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Bebop Spoken There

Charles McPherson: “Jazz is best heard in intimate places”. (DownBeat, July, 2024).

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...

Josh Weir: I love the writing on bebop spoken here... I think the work you are doing is amazing.

Postage

16611 (and counting) posts since we started blogging 16 years ago. 1504 of them this year alone and, so far, 50 this month (July 23).

From This Moment On ...

July

Sat 27: BBC Proms: BBC Introducing stage @ The Glasshouse, Gateshead. 12 noon. Free. Line-up inc. Nu Groove (2:00pm); Abbie Finn Trio (2:50pm); Dilutey Juice (3:50pm); SwanNek (5:00pm); Rivkala (6:00pm).
Sat 27: Nomade Swing Trio @ Billy Bootlegger’s, Ouseburn, Newcastle. 2:00pm. Free.
Sat 27: Mississippi Dreamboats @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 8:00pm.
Sat 27: Milne-Glendinning Band @ Cafédral, Owengate, Durham. 9:00pm. £9.00. & £6.00. A Durham Fringe Festival event.
Sat 27: Theon Cross + Knats @ The Glasshouse, Gateshead. 10:00pm. £22.00. BBC Proms: BBC Introducing Stage (Sage Two). A late night gig.

Sun 28: Musicians Unlimited @ Jackson’s Wharf, Hartlepool. 1:00pm. Free.
Sun 28: Paul Skerritt @ Hibou Blanc, Newcastle. 2:00pm.
Sun 28: Miss Jean & the Ragtime Rewind Swing Band @ Fonteyn Ballroom, Dunelm House (Durham Students’ Union), Durham. 2:00pm. £9.00. & £6.00. A Durham Fringe Festival event.
Sun 28: More Jam @ The Globe, Newcastle. 2:00pm. Free.
Sun 28: Ruth Lambert Trio @ The Juke Shed, Union Quay, North Shields. 3:00pm. Free.
Sun 28: 4B @ The Ticket Office, Whitley Bay. 3:00pm. Free.
Sun 28: Nomade Swing Trio @ Red Lion, Alnmouth. 4:00pm. Free.
Sun 28: Jazz Jam Sandwich! @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 7:00pm. Free. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig.
Sun 28: Jeffrey Hewer Collective @ The Globe, Newcastle. 8:00pm.
Sun 28: Milne Glendinning Band @ Cafédral, Owengate, Durham. 9:00pm. £9.00. & £6.00. A Durham Fringe Festival event.

Mon 29: Harmony Brass @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.

Tue 30: ???

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

August

Thu 01: Gateshead Jazz Appreciation Society @ Brunswick Methodist Church, Newcastle NE1 7BJ. 2:30pm. £4.00.
Thu 01: Funky Drummer @ The Globe, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free.
Thu 01: Elsadie & the Bobcats @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 8:00pm. Free. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig.

Fri 02: Mainly Two @ The Lit & Phil, Newcastle. 1:00pm. Free (donations). SOLD OUT! Fri 02: Classic Swing @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 02: Rendezvous Jazz @ The Monkseaton Arms. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 02: New Orleans Preservation Jazz Band @ The Oxbridge Hotel, Stockton. 1:00pm. £5.00.
Fri 02: Pete Tanton’s Chet Set @ Saltburn Community Hall. 7:30pm. POSTPONED!

Wednesday, May 23, 2018

Jam Session @ Dun Cow, Jesmond - May 23.

Mark Williams (guitar); Paul Grainger (bass); Russ Morgan (drums) + Kay Usher (violin); Paul Ruddick (alto); Matt MacKellar (drums); Kevin Green (soprano); Pete Gilligan (piano); Dan Garel (alto).
(Review by Lance).
There comes a time in a person's life when he or she realises something special is happening. In music, and jazz in particular, that moment sometimes happens and sometimes it doesn't.
Tonight it happened!
The jam was progressing nicely. Mark Williams, at his most sensitive, got the set underway with I Should Care and all three slugged it out on Solar culminating with a knockout solo from Russ - Solar power indeed!
Kay Usher swung On the Sunny Side of the Street following up with a faster than usual Willow Weep For Me- it worked.
Next to answer the call was Paul Ruddick who blew the socks off  Nature Boy before playing that most challenging of tunes - Body and Soul. He met the challenge full on without a safety net or an iPad for guidance. Spurring him on was Matt MacKellar which is always an incentive. 
A first timer, Kevin Green, entered the lion's den with only a soprano saxophone for protection. Pete Gilligan took up his position at the keyboard ready for battle to commence. Kevin admitted that this was his first ever jam with major-league players and, despite a nervous start, he came through Autumn Leaves unscathed, gaining confidence as he progressed.
He'll be back.
Dan Garel is probably the best of the younger breed of altoists doing the rounds and How Deep is the Ocean? did nothing to dispel that notion.
I began this review by mentioning that something special happened which it did at about 9:45pm.
Stella By Starlight has been worked over so many times that one can ofttimes take it for granted - not tonight though.
It was as if this was the eve of Armageddon. Garel, Gilligan and MacKellar playing above and beyond mere mortals. Grainger holding it all together - why wasn't I recording this? If you weren't there you won't believe me!
In the cold light of morning, I probably won't believe it myself!
To bring us down to earth,  Kay stepped up with Dan for a somewhat confusing My Funny Valentine and the full cast jammed on the Black Orpheus Theme.
Phew!
Lance.
Photos.
PS: Next week - Lindsay Hannon and Bradley Johnston.

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