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Bebop Spoken There

Raymond Chandler: “ I was walking the floor and listening to Khatchaturian working in a tractor factory. He called it a violin concerto. I called it a loose fan belt and the hell with it ". The Long Goodbye, Penguin 1959.

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

16350 (and counting) posts since we started blogging 16 years ago. 230 of them this year alone and, so far, 27 this month (April 11).

From This Moment On ...

April

Fri 19: Cia Tomasso @ The Lit & Phil, Newcastle. 1:00pm. ‘Cia Tomasso sings Billie Holiday’. SOLD OUT!
Fri 19: Classic Swing @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 19: Rendezvous Jazz @ The Monkseaton Arms. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 19: New Orleans Preservation Jazz Band @ The Oxbridge Hotel, Stockton. 1:00pm. £5.00.
Fri 19: Tweed River Jazz Band @ The Radio Rooms, Berwick. 7:00pm (doors). £5.00.
Fri 19: Lindsay Hannon: Tom Waits for No Man @ Seventeen Nineteen, Hendon, Sunderland. 7:30pm.
Fri 19: Levitation Orchestra + Nauta @ Cluny 2, Newcastle. 7:30pm (doors). £11.00.
Fri 19: Strictly Smokin’ Big Band @ The Witham, Barnard Castle. 8:00pm. ‘Ella & Ellington’.

Sat 20: Record Store Day…at a store near you!
Sat 20: Bright Street Band @ Washington Arts Centre. 6:30pm. Swing dance taster session (6:30pm) followed by Bright Street Big Band (7:30pm). £12.00.
Sat 20: Michael Woods @ Victoria Tunnel, Ouseburn, Newcastle. 7:00pm. Acoustic blues.
Sat 20: Rendezvous Jazz @ St Andrew’s Church, Monkseaton. 7:30pm. £10.00. (inc. a drink on arrival).

Sun 21: Jamie Toms Quartet @ Queen’s Hall, Hexham. 3:00pm.
Sun 21: 4B @ The Ticket Office, Whitley Bay Metro Station. 3:00pm. Free.
Sun 21: Lindsay Hannon: Tom Waits for No Man @ Holy Grale, Durham. 5:00pm.
Sun 21: The Jazz Defenders @ Cluny 2. Doors 6:00pm. £15.00.
Sun 21: Edgar Rubenis @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 7:00pm. Free. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig. Blues & ragtime guitar.
Sun 21: Tweed River Jazz Band @ Barrels Ale House, Berwick. 7:00pm. Free.
Sun 21: Art Themen with the Dean Stockdale Trio @ The Globe, Newcastle. 8:00pm. £10.00. +bf. JNE. SOLD OUT!

Mon 22: Harmony Brass @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.

Tue 23: Vieux Carre Hot 4 @ Victoria & Albert Inn, Seaton Delaval. 12:30-3:30pm. £12.00. ‘St George’s Day Afternoon Tea’. Gig with ‘Lashings of Victoria Sponge Cake, along with sandwiches & scones’.
Tue 23: Jalen Ngonda @ Newcastle University Students’ Union. POSTPONED!

Wed 24: Vieux Carré Jazzmen @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Wed 24: Darlington Big Band @ Darlington & Simpson Rolling Mills Social Club, Darlington. 7:00pm. Free. Rehearsal session (open to the public).
Wed 24: Sinatra: Raw @ Darlington Hippodrome. 7:30pm. Richard Shelton.
Wed 24: Take it to the Bridge @ The Globe, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free.
Wed 24: Death Trap @ Theatre Royal, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Rambert Dance Co. Two pieces inc. Goat (inspired by the music of Nina Simone) with on-stage musicians.

Thu 25: Vieux Carré Jazzmen @ The Holystone, Whitley Road, North Tyneside. 1:00pm. Free.
Thu 25: Jim Jams @ King’s Hall, Newcastle University. 1:15pm. Jim Jams’ funk collective.
Thu 25: Gateshead Jazz Appreciation Society @ Gateshead Central Library, Gateshead. 2:30pm.
Thu 25: Death Trap @ Theatre Royal, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Rambert Dance Co. Two pieces inc. Goat (inspired by the music of Nina Simone) with on-stage musicians.
Thu 25: Jeremy McMurray & the Pocket Jazz Orchestra @ Arc, Stockton. 8:00pm.
Thu 25: Kate O’Neill, Alan Law & Paul Grainger @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 8:00pm. Free. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig.
Thu 25: Tees Hot Club @ Dorman’s Club, Middlesbrough. 8:30pm. Guests: Richie Emmerson (tenor sax); Neil Brodie (trumpet); Adrian Beadnell (bass); Garry Hadfield (keys).

Wednesday, June 27, 2018

66th Annual DownBeat Critics Poll.

The digital version of the August edition of DownBeat arrived on my virtual doormat yesterday (June 26) - if only the horse racing papers could publish this far in advance or the bookies take bets on the 66th Annual DownBeat Critics Poll.
The forthcoming publication lists the results in detail with a few of the favourites coming in and some (in my eyes) rank outsiders.
Benny Golson made it to The Hall of Fame with John McLaughlin finishing fast in fourth place ahead of such thoroughbreds as Jon Hendricks, Shirley Horn and Pharoah Sanders with Mel Tormé bringing up the rear. Marian McPartland got in via the back door or, to be more precise, The Veterans Committee.
Cécile McLorin Salvant picked up the Jazz Album of the Year for Dreams and Daggers as well as being numero uno in the Female Vocalist Stakes where, incidentally, Sheila Jordan finished strongly in third place, the two being separated by Lizz Wright.  As expected, the Male Vocalist was fought out between Kurt Elling and Gregory Porter with the former finishing 57 votes ahead. Jamie Cullum, the only British artist among the crooners managed 29 votes. Tony Bennett scored 65 with Curtis Stigers unplaced.
John Surman placed midfield among the baritones but Sonny Rollins didn't show among the tenors.
Mary Halvorson scored for a guitar gong with McLaughlin running on in sixth alongside John Scofield.
In the Rising Star section, Greg Abate was placed third among the altos trailing Caroline Davis and Darius Jones and Ingrid Laubrock picked up the tenor tiara.
Karen Sharp was mentioned in dispatches amongst the ascending baritone saxists, Shabaka Hutchings just missed out to Matana Roberts in the clarinets and Gareth Lockrane made the top 16 on flute.
Kit Downes came fourth on keys, third on organ but missed out altogether on piano.
Our favourite guitarist from Chicago, Andy Brown showed up with 25 votes - wait till next year!
Among the vibists, Jim Hart came in fourth three places ahead of Corey Mwamba and Ian Shaw will be delighted to know that he's now a Rising Star Jazz Vocalist after his third place this year.
These, of course, are just some of the results and, needless to say, there are anomalies such as in the clarinet result. Does Anat Cohen really deserve to get almost as many votes as those of Ken Peplowski, Eddie Daniels, Don Byron, Ben Goldberg and Paquito D'Rivera put together?
Nevertheless, although not to be taken too seriously, the polls are always a good talking point whether it be for Prime Minister, President, Sports Person of the Year or Record Label of the Year (ECM).
Complete results can be read when August issue appears at a newsagent near you.
Lance.
PS: Almost forgot to mention that Django Bates gets a shout in the Keyboard section.

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