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Bebop Spoken There

Simon Spillett: “ Bebop and hard bop came naturally to him [Tubby Hayes]". Morning Star, March 28, 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

Fri 29: FILM: Soul @ The Forum Cinema, Hexham. 12:30pm. Jazz-themed film animation.
Fri 29: Classic Swing @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 29: Rendezvous Jazz @ The Monkseaton Arms. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 29: New Orleans Preservation Jazz Band @ The Oxbridge Hotel, Stockton. 1:00pm. £5.00.
Fri 29: Abbie Finn Trio @ The Vault, Darlington. 6:00pm. Free. POSTPONED!
Fri 29: Thundercat @ Newcastle City Hall.
Fri 29: John Logan @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 8:00pm. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig.
Fri 29: True Colours @ Barrels Ale House, Berwick. 9:00pm. Blues, jazz & swing.

Sat 30: Papa G’s Troves @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 8:00pm. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig.
Sat 30: Pete Tanton’s Cuba Libre @ Whitley Bay Library, York Road, Whitley Bay. 8:00pm.

Sun 31: 4B @ The Ticket Office, Whitley Bay Metro Station. 3:00pm. Free.
Sun 31: Ruth Lambert Trio @ Juke Shed, Union Quay, North Shields NE30 1HJ. 3:00pm. Free. Lambert, Alan Law & Paul Grainger.
Sun 31: Sid Jacobs & Tom Remon @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 7:00pm. Free. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig. USA/London jazz guitar duo.
Sun 31: Bellavana @ The Globe, Newcastle. 8:00pm.

April
Mon 01: Harmony Brass @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Mon 01: Ray Stubbs R&B All Stars @ Billy Bootlegger’s, Ouseburn, Newcastle. 3:00pm. Free.

Tue 02: Jam session @ The Black Swan, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free. House trio: Dean Stockdale, Paul Grainger, Abbie Finn.

Wed 03: Vieux Carré Jazzmen @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Wed 03: Darlington Big Band @ Darlington & Simpson Rolling Mills Social Club, Darlington. 7:00pm. Free. Rehearsal session (open to the public).
Wed 03: Take it to the Bridge @ The Globe, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free.

Thu 04: FILM: Soul @ Forum Cinema, Hexham. 2:00pm. Jazz-themed film animation.
Thu 04: Vieux Carré Jazzmen @ The Holystone, Whitley Road, North Tyneside. 1:00pm. Free.
Thu 04: Funky Drummer @ The Globe, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free.
Thu 04: Eva Fox & the Jazz Guys @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 8:00pm. Free. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig.
Thu 04: Tees Hot Club @ Dorman’s Club, Middlesbrough. 8:30pm.

Wednesday, July 25, 2018

Paul Skerritt & James Harrison @ The Jazz Café - July 24

Paul Skerritt (vocals); James Harrison (pianos).
(Review by Lance/Photos courtesy of Mike Tilley).
I'm never quite sure how to categorise this dynamic duo. Individually, they are at the top of their game, but, together, it can sometimes be a little over the top. Fortunately, tonight the balance was just about right. Sure there was the tomfoolery and the shenanigans but there was also the cool vocals and the hard-swinging piano. 
The material ranged from gassers to more contemporary songs delivered in the manner of Postmodern Jukebox. Not many singers can do a Gregory Porter song without coming in a distant second but Paul ran the great man close on Take me to the Alley. The Jazz Café does have a nearby alley but no one took up the option.
The opener, Swingin' Down the Jazz Café, told us that the, soon to be, father of twins had put some thought into the gig and the lyrics were, again, appropriate.
Hooray For Love; It's Only a Paper Moon; Sit Right Down and Write Myself a Letter kept the ball rolling as did The Way You Look Tonight - has there ever been a better line than 'Keep that breathless charm'? I go weak at the knees each time I hear it (don't ask!).
L-O-V-E sang in Pizzeria Italian was linguistically impressive as was Puttin' on the Ritz (sung in chip shop Englishalthough James' piano solo could have caused it to be retitled Puttin' on the Jazz Café.
As ever, our young piano man was in an impish mood and the quotes abounded. Sister Sadie being slotted in whenever he felt the need for Sadie to be slotted.
Goody Goody; All About the Bass; Misty and Get Lucky saw out the first set and the room seemed to exude a rosy glow which turned out to be the low-key 'stage lighting'.
Harry Connick Jr.'s Come By Me; American Boy (Girl); Pennies From Heaven (James couldn't resist a few drops of Singin' in the Rain); Take That's Could it be Magic?; Michael Jackson's The Way You Make Me Feel; Black and Gold; Shake It Up, with a stride/ragtime interlude from 'Fingers',; Is You is or is you Ain't my Baby?; Bruno Mars provided some Uptown Funk whilst Paul himself gave Larry Hart's Lady is a Tramp a gender change before reverting to the original lyric at tempo de lick.
After he'd attended a Tony Bennett concert in Manchester earlier this year, it wasn't surprising that he left his hat, sorry, his Heart in San Francisco before winding up the evening with Let the Good Times Roll indeed the evening wound up with the duo rolling on the floor still singing and playing - good times? Most certainly!
Two incredibly good performers who know how to put on a show. Sometimes it's spontaneous, sometimes it's choreographed and sometimes it's both but, irrespective, it works. They appear at Marsden Jazz Festival later this year - the audience can expect to expect the unexpected.
Lance.

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