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Bebop Spoken There

Branford Marsalis: "As ignorance often forces us to do, you make a generalisation about a musician based on one specific record or one moment in time." - (Jazzwise 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

15491 (and counting) posts since we started blogging 15 years ago. 512 of them this year alone and, so far, 133 this month (May 31).

From This Moment On ...

June

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.
Sun 04: Jam No. 18 @ Fabio's Bar, Saddler Street, Durham. 8:00pm. Free. All welcome. A Durham University Jazz Society event.

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

Tue 06: Paul Skerritt @ The Rabbit Hole, Hallgarth St., Durham DH1 3AT. 7:00pm. Paul Skerritt's (solo) weekly residency.
Tue 06: Jam session @ Black Swan, Newcastle Arts Centre. 7:30pm. House trio: Stu Collingwood (piano); Paul Grainger (double bass); Sid White (drums).

Wed 07: Vieux Carré Jazzmen @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm.
Wed 07: Darlington Big Band @ Darlington & Simpson Rolling Mills Social Club, Darlington. 7:00pm. Rehearsal session (open to the public).
Wed 07: 4B @ The Exchange, North Shields. 7:00pm.
Wed 07: Take it to the Bridge @ The Globe, Newcastle. 7:30pm.

Thu 08: Vieux Carré Jazzmen @ The Holystone, Whitley Road, North Tyneside. 1:00pm. Free. CANCELLED! BACK ON JUNE 15.
Thu 08: Easington Colliery Brass Band @ The Lubetkin Theatre, Peterlee. 7:00pm. £10.00.
Thu 08: Faye MacCalman + Blue Dust Archive @ Cobalt Studios, Newcastle. 7:00pm.
Thu 08: Dilutey Juice + Ceramic @ The Ampitheatre, Sea Road, South Shields. 7:00pm. Free. A South Tyneside Festival event.
Thu 08: Lara Jones w. Vigilance State @ Lubber Fiend, Blandford Square, Newcastle. 7:00pm.
Thu 08: Michael Littlefield @ the Harbour View, Roker, Sunderland. 8:00pm. Free. Country blues.
Thu 08: Tees Hot Club @ Dorman's Club, Middlesbrough. 9:00pm.

Fri 09: Classic Swing @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm.
Fri 09: New Orleans Preservation Jazz Band @ Oxbridge Hotel, Stockton. 1:00pm. £5.00.
Fri 09: Rendezvous Jazz @ The Monkseaton Arms, Monkseaton. 1:00pm.
Fri 09: Castillo Nuevo @ Revolución de Cuba, Newcastle. 5:30-8:30pm.
Fri 09: Emma Rawicz @ Sage Gateshead. 8:00pm.

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.

Friday, May 25, 2018

Stu Collingwood Trio @ The Fire Station, Sunderland - May 24

Stu Collingwood (piano); Andy Champion (bass); Russ Morgan (drums).
(Review by Lance/Photos courtesy of Russell).
A good acquaintance of mine remarked that he thought I was too fulsome with my praise when writing reviews. As this was from a person whose opinion I respect, I gave the matter some thought and came to the conclusion that he was right!
However, by way of explanation, I'll admit that when I like something or somebody I'm not afraid to show it. On the other hand, if I don't like something or somebody, I just keep my big mouth shut. After all, this isn't God speaking and all criticism is 99% subjective anyway. My friend mentioned jam session reviews which is a different kettle of fish altogether. Often some of the participants are relatively new to the game and speaking as one who knows the 1000 deaths a person can go through before plucking up the courage to play or sing (or even draw the raffle!) the last thing I want to do is quench their enthusiasm (the legend of Charlie Parker and the cymbal incident with Jo Jones springs to mind*). 
Constructive criticism? Well-meaning words but, in practice, not always seen that way by the recipient. Also, I think most musicians know whether they've played well or not without being told.
So, after all that, we come to tonight's inaugural jam session at the Fire Station in Sunderland. Now no longer a quencher of fires, this splendid addition to Sunderland's cultural scene which features guitarist Bradley Johnston on the last Sunday in the month (next one this coming Sunday, May 27), decided to have a weekly Jazz Jam similar to the fortnightly jams at the Jazz Café and the Globe in Newcastle, the Dun Cow in Jesmond and the weekly term time ones in Durham.
The house trio was magnificent (honestly, I speaketh true) but, sadly, the jammers stayed away. Possibly the approaching bank holiday weekend may have had an effect on this. Let's hope that next week sees some action.
Not that the evening was a total loss - far from it - how could it be with such a formidable threesome?
Stu appeared to be working alphabetically through the GASbook so we had: A Beautiful Friendship; But Beautiful; Beautiful Love; Caravan; Eleanor Rigby and Embraceable You in the first set.
The alphabet pie finished, the second set opened with If I Were a Bell; Fire Station Blues; Someday My Prince Will Come; Take Five (a request); 'Round Midnight (another request); On Green Dolphin Street and, finally, Moonglow which the couple with me voted the best number of the night - I didn't argue albeit it was a tough call!
The trio are back next Thursday so bring your axe along to the Fire Station (it's next to Sunderland Empire.)
Lance
* Read about the incident here.

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