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Bebop Spoken There

Stan Woodward: ''We're part of the British jazz scene, but we don't play London jazz. We play Newcastle jazz. The Knats album represents many things, but most importantly that Newcastle isn't overlooked". (DownBeat, April 2025).

The Things They Say!

This is a good opportunity to say thanks to BSH for their support of the jazz scene in the North East (and beyond) - it's no exaggeration to say that if it wasn't for them many, many fine musicians, bands and projects across a huge cross section of jazz wouldn't be getting reviewed at all, because we're in the "desolate"(!) North. (M & SSBB on F/book 23/12/24)

Postage

17923 (and counting) posts since we started blogging 17 years ago. 244 of them this year alone and, so far, 91 this month (March 31).

From This Moment On ...

MARCH 2025.

Wed 02: Lauren Bush: The Jazz Singer’s Toolkit @ The Pele, Corbridge. 1:00-4:00pm. Vocalist Lauren Bush with pianist Jamil Sheriff presents a jazz singing workshop. £40.00. (inc. evening concert, see below). Registration required for workshop: www.laurenbushjazz.com. All ability levels welcome.
Wed 02: Vieux Carré Jazzmen @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Wed 02: Jason Isaacs @ St. James’ STACK, Newcastle. 2:30-4:30pm. Free. Vocalist Isaacs working with backing tapes.
Wed 02: Lauren Bush & Jamil Sheriff @ The Pele, Corbridge. 7:00-9:00pm. £10.00. Concert performance. Tickets: www.laurenbushjazz.com.
Wed 02: Darlington Big Band @ Darlington & Simpson Rolling Mills Social Club, Darlington. 7:00pm. Free. Rehearsal session (open to the public).
Wed 02: Take it to the Bridge @ The Globe, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free. CANCELLED UNTIL FURTHER NOTICE! See website for updates: www.theglobenewcastle.bar.

Thu 03: Jazz Appreciation North East @ Brunswick Methodist Church, Newcastle NE1 7BJ. 2:00pm. £4.00. Subject: Women in Jazz.
Thu 03: Eva Fox & the Jazz Guys @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 8:00pm. Free. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig.
Thu 03: New ’58 Jazz Collective @ Dorman’s Club, Middlesbrough. 8:30pm. Free. A Tees Hot Club promotion. First Thursday in the month.

Fri 04: Classic Swing @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 04: Rendezvous Jazz @ The Monkseaton Arms. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 04: New Orleans Preservation Jazz Band @ The Oxbridge Hotel, Stockton. 1:00pm. £5.00.
Fri 04: Ruth Lambert Quartet @ Saltburn Community Hall. 7:30pm. £12.00.
Fri 04: Tom McGuire & the Brassholes @ Pilgrim, Newcastle. 7:30pm. £20.00.
Fri 04: Nicolas Meier’s Infinity Group + Spirit of Jeff Beck @ The Forum, Darlington. 7:30pm.

Sat 05: Tenement Jazz Band @ St Augustine’s Parish Centre, Darlington. 12:30pm. £10.00.
Sat 05: Sleep Suppressor @ Head of Steam, Newcastle. 5:30-6:00pm.
Sat 05: King Bees @ Billy Bootlegger’s, Ouseburn, Newcastle. 6:00pm. Free.
Sat 05: Raymond MacDonald & Jer Reid @ Lubber Fiend, Newcastle. 6:00-9:30pm. £7.72., £1.00. (minimum donation). MacDonald & Reid + Objections + Yotuns.
Sat 05: Jeff Hewer Trio @ The Vault, Darlington. 7:00pm. Free.
Sat 05: Kamasi Washington @ The Glasshouse, Gateshead. 7:30pm. £33.00.
Sat 05: Vermont Big Band @ The Seahorse, Whitley Bay. 7:30pm. Tickets: £10.00 (from the venue).
Sat 05: Rendezvous Jazz @ Red Lion, Earsdon. 8:00pm. £3.00.

Sun 06: Smokin’ Spitfires @ The Cluny, Newcastle. 12:45pm. £7.50.
Sun 06: Learning & Participation Showcase @ The Globe, Newcastle. 1:30pm (1:00pm doors). Free. Featuring participants from Play More Jazz! Play More Folk! Blue Jam Singers & more.
Sun 06: Joe Steels Group @ Central Bar, Gateshead. 2:00pm. £10.00. Ferg Kilsby, Joe Steels, Ben Lawrence, Paul Susans, John Hirst.
Sun 06: Paul Skerritt @ Hibou Blanc, Newcastle. 2:00pm. Free. Vocalist Skerritt working with backing tapes.
Sun 06: Paul Skerritt @ The Hooch, Quayside, Newcastle. 6:00pm.
Sun 06: Leeway @ The Globe, Newcastle. 8:00pm.

Mon 07: Harmony Brass @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.

Tue 08: ???

Reviewers wanted

Whilst BSH attempts to cover as many gigs, festivals and albums as possible, to make the site even more comprehensive we need more 'boots on the ground' to cover the albums seeking review - a large percentage of which never get heard - report on gigs or just to air your views on anything jazz related. Interested? then please get in touch. Contact details are on the blog. Look forward to hearing from you. Lance

Tuesday, October 02, 2018

Simon Says - updated.


(With the Parliamentary Jazz Awards now only 2 weeks away I've flagged up this previous post by top tenor saxist Simon Spillett, himself a former APPJAG award winner, on the off chance that any of the MPs who have yet to cast their vote may not have read the post and the related comments - Lance)
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In the teen years of the 21st Century, a hundred years since jazz exploded into international prominence, attempting to capture the music's sprawling, constantly expanding reaches - more diverse now than ever - is a little like attempting to contain an ocean in a sieve. However, there is one blog that, in my opinion, undertakes this daunting task far better than any other: Bebop Spoken Here. Don't be misled by the title: although it flags up where its founder Lance Liddle's musical heart is at, this is by no means some retro-focused chronicle of faded glories. In fact, BSH puts an unmistakable capital C into comprehensive, so wide is its artistic vision. 
Local heroes and legends alike all cross its pages. Indeed, its coverage ranges from the most intimate of parochial gigs around the UK's North East, often highlighting the work of exciting young musicians long before they've reached greater prominence, onwards and upwards to what's happening at the international cutting edge.

Jazz Blogs are now part of the music's landscape, yet I can think of none that is run more enthusiastically, with less prejudice, or with equal openmindedness than BSH. From neophyte Millennials through to the most venerable of veteran listeners, it truly has something for every kind of jazz fan. It provokes, prompts and postulates, but above all, it does the one thing which all writing on jazz must surely do to be seen as a genuine success: it makes the reader listen to the music. Small wonder it's found itself accorded a Parliamentary Jazz Awards nomination. Congratulations to Lance and all those who support his inestimably valuable efforts. 

Simon Spillett
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See also: http://lance-bebopspokenhere.blogspot.com/2018/09/top-of-bops.html

6 comments :

Mike Jamieson said...

Have read Simon Spillett's praise for Bebop Spoken Here and it's spot on. I have always admired the way Lance, Russell and the team write their very well-written reviews so astonishingly rapidly.
Mike Jamieson
(Newcastle Evening Chronicle jazz columnist for 25 years).

Jo Harrop said...

Absolutely agree with Simon & Mike here - Team Bebop's hard-working dedication to all things jazz, the live music, the players, countless gigs attended & in-depth reviews, etc, is a great contribution to the music scene & well deserves this nomination. Thank you to Lance, Russell & co for their constant years of support & devotion to jazz media services, and to us players!! Jo Harrop (Singer)

Eileen Howard said...

Bebop's influence extends far beyond the UK and covers artists and music around the world. As a New York (and now Atlanta) jazz artist, I have appreciated both being reviewed and reading reviews and information about other artists and music. Lance and team do a terrific job of not only promoting a fabulous genre of music, but doing it in a way that is amusing and interesting.

Daryl Sherman said...

Whenever I feel a need to connect to my jazz friends in UK (more often these days than ever!) the first place I go to is BEBOP SPOKEN HERE. The sense of community and variety of music covered in this blog makes me feel part of something very special and relevant. I'm also most grateful to Lance (my Knight in Shining Armour) for reviewing my appearances and recordings through these years. His understanding of how each individual artist ticks is keen and sensitively articulated.Just as fortunate is to have Lance's energy in the audience cheering you on.No one could be any more devoted to this music and the people who create it. Long may Bebop be Spoken Here and blog on!! - Daryl Sherman - singer-pianist,NYC (USA)

Simon Spillett said...

Echoing my own words here! Wishing you the very best for the awards Lance.
P.S....I've never been a PJA winner (or nominee!). Thought I'd better clear up that confusion.
Simon Spillett

Lance said...

Maybe not, but, there have been 'a few' other awards!The tenor saxophone category of the British Jazz Awards (2011), Jazz Journal magazine's Critic's Choice CD of the Year (2009) Rising Star in the BBC Jazz Awards (2007) and most recently the Services to British Jazz in the 2016 British Jazz Awards.

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