Bebop Spoken There

Christian McBride: ''I believe we are living in a historically embarrassing moment in American history.'' - Downbeat December 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

18035 (and counting) posts since we started blogging 17 years ago. 999 of them this year alone and, so far, 13 this month (Dec. 7).

From This Moment On ...

DECEMBER 2025

Sun 14: Musicians Unlimited + Darlington Big Band @ West Hartlepool RFC. 12 noon-6:00pm. £9.00. Musicians Unlimited’s Xmas Party. SOLD OUT!
Sun 14: Am Jam @ The Globe, Newcastle. 2:00pm. Free.
Sun 14: Paul Skerritt @ Hibou Blanc, Newcastle. 2:00pm. Skerritt w. backing tapes.
Sun 14: 4B @ The Ticket Office, Whitley Bay. 3:00pm. Free.
Sun 14: Alexia Gardner Quintet @ The White Room, Stanley. 6:30pm. £15.18 (inc. bf).
Sun 14: Paul Skerritt @ The Black Candle, South Shields. 6:30pm. Skerritt w. backing tapes.
Sun 14: Sean Noonan Trio @ The Globe, Newcastle. 8:00pm. JNE.

Mon 15: Harmony Brass @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.

Tue 16: Paul Skerritt @ Chakh Dhoom, Jesmond, Newcastle. 7:00pm. Indian restaurant. Skerritt w. backing tapes.
Tue 16: A Jazzy Xmas @ Queen’s Hall, Hexham. 7:30pm. Paul Edis (MD, piano); Jo Harrop (vocals); Kyran Matthews (tenor sax, soprano sax); Faye Thompson (alto sax, clarinet); Sue Ferris (flute, piccolo); Graham Hardy (trumpet, flugelhorn); Jason Holcomb (trombone);Emma Fisk (violin); Andy Champion (double bass); Matt MacKellar (drums).
Tue 16: Jam session @ The Black Swan, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free. House trio: Stu Collingwood, Paul Grainger, Tim Johnston.

Wed 17: Vieux Carré Jazzmen @ Spanish City, Whitley Bay. 12 noon. £29.00 (inc. bf). ‘Festive Lunch’. VCJ on stage 2:00-4:00pm.
Wed 17: Lazy River Band @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free. Veronica Perrin, Chris Perrin, John Farragher, Phil Rutherford
Wed 17: Darlington Big Band @ Darlington & Simpson Rolling Mills Social Club, Darlington. 7:00pm. Free. Rehearsal session (open to the public).
Wed 17: Paul Skerritt @ Middlesbrough Town Hall. 7:00pm. Skerritt w. backing tapes.
Wed 17: A Jazzy Xmas @ Fire Station, Sunderland. 7:30pm. Paul Edis (MD, piano); Jo Harrop (vocals); Kyran Matthews (tenor sax, soprano sax); Faye Thompson (alto sax, clarinet); Sue Ferris (flute, piccolo); Graham Hardy (trumpet, flugelhorn); Jason Holcomb (trombone);Emma Fisk (violin); Andy Champion (double bass); Matt MacKellar (drums).
Wed 17: Take it to the Bridge @ The Globe, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free.

Thu 18: Paul Skerritt @ YOLO, Ponteland. 7:00pm. ‘Swing & Jazz Night’. Skerritt w. backing tapes.
Thu 18: Joe Steels & Friends @ The Pele, Corbridge. 7:30pm. Free (donations).

Fri 19: Fraser Urquhart @ The Lit & Phil, Newcastle. 1:00pm. £8.00. 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: Castillo Nuevo @ Hotel Gotham, Newcastle. 5:00pm. Free. .
Fri 19: Alexia Gardner @ FIKA Art Gallery, Morpeth. 6:30pm. Gardner, Alan Law, Jude Murphy..
Fri 19: Paul Skerritt @ Middlesbrough Town Hall. 7:00pm. Skerritt w. backing tapes. .
Fri 19: Giles Strong Quartet @ Sunderland Minster. 7:30pm. Old Black Cat Jazz Club..
Fri 19: Creakin’ Bones & the Xmas Dinners @ The White Room, Stanley. 7:45pm. £13.01 (inc. bf)..
Fri 19: Mark Toomey Quintet @ The Traveller’s Rest, Darlington. 8:00pm. Opus 4 Jazz Club.

Sat 20: Jazz Attack @ The Glasshouse, Gateshead. 11:00am. Free.
Sat 20: Alexia Gardner @ FIKA Art Gallery, Morpeth. 6:30pm. Gardner, Alan Law, Jude Murphy. SOLD OUT!
Sat 20: Joseph Carville Trio @ The Vault, Darlington. 7:00pm. Free. CANCELLED!
Sat 20: Ray Stubbs R&B All Stars @ Billy Bootleggers, Ouseburn, Newcastle. 7:00pm. Free.
Sat 20: Hoodoo Blues @ The Globe, Newcastle. 7:15pm (doors). £14.25, £11.55. Dance class, social dancing, live music & Xmas Party. Live music from 9:00pm - Ruth Lambert, Giles Strong, Ian Paterson & John Bradford (jazz and blues).
Sat 20: John Pope Quintet @ Blank Studios, Newcastle. 7:30-8:30pm. £7.70 (inc. bf). Album recording session.

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

Thursday, September 13, 2018

Top of the Bops? 2018 All Party Parliamentary Jazz Awards Nominations Announced

(The All Party Parliamentary Jazz Appreciation Group have announced their 2018 nominations and Bebop Spoken Here is nominated in the Media category - WOO HOO!)
Press release

The nominations have today been announced for the 2018 Parliamentary Jazz Awards, Britain’s premier awards for the jazz loving public and fans of the music from both Houses of Parliament.
The nominees include a broad array of jazz talent from the UK jazz scene.

Supported by PizzaExpress Live  the award categories reflect the ever-increasing scope of talent from within the UK’s jazz scene: Jazz Vocalist of the Year; Jazz Instrumentalist of the Year; Jazz Album of the Year; Jazz Ensemble of the Year; Jazz Newcomer of the Year; Jazz Venue of the Year; Jazz Media Award; Jazz Education Award; and the Services to Jazz Award.

Following the online public vote for the Awards, the shortlist was then voted upon by a selection panel, who represent a broad cross-section of backgrounds united in their passion and knowledge of jazz. The winners, chosen by judging members of the All Party Parliamentary Jazz Appreciation Group (APPJAG), will be announced at the awards ceremony at PizzaExpress Live, Holborn, London on Tuesday 16th October.
Kelvin Hopkins MP, Co-Chair of APPJAG, said: “These shortlists demonstrate the wealth of talent and commitment that exists in the British jazz scene. Now in its 14th year, the Parliamentary Jazz Awards honours the best of British jazz. MPs and Peers in the All Party Group are delighted to host another ceremony at Pizza Express Live and we are extremely grateful to PizzaExpress Live for supporting the event and for Peroni for sponsoring the event.”
The full list of nominees is as follows: 


Jazz Vocalist of the Year
Liane Carroll
Georgia Mancio
Zara McFarlane
Ian Shaw

Jazz Instrumentalist of the Year
Rob Luft
Arun Ghosh
Ross Stanley

Jazz Album of the Year
Arun Ghosh – But Where Are You Really From?
Denys Baptiste – The Late Train
Gareth Lockrane Big Band – Fistfight At The Barndance

Jazz Ensemble of the Year
Ezra Collective
Dinosaur
ARQ – Alison Rayner Quintet
Beats and Pieces Big Band

Jazz Newcomer of the Year
Fergus McCreadie
Sarah Tandy
Shirley Tetteh

Jazz Venue of the Year
Jazz Re:Freshed
Jazz At The Lescar
South Coast Jazz Festival

Jazz Media Award
Richard Williams
Kevin Le Gendre
Lance Liddle – Bebop Spoken Here

Jazz Education Award
Pete Churchill
Jean Toussaint
Nikki Illes

Services to Jazz Award
Blow The Fuse - Alison Rayner and Deirdre Cartwright
Jill Rodger - Glasgow Jazz Festival
Gary Crosby
Gill Wilde


APPJAG currently has 80 members from the House of Commons and House of Lords across all political parties. Their aim is to encourage wider and deeper enjoyment of jazz, to increase Parliamentarians’ understanding of the jazz industry and issues surrounding it, to promote jazz as a musical form and to raise its profile inside and outside Parliament.  The Group’s officers as at the 16th July 2018 are Co-Chairs, Kelvin Hopkins MP and Lord Colwyn, Secretary, Baroness Coussins, Vice Chairs, Alison Thewless MP and Sarah Champion MP, the Treasurer is Ian Paisley MP. Officers are: Lord Crathorne, John Mann MP and Sir Greg Knight MP. The Secretariate  is Chris Hodgkins. 
----- 
Needless to say, I'm over the moon at being nominated in what is the equivalent of the jazz BAFTAs but, win, lose or draw, it wouldn't have been possible to get this far without the contributions from Russell, Ann Alex, Steve T, Steve H, Debra M, Dave B, Jerry E, JC, Colin A, Hugh C, the magnificent photos of Ken Drew, the cartoons of the late Bill Shaw, and everyone else who've been aboard over the past ten years.
Now, I suppose, we must feel obliged to do away with the frivolity and write deep meaningful words that no one understands...
No chance! Music and jazz most certainly is art but it's also entertainment.
Lance.

10 comments :

Pam Young (on F/b) said...

Well deserved Lance and the team x

Liz said...

OMG, that is wonderful Lance, and you more than deserve it with you wide knowledge and for sustaining this great site over the years. A labour of love I know, but hey...best of luck!

Hugh said...

Excellent news, Lance and a reward for your hard work and dedication.

EmmaFiskJazzVio said...

Congratulations - wonderful news! Emma Xx

Ron said...

Congratulations Lance. It acknowledges what I have always thought in that it is the BEST jazz web site in the UK.
A well deserved accolade!!!!

Anonymous said...

Hi Lance Well done thanks for keeping everyone up-to- date in the JAZZ WORLD here in the North East.

Good Luck from Raymond Newton Double Bass/ Cello / Bass Guitar

Roly said...

Congratulations Lance. Well deserved. Good Luck!

Georgia Mancio (on F/b) said...

Congrats Lance well deserved x

Ron Hampton (on F/b) said...

Well done Lance.

Tom Henderson (on F/b). said...

Well deserved lance, lots of hard work!!
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