

June
Thu 01: Vieux Carré Jazzmen @ The Holystone, Whitley Road, North Tyneside. 1:00pm. Free.
Thu 01: Thursday Night Prayer Meeting @ The Globe, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Donations.
Thu 01: Merlin Roxby @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 8:00pm. Ragtime piano. A 'Jar on the Bar' gig.
Thu 01: Jake Leg Jug Band @ The Globe, Newcastle. 8:00pm.
Thu 01: Tees Hot Club @ Dorman's Club, Middlesbrough. 9:00pm.

Fri 02: Classic Swing @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm.
Fri 02: New Orleans Preservation Jazz Band @ Oxbridge Hotel, Stockton. 1:00pm. £5.00.
Fri 02: Rendezvous Jazz @ The Monkseaton Arms, Monkseaton. 1:00pm.
Fri 02: Joseph Carville Trio @ Saltburn Community Hall. 7:30pm.
Fri 02: Claire Martin & Her Trio @ The Witham, Barnard Castle. 7:30pm. £25.00., £20.00. Feat. Jim Mullen, Alex Garnett & Jeremy Brown.
Fri 02: Guy Davis + Michael Littlefield & Scott Taylor @ Cluny 2, Newcastle. Doors 7:30pm. Blues double bill.
Fri 02: Anders Ingram @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 8:00pm. Blind Pig Blues Club. Country blues. A 'Jar on the Bar' gig.

Sat 03: Newcastle Record Fair @ Northumbria University, Newcastle NE8 8SB. 10:00am-3:00pm. Admission: £2.00.
Sat 03: Pedigree Jazz Band @ St Augustine's Parish Centre, Darlington. 12:30pm.
Sat 03: Play Jazz! workshop @ The Globe, Newcastle. 1:30pm. Tutor: Sue Ferris. £25.00. Enrol at: www.jazz.coop.
Sat 03: Abbie Finn Trio @ The Vault, Darlington. 6:00pm. Free.
Sat 03: Rendezvous Jazz @ Red Lion, Earsdon. 8:00pm. £3.00.
Sat 03: Papa G's Troves @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 8:00pm. A 'Jar on the Bar' gig.

Sun 04: Smokin' Spitfires @ The Cluny, Newcastle. 12:45pm.
Sun 04: Central Bar Quintet @ Central Bar, Gateshead. 2:00-4:00pm. £5.00. The Central Bar Quintet plays Sonny Rollins' Saxophone Colossus. Featuring Lewis Watson.
Sun 04: 4B @ The Exchange, North Shields. 3:00pm.
Sun 04: Struggle Buggy + Michael Littlefield @ Tyne Bar, Newcastle. 4:00pm. Free. Acoustic blues.
Sun 04: Swinging at the Cotton Club: Harry Strutters' Hot Rhythm Orchestra @ The Fire Station, Sunderland. 7:30pm.
Sun 04: Richard Jones Trio @ The Globe, Newcastle. 8:00pm.

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

Monday, March 12, 2018

Bold Big Band @ Dun Cow, Jesmond - March 11

(Review by Lance)
Well named! This young band of, predominantly, students from Newcastle University are certainly bold. You could also add brash and belting but not balladic. They don't do subtle, putting the boot in is their chosen forté; not surprising given that the pad contains a lot of Buddy Rich and Gordon Goodwin numbers. The audience of future Prime Ministers, captains of industry and Harley St., surgeons wouldn't want it any other way and, as the evening drew to a close, the space in front of the band was awash with gyrating bodies and not all of them were students. It says much for drummer Harry Still that he didn't allow the shadow of Buddy Rich to phase him and his drive contributed much to the excitement generated by the band that led to the terpsichorean workout.
Leader Jimmy Jefford is undoubtedly a saxophonist whose star is in the ascendancy. Complete control of his instrument (tenor) and a well-organised leader. His solo on Watermelon Man had the mercury bubbling over.
Alexis Cairns blew impressive tenor on Dancing Man and Mercedes Phillips on lead alto also blew well on Big Swing Face and Spain. Her soprano solo on Sing, Sang, Sung really wailed. Most of the trumpet solos were by Elliott Todd to whom range seems no obstacle.
In one of the more melodic moments, Alex Utting had a nice bass trombone feature on Wave and Bertie Marks had a blast on the aforementioned Dancing Man.
The rhythm section were as sound - or maybe even sounder in today's climate - as a pound with Ben Richardson well featured on keys as was Luke Gaul on guitar. Gaul also took over on bass guitar when Osiyemi stepped up to the plate for his vocals. After a somewhat hesitant beginning, the singer's confidence grew and, as the night progressed, he was firing on all cylinders.
The performance area at the Dun Cow is compact but, like most jazz venues these days, gives the audience the feeling that they are part of it unlike sitting in Row X of a concert hall and reaching for your binoculars. Although I was on Coca Cola (driving) I couldn't resist torturing myself by looking at the choice of real ales available...ah maybe next time and I'm sure there will be a next time...
Lance.

Info re personnel and setlists courtesy of Jimmy Jefford and Alexis Cairns.
Mercedes Phillips, David Johnson, Jimmy Jefford, Alexis Cairns, Lucy Miller (saxes); Oli Presland, Danny Wilson, Elliott Todd, Ben Chinery (trumpets); David Gray, Simon Hirst, Bertie Marks, Alex Utting (trombones); Ben Richardson (keys); Luke Gaul (guitar/bass guitar); Ifede Osiyemi (bass guitar and vocals); Harry Still (drums).

Set 1:
Big Swing Face (Ben Richardson, keys; Mercedes Phillips, alto sax)
Wave (Alex Utting, trombone)
Nutville (Jimmy Jefford, tenor sax; Elliott Todd, trumpet; Harry Still, drums)
See the World (Luke Gaul, guitar)
Ain't Misbehavin' (Ifede Osiyemi, vocals)
The Lady is a Tramp (Ifede Osiyemi, vocals)

Set 2:
Spain (Elliott Todd, trumpet; Ben Richardson, keys; Mercedes Phillips, alto sax)
Dancing Men (Alexis Cairns, tenor sax; Bertie Marks, trombone)
The Way You Look Tonight (Ifede Osiyemi, vocals)
L.O.V.E. (Ifede Osiyemi)
Children of Sanchez (Elliott Todd, trumpet; Luke Gaul, guitar)
Count Bubba (Ben Richardson, keys)

Set 3:
Sing Sang Sung (Mercedes Phillips, soprano sax)
Pick up the Pieces (David Johnson, alto sax; Ben Richardson, keys; Jimmy Jefford, tenor sax)
Mack the Knife (Ifede Osiyemi, vocals)
Come Fly With Me (Ifede Osiyemi, vocals)
Watermelon Man (Jimmy Jefford, tenor sax)
The Jazz Police (Jimmy Jefford, tenor sax; Luke Gaul, guitar)

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