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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 ...

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: Miners' Picnic @ Woodhorn, Ashington. Music inc. Northern Monkey Brass Band (3:00-3:50pm); New York Brass Band (4:00-4:55pm).
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.

Sun 11: WORKSHOP: Tim Richards' Jazz Piano Workshop @ JG Windows, Newcastle. Time TBC. Further details tel. 0191 232 1356.
Sun 11: Jeremy McMurray's Pocket Jazz Orchestra @ Ropner Park, Stockton TS18 4EF. 2:00-4:00pm. Free.
Sun 11: Am Jam @ The Globe, Newcastle. 2:30pm. Free.
Sun 11: 4B @ The Exchange, North Shields. 3:00pm.
Sun 11: Groovetrain @ Innisfree Sports & Social Club, Longbenton NE12 8TY. Doors 6:30pm. £15.00 (£7.00. under 16).
Sun 11: Jeffrey Hewer Collective @ The Globe, Newcastle. 8:00pm.

Mon 12: Harmony Brass @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm.

Wednesday, June 13, 2018

Newcastle University Summer Music Festival - Battle of the Bands @ The Dun Cow, Jesmond - June 12

Jimmy Jefford (tenor/MD); Mercedes Phillips (alto/soprano); David Johnson (alto); Ben Chinery, Danny Wilson, Elliott Todd (trumpet/flugel); Simon Hirst, Bertie Marks, Alex Utting (trombones); Ben Richardson (piano); Luke Gaul (guitar); Hugh ? (bass guitar); Harry Still (drums).
(Review by Lance/Photos by Russell).
Bloody, Bold and Resolute -The Bold Big Band are well-named. Not for them the Li'l Darlin's and Moonlight Serenades that some larger ensembles offer by way of contrast. The BBB's idea of contrast is to play ff instead of fff. No satin slippers, they put the boot in with a vengeance which makes them, even in a slightly diluted form (only 3 saxes), a force to be reckoned with.
A rhythm section to die for and soloists who could hold their own anywhere. Couple this with a contemporary repertoire from such as Pat Metheny, Gordon Goodwin, Chuck Mangione, Herbie Hancock and Horace Silver and you have the recipe for a well-cooked meal.
And cookin' they certainly were. MD Jefford leading from the front with solos that cried out - "Follow that!" Nobody quite did although Elliott Todd, Bertie Marks (or was it Alex Utting on Watermelon Man?), Ben Richardson and bass guitarist Hugh wotshisname? ran him close. Luke Gaul excelled on guitar just as he had done on bass guitar with Italics in the previous set whilst Harry Still is still something else on drums. Mercedes Phillips had a tantalisingly brief solo suggesting there was more to come from her in the future.
This storming set was the finale of what was described as "Battle of the Bands". It wasn't a battle as such as I don't think there were any adjudicators around but, if there had been I think that the Bold Big Band would have won by a unanimous decision.  
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Prior to the BBB we had a set by Italics, a small group, most of whom were also in the big band, fronted by singer Ada Francis.
Ada Francis (vocal); Jimmy Jefford (tenor/alto); Ben Richardson (piano); Luke Gaul (bass guitar); Harry Still (drums).
Ms. Francis is yet another jazz singer to grace the scene. If they all got together for a photoshoot, St James' Park wouldn't be big enough. Yes, there's a lot of them about, however, Ada has a head start as she's from the Ruth Lambert stable and Ruth only produces Derby winners (metaphorically speaking).
It Don't Mean a Thing; Nature Boy and that most poignant of ballads, You've Changed, simply oozed with class - Your kisses now are so blasé, your bored with me in every way - The emotional content was delivered so effectively that it had me wondering which misguided guy had changed!
Ada took a break whilst the band played Giant Steps and Sugar. Two jazz standards by John Coltrane and Stanley Turrentine, respectively. That JJ could choose them never mind play them so well is an indication of his ever-blossoming ability. He's on his way! Luke Gaul is no mug either - what am I saying? The only mugs tonight were pint-sized and full of Doom Bar ale (not a self-reference!)
Ada's final number was, paradoxically, Quiet Nights (Corcovado). The one thing you don't get at a student gathering are quiet nights and, sad to say, tonight was no exception the cool vocal drowned by the end of term bonhomie erupting from the bar area.
The final instrumental was an eastern flavoured piece by one Dhafer Youssef - Odd Elegy. Russell asked me to guess the time signature - I couldn't - it was more complex than Brexit. This didn't phase Harry Still who never missed a beat - perhaps we should send him to Brussels...
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Petite Bouche opened the show which is part of Newcastle University's Summer Music Festival.
Megan Savage (vocals); Charlie Isaac (trumpet); Russel Sim (keys); George Comber (bass); Charlie Gordon (guitar); Zach Okonwke (drums).
A more traditonal based outfit, their repertoire included a balladic take on The Sheik of Araby, Je T'aime, L-O-V-E, I Gotta Woman (!), I'm Confessin' and Basin St. Blues all sung by Megan Savage who has a pleasing, period style, voice perfectly suited to the material in hand. Solos all round with perhaps the most impressive coming from drummer Zach particularly on the fast instrumental samba Brazil. Undoubtedly the band is a work in progress and one worth monitoring in future.
Lance.

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