Total Pageviews

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, September 27, 2018

Jazz at the Village Hall 20th Anniversary @ Springwell Village Community Venue - September 26

Twenty years at one venue. The principals - Dave and Mac Rae - have presented jazz in Springwell during good times and not so good times. Last night was one of the good times. A full house with extra seating requisitioned from an adjoining hall, the house band, led by Dave Rae, played not one, not two, but three sets, the latter featuring several guests 'sitting-in'. 

Down the years, Dave and Mac have kept the New Orleans' flag flying when others, elsewhere, raised the white flag against seemingly insurmountable odds. If you want to hear Crescent City jazz, spirituals and perhaps a blues, then Springwell Village Community Venue, Wednesdays, is the place to be. The Bacons - that's Liz (clarinet) and drummer Paul - are key members of the band, as is tailgater Jim Blenkin. 
Jazz and hymnals in the right hands make for a potent mix; Red Wing and Dr Jazz to ShineWe Shall Walk Through the Streets of the City and Just a Little While to Stay Here to a late night, nine-piece take on Just Over in the Glory Land, this Wednesday evening was a joy from beginning to end. Dave Rae led the ensemble, a classy banjo player, a fine vocalist, restraint the key, never one to hog the limelight. 

The band is all about the New Awlins' ensemble sound. Clarinetist Bacon plays the melody as 'bone man Blenkin weaves in and out of the action, likewise bandleader Rae chips in with an occasional vocal. Paul Bacon's approach encapsulates the art of New Orleans' drumming, his style remarkably minimalist, many a drummer would do well to check out P. Bacon and his engine room buddy Mr. Imperturbable, aka string bass player John Robinson. 

The evening's guests didn't outstay their welcome. Mac Rae first sat-in on trumpet, grabbing a vocal, later to return on drums. Classic Swing's Bob Wade joined the party and those hearing the trumpeter for the first time were more than impressed. And to top it all Wade picked up his liquorice stick making it a two-clarinet frontline with Liz B on Creole Love Call - one of the highlights, no question about it.

A mammoth buffet (see photo) and a multi-prize raffle occupied minds during the interval. Guests continued to arrive and it wasn't long before the second set, followed by a third, got underway. Pete Jezzard, founder member of the Stockton on Tees-based New Orleans Preservation Jazz Band, sat-in. The contrasting styles of Blenkin, Jezzard and the Maine Street Jazzmen's Herbie Hudson made for a fun-filled trombonium. 

Dave Rae switched to a back-seat guitar role upon the arrival of the Vieux Carré Jazzmen's Brian Bennett. Olive Rudd sang Baby Face, Mac Rae (definitely not a baby face!) sang The Alcoholic Blues - another of the evening's high points. It's twenty years not out, the next twenty will fly by, jazz in Springwell is very much alive and kicking!   
Russell.    
Jazz at the Village Hall 20th Anniversary Band: Liz Bacon (clarinet); Jim Blenkin (trombone, vocals); Dave Rae (banjo, guitar, vocals); John Robinson (double bass); Paul Bacon (drums) + Mac Rae (trumpet, drums, vocals); Bob Wade (trumpet, clarinet); Herbie Hudson (trombone, harmonica); Olive Rudd (vocals); Brian Bennett (banjo); Pete Jezzard (trombone).
Picture below is from Dave Rae.     

1 comment :

Dave Rae said...

Russell, thank you very much for your lovely write-up about our 20-year celebration party at Springwell Village Hall.

So many of the old band members no longer with us. Time has passed so quickly, it really is hard to believe!

Kind regards, Dave

Blog Archive