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Bebop Spoken There

James Brandon Lewis: "Sometimes I'm not thinking about anything other than blowing the paint off the walls, and other times I'm narrating a story about my life." - (DownBeat 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

15516 (and counting) posts since we started blogging 15 years ago. 536 of them this year alone and, so far, 25 this month (June 7).

From This Moment On ...

Sat 10: Miners' Picnic @ Woodhorn, Ashington. Music inc. Northern Monkey Brass Band (3:00-3:50pm); New York Brass Band (4:00-4:55pm).
Sat 10: Jeffrey Hewer @ The Vault, Darlington Covered Market, Darlington. 6:00-8:00pm. Free.
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: Jeremy McMurray's Pocket Jazz Orchestra @ Ropner Park, Stockton TS18 4EF. 2:00-4:00pm. Free.
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.
Sun 11: Jam No. 19 @ Fabio's Bar, Saddler Street, Durham. 8:00pm. Free. All welcome. A Durham University Jazz Society event.

Mon 12: Harmony Brass @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm.

Tue 13: Paul Skerritt @ The Rabbit Hole, Hallgarth St., Durham DH1 3AT. 7:00pm. Paul Skerritt's (solo) weekly residency.
Tue 13: Infusion Trio @ Forum Music Centre, Darlington. 7:30pm.
Tue 13: Alice Grace & Pawel Jedrzejewski @ Black Swan, Newcastle Arts Centre. 8:00pm. £12.00 (£10.00. adv.).

Wed 14: Vieux Carré Jazzmen @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm.
Wed 14: NUJO Final Jazz Jam @ Bar Loco, Newcastle. 6:30pm. Free. Newcastle University Jazz Orchestra's final jam session of the academic year. All welcome.
Wed 14: Darlington Big Band @ Darlington & Simpson Rolling Mills Social Club, Darlington. Rehearsal session (open to the public).
Wed 14: 4B @ The Exchange, North Shields. 7:00pm.
Wed 14: Take it to the Bridge @ The Globe, Newcastle. 7:30pm.

Thu 15: Vieux Carré Jazzmen @ The Holystone, Whitley Road, North Tyneside. 1:00pm. Free.
Thu 15: Gateshead Jazz Appreciation Society @ Gateshead Central Library. 2:30-4:30pm. £2.00. All welcome.
Thu 15: Castillo Nuevo @ Revolución de Cuba, Newcastle. 5:30-8:30pm.
Thu 15: Alexander Ord Trio @ Tynedale Beer & Cider Festival, Tynedale Rugby Club, Corbridge. Evening, time TBC.
Thu 15: Têtes de Pois + Nauta @ Cobalt Studios, Newcastle. Time TBC.
Thu 15: Indigo Jazz Voices @ The Globe, Newcastle. 7:45pm. £5.00.

Fri 16: Sue Ferris Quintet @ Lit & Phil, Newcastle. 1:00pm. SOLD OUT!
Fri 16: Classic Swing @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm.
Fri 16: New Orleans Preservation Jazz Band @ Oxbridge Hotel, Stockton. 1:00pm. £5.00.
Fri 16: Rendezvous Jazz @ The Monkseaton Arms, Monkseaton. 1:00pm.
Fri 16: Stu Collingwood @ Baltic, Gateshead. 7:00pm. £15.75. A Let's Caper event featuring exhibitions, food, music etc.
Fri 16: Steve Beresford-Hannah Marshall-John Butcher @ Lit & Phil, Newcastle. 7:30pm. JNE promotion.
Fri 16: James Taylor Quartet @ Fire Station, Sunderland. 7:30pm.
Fri 16: Customs House Big Band @ Customs House, South Shields. 7:30pm.
Fri 16: Sue Ferris Quintet @ Traveller's Rest, Darlington. 8:00pm.
Fri 16: New Orleans Brass Band @ Billy Bootlegger's, Arch 2, Stepney Bank, Ouseburn, Newcastle. 8:00pm. Free. NOBB directed by Jason Holcomb.

Saturday, April 07, 2018

GIJF Day 1: Tony Allen - A Tribute to Art Blakey; Zara McFarlane; Tiptoe - Sage Gateshead, April 6

Tony Allen (drums); Jean Phil Bary (piano/organ); Mathias Allamane (bass); ? (guitar); Nicolas Giraud (trumpet); Yann Jankieiewicz (tenor).
(Review by Lance/Zara McFarlane photo courtesy of Ken Drew.)
A tribute band can take two approaches: a) they can play the tried and tested hits that the audience recognise and start applauding a few bars in or, b) They attempt to convey the 'feel' of the original whilst putting their own take on the music. This latter approach is the more sensible, you're never going to beat the original - it's impossible - they got there first.
Wisely, Tony Allen took this latter approach looking more towards the later Blakey years rather than the Silver beginnings.
The 78-year-old drummer played a program with a strong ethnic feel to it as befitted a tribute to a man also known as 'Buhaina' and who himself [Allen] was born in Nigeria.
Not the overpowering backseat driver that Blakey was, Allen, nevertheless, kept the other five on their toes.
Particularly impressive were pianist Bary and bassist Allamane. The guitarist, sorry I didn't catch her name, had a good blast but I was disappointed not to hear more from the horns. When they did solo I wanted more but their position at the side of the stage indicated they were there as a section rather than individuals. 
All in all a good start to the weekend.
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Zara McFarlane (vocal); Peter Edwards (piano/synth); Max Luthert (bass); Sam Jones (drums); Binker Golding (tenor).
Zara McFarlane opened this three band bash (Sun Ra Arkestra review later) and it was an excellent start. Zara has good clear diction and a vocal range the envy of many of her contemporaries. A program of originals from her latest album Arise made for a steady, well-balanced set. Apart from the singer's outstanding performance, we had Binker Golding blowing tenor to die for. Binker without Moses may seem like Dec without Ant but both Binker and Moses are great musicians in their own right and, no doubt, they have many more duo gigs ahead. Tonight, however, it was Sam Jones behind the kit and he was awesome. So too was Peter Edwards on piano and synth all ably supported by Max Luthert on bass.
The shouted for and received encore was well-deserved. 
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Tiptoe: Alice Higgins (vocals); Will Blackstone (trumpet); Conall Mulvenna (guitar); Roz MacDonald (bass).
Down on The Concourse, the Jazz North supported 'Northern Line' ensemble Tiptoe served up the aperitif with a tasty selection of songs showcasing four fine musicians from Leeds. Catch them again - they're worth hearing in a more intimate setting.

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