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Bebop Spoken There

Ambrose Akinmusire: “ I am certainly always aware of what the masses are doing. And when I see too many people going one way, I'm going another way - even when I don't know what's over that way". DownBeat, March, 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

16287 (and counting) posts since we started blogging 16 years ago. 169 of them this year alone and, so far, 41 this month (Mar 18).

From This Moment On ...

March

Tue 19: Jam session @ The Black Swan, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free. House trio: Michael Young, Paul Grainger, Tim Johnston.

Wed 20: Vieux Carré Jazzmen @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Wed 20: Darlington Big Band @ Darlington & Simpson Rolling Mills Social Club, Darlington. 7:00pm. Free. Rehearsal session (open to the public).
Wed 20: Take it to the Bridge @ The Globe, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free.

Thu 21: Vieux Carré Jazzmen @ The Holystone, Whitley Road, North Tyneside. 1:00pm. Free.
Thu 21: Castillo Neuvo Trio + Conor Emery & His ‘Bones Band @ The Grove, Ouseburn, Newcastle. 7:30pm (7:00pm doors). £10.00. (£7.00. student).
Thu 21: Remi Banklyn + Chris Corcoran Trio @ The Globe, Newcastle. 8:00pm. £12.50. Chicago blues. An International Guitar Foundation promotion.
Thu 21: Merlin Roxby @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 8:00pm. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig. Ragtime piano.
Thu 21: Tees Hot Club @ Dorman’s Club, Middlesbrough. 8:30pm.

Fri 22: Vasilis Xenopoulos & Paul Edis @ The Gala, Durham. 1:00pm. £8.00. SOLD OUT!
Fri 22: Classic Swing @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 22: Rendezvous Jazz @ The Monkseaton Arms. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 22: New Orleans Preservation Jazz Band @ The Oxbridge Hotel, Stockton. 1:00pm. £5.00.
Fri 22: Nauta + Remy CB + Last Orders @ Hoochie Coochie, Newcastle. 8:30pm (7:30pm doors). Free.
Fri 22: Vasilis Xenopoulos-Paul Edis Quartet @ Traveller’s Rest, Darlington. 8:00pm. £15.00. Opus 4 Jazz Club.
Fri 22: Redwell @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 8:00pm. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig.

Sat 23: Jambone @ The Glasshouse, Gateshead. 6:30pm. Free (ticketed). End of term performance in the Northern Rock Foundation Hall.
Sat 23: Milne-Glendinning Band @ The Vault, Darlington. 7:00pm. Free.
Sat 23: Red Kites Jazz @ Rowlands Gill Community Centre NE39 1JB. 7:00pm. Tickets: £12.00. (gibsidecommunityfarm@gmail.com). A ‘Build a Barn’ fundraiser. BYOB, tea/coffee available.
Sat 23: New Century Ragtime Orchestra @ Gosforth Civic Theatre, Newcastle. 7:30pm. £20.00. + bf (book in person at venue - no booking fee!). Featuring pianist Martin Litton.
Sat 23: Pete Tanton’s Cuba Libre @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 8:00pm. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig.

Sun 24: Musicians Unlimited @ Park Inn, Hartlepool. 1:00pm. Free.
Sun 24: More Jam @ The Globe, Newcastle. 2:30pm. Free.
Sun 24: Luis Verde @ Queen’s Hall, Hexham. 3:00pm. Verde (alto sax); Joe Steels (guitar); John Pope (double bass); John Hirst (drums). Alto sax brilliance!
Sun 24: Elsie Franklin @ The Globe, Newcastle. 3:00pm. £10.00. Country blues. An International Guitar Foundation promotion.
Sun 24: 4B @ The Ticket Office, Whitley Bay Metro Station. 3:00pm. Free.
Sun 24: Las Vegas Live with the Rat Pack @ The Forum, Billingham.
Sun 24: Ian Millar & Dominic Spencer @ Otterburn Memorial Hall. 7:30pm. £12.00.
Sun 24: Lindsay Hannon: Tom Waits for No Man @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 7:00pm. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig. Note start time - 7:00pm.
Sun 24: Bold Big Band @ The Globe, Newcastle. 8:00pm.

Mon 25: Harmony Brass @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Mon 25: Michael Young Trio @ The Engine Room, Sunderland. 6:30pm. Free.

Thursday, May 03, 2018

Remi Harris Trio @ The Jazz Café, Newcastle - May 2

Remi Harris (guitars,  ukulele); Caley Groves (rhythm guitar); Mike Green (double bass)
(Review by Russell)
Some eagerly anticipated gigs meet or exceed expectations and this first Newcastle appearance by Remi Harris ticked every box. Guitarist Harris arrived in good time with rhythm guitarist Caley Groves, bassist Mike Green and tour manager Dani Harris. The trio set up, sound checked, then, perhaps, went for a wander. Whatever their pre-gig routine they were on the premises in time for the first of two sets beginning at eight o’clock.
The upstairs room of the Jazz Café on Pink Lane proved the ideal space; Remi’s array of guitars (see photos) sparkled under the stage lights as the trio relaxed on sofas (Caley and Mike), Remi preferring a basic chair and, perhaps tellingly, with guitar in hand. One imagines that our guitarist from rural Worcestershire is rarely without one of his guitars. Is he a guitar obsessive? Probably! This would go some way in explaining the remarkable talent of a young man who appeared to be rather shy and for the first twenty minutes or so Harris let his guitar do the talking for him.
 
Introductions would follow but for now, the music spoke; a few bars of All the Things You Are then into Can’t Buy Me Love. Harris is known as a ‘Hot Cub’ or ‘gypsy jazz’ guitarist, yet there is more, much more to him than that. Yes, Django is a key figure, as is Wes Montgomery, and a mean low down blues is in Harris’ locker, as is a ukulele! Caravan’s double swing time sections – Caley and Mike were all over it – showcased the trio’s near-telepathic understanding, scarcely a glance such was the trust between them. Remi conjured – it was as if by magic – an amazing intro to Pennies from Heaven and, as we were to discover, he has a penchant for a fleeting quote, on this number Percy Grainger’s Country Gardens. The Meters’ Cissy Strut worked well alongside Nature Boy (the latter featuring one of many fine solos from accomplished bassist Mike Green) as Remi switched from his beautiful Maccaferri (obtained from a luthier in Cumbria, rhythm guitarist Caley acquired his own equally fine Maccaferri in Paris) to powder blue Strat to a twelve string to a Les Paul for a Peter Green homage playing Need Your Love So Bad.

From time to time Harris utilised a pedal board to good effect yet it was his sheer virtuosity which transfixed an attentive audience. The setlist was in the heads of all three musicians, a written setlist wasn’t required and the breadth of material was no doubt designed to maintain interest – their interest and that of the audience. More from the Fab Four – Here, There and Everywhere – and a quite amazing ukulele/double bass rendition of All of Me and as the evening progressed the main man opened up to the audience talking about his many guitars (the Jazz Café resembled a guitar shop…home from home for Remi as he used to work in one!) and the development of his chosen instrument. Remi name-checked French guitarist Dorado Schmitt suggesting he was an important bridge between Django’s era and the many Hot Club guitarists of today. Fittingly the Remi Harris Trio played Bossa Dorado.
There was so much brilliant guitar playing; Freddie King, a fleeting quote from early Led Zeppelin, Wes Montgomery (tellingly Remi said he would take Wes to his desert island) and of course there was Django Reinhardt. Tyneside has waited a long time to hear Remi Harris, let’s hope he returns
before long.                       
Russell

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