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Bebop Spoken There

George "Big Nick" Nicholas: "This band [George Adams-Don Pullen Quartet] is a bitch on roller skates, baby. They'll run you over if you ain't ready" (JazzTimes April, 2022)

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! --

Postage

14250 (and counting) posts since we started blogging 14 years ago. 469 of them this year alone and, so far, 69 this month (May 19).

From This Moment On ...

May.

Wed 25: Vieux Carré Jazzmen @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm.
Wed 25: Darlington Big Band @ Darlington & Simpson Rolling Mills Club, Darlington. 7:00pm. Rehearsal session (open to the public).
Wed 25: Four @ The Exchange, North Shields. 7:00pm.
Wed 25: Take it to the Bridge @ The Globe, Newcastle. 7:30pm.

Thu 26: Vieux Carré Jazzmen @ The Holystone, North Tyneside. 1:00pm.
Thu 26: Deep Pope + Garner & Pope @ Cobalt Studios, Newcastle. 7:00pm. £7.00.
Thu 26: 58 Jazz Collective @ Hops & Cheese, Hartlepool. 7:30pm.
Thu 26: Knats @ Hoochie Coochie, Newcastle. 8:00pm.
Thu 26: Jeremy McMurray & the Pocket Orchestra @ Arc, Stockton. 8:00pm.
Thu 26: Maine Street Jazzmen @ Sunniside Social Club, Gateshead. 8:30pm.
Thu 26: Tees Hot Club @ Dorman’s Club, Middlesbrough. 9:00pm.

Fri 27: Alice Grace Quartet @ The Gala, Durham. 1:00pm.
Fri 27: Classic Swing @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm.
Fri 27: New Orleans Preservation Jazz Band @ Oxbridge Hotel, Stockton. 1:00pm.
Fri 27: Rendezvous Jazz @ The Monkseaton Arms, Monkseaton. 1:00pm.
Fri 27: Fergus McCreadie Trio @ The Witham, Barnard Castle. 7:30pm.

Sat 28: Whitley Bay Carnival: Northern Monkey Brass Band (1:00-1:45pm & 4:00-4:45pm); Baghdaddies (2:00-2:45pm & 5:00-5:45pm) @ Spanish City Plaza Arena, Whitley Bay. Northern Monkey Brass Band (2:30-2:45pm) @ Rainbow Corner (Marine Ave.), Whitley Bay.
Sat 28: Jack Logan & the Swing Section @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 8:00pm.

Sun 29 Vieux Carré Hot 4 @ Spanish City, Whitley Bay. 12 noon.
Sun 29: Musicians Unlimited @ Hartlepool United Supporters’ Club, Hartlepool. 1:00pm.
Sun 29: Foundry Jazz Ensemble @ The Exchange, North Shields. 3:00pm.
Sun 29: Groovetrain @ Tyne Bar, Newcastle. 4:00pm. Free.
Sun 29: Zoë Gilby Quartet @ Allendale Village Hall, Northumberland. 7:30pm.
Sun 29: Two of a Mind: Sue Ferris-Steve Summers Quartet @ The Globe, Newcastle. 8:00pm. £10.00 adv., £12.00. door.
Sun 29: Cedric Burnside @ Cluny, Newcastle. Superb Mississippi hill country blues!

Mon 30: Jazz in the Afternoon @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm.

Tue 31: Jam session @ Black Swan, Newcastle. 7:30pm. House trio: Stu Collingwood, Paul Grainger, Rob Walker.

Tuesday, May 29, 2018

Pete Gilligan Trio @ the Prohibition Bar / Left Hand Lewis @ Wardley Hotel - May 28

Pete Gilligan (piano); Paul Grainger (bass); Russ Morgan (drums).
(Review by Lance/photos by Russell)
There's a scene in the movie adaptation of Hemingway's Snows of Kilimanjaro where Benny Carter plays Blue Mountain in a dimly-lit bar*. Set in the 1930s I'm always reminded of that scene when I enter the Prohibition Bar, particularly on a jazz evening. Last night was no exception and although Benny Carter was missing, along with Ava Gardner and Gregory Peck, the presence of the Pete Gilligan Trio retained the Hemingway-like ambiance.
Since his departure to foreign climes (see the previous post) pianist Gilligan's playing seems to have reached an even higher level going by his recent performances here and at other venues around town. It must be the Thai cuisine or the fact that the country once had a king who played the saxophone. Whatever, he played his ass off, to coin a phrase. 

Grainger too seems to raise his already impressive game when Pete's on piano whilst Russ Morgan and fellow kitmen Matt MacKellar and Eric Stutt also never fail to deliver.
From the opening Whisper Not to the closing (for me that is) Witchcraft the evening flew past in a cascade of notes. Swinging and sensitive. The known and the not so well known. The good, but never the bad or the ugly.
Oliver Nelson's The Meeting; Weaver of Dreams (had there been a request from Glasgow?); Our Spanish Love Song (Charlie Haden); On the Sunny Side of the Street; Alec Wilder's Moon and Sand; Bouncing With Bud; Tenderly; Take the A Train; Opus de Funk and Old Folks were the other tunes I heard. Even without Benny Carter, Ava Gardner and Gregory Peck. Ernest Hemingway's presence was still felt.

(Meanwhile, earlier)
Left Hand Lewis (piano/vocal) @ The Wardley Hotel, Bill Quay.
Hemingway's presence hadn't reached the Wardley Hotel some 3 or 4 miles down river where Left Hand Lewis was rockin' and rollin' in the best tradition of his namesake Jerry Lee. The bank holiday drinkers were up for it as LHL pounded the keyboard into near submission and gave his vocal chords a workout as the patrons boogied and woogied.
I liked the words on one of the reveller's tee-shirt: "I may be old but I've seen all the good bands". A sentiment I'd go along with although we'd probably be at odds as to who the good bands were!
Nevertheless, an entertaining start to the evening.
Lance
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