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Bebop Spoken There

Kurt Elling: ''There's something to learn from every musician you play with''. (DownBeat, December 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

17630 (and counting) posts since we started blogging 16 years ago. 904 of them this year alone and, so far, 49 this month (Dec. 20).

From This Moment On ...

December

Fri 20: Edison Herbert Trio @ The Lit & Phil, Newcastle. 1:00pm. SOLD OUT!
Fri 20: Classic Swing @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 20: Rendezvous Jazz @ The Monkseaton Arms. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 20: New Orleans Preservation Jazz Band @ The Oxbridge Hotel, Stockton. 1:00pm. £5.00.
Fri 20: Jason Isaacs @ St. James’ STACK, Newcastle. 1:00-3:00pm. Free. Vocalist Isaacs working with backing tapes.
Fri 20: Baghdaddies @ Cobalt Studios, Newcastle. 7:00pm. SOLD OUT!
Fri 20: Smokin’ Spitfires @ Platform 1, East Bedlington Community Centre. 7:00pm.
Fri 20: Pete Tanton’s Christmas @ 1719, Hendon, Sunderland. 7:30pm. CANCELLED!
Fri 20: Alligator Gumbo @ Saltburn Community Hall. 7:30pm. SOLD OUT!
Fri 20: Abbie Finn’s Finntet @ The Traveller’s Rest, Darlington. 8:00pm. Opus 4 Jazz Club.
Fri 20: Brass Fiesta @ Revoluçion de Cuba, Newcastle. 10:30pm. Free.

Sat 21: Lindsay Hannon Quartet @ Central Bar, Gateshead. 2:00pm. £15.00. ‘Swinging with Christmas Songs’.
Sat 21: Jason Isaacs @ Seaburn STACK, Seaburn. 3:30-5:30pm. Free. Vocalist Isaacs working with backing tapes.
Sat 21: Jackson’s Wharf Xmas Party @ Jackson’s Wharf, Hartlepool. 7:00pm. Free. Featuring the New ’58 Jazz Collective.
Sat 21: Brass Fiesta @ Revoluçion de Cuba, Newcastle. 10:30pm. Free.

Sun 22: Hot Club du Nord @ The Globe, Newcastle. 1:00pm. £15.00. + bf. Xmas party. SOLD OUT!
Sun 22: Red Kites Jazz @ Gibside Chapel, nr. Rowlands Gill. 1:00pm. Admission charge applies.
Sun 22: Paul Skerritt @ Hibou Blanc, Newcastle. 2:00pm. Free. Vocalist Skerritt working with backing tapes.
Sun 22: Ruth Lambert Trio @ The Juke Shed, Union Quay, North Shields. 3:00pm. Free.
Sun 22: 4B @ The Ticket Office, Whitley Bay. 3:00pm. Free.
Sun 22: Revolutionaires @ Tyne Bar, Ouseburn, Newcastle. 4:00pm. Free. Superb rhythm & blues outfit.
Sun 22: Laurence Harrison, Paul Grainger & Mark Robertson @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 7:00pm. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig. Line-up TBC.
Sun 22: The Globe Xmas Party @ The Globe, Newcastle. 7:00pm. Free. Live music (musicians TBC).
Sun 22: Ray Stubbs R & B All-Stars @ Zerox, Sandhill, Newcastle. 7:00pm (doors).

Mon 23: Harmony Brass @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Mon 23: Vieux Carré Jazzmen @ The Wheatsheaf, Benton Sq., Whitley Road, Palmersville NE12 9SU. Tel: 0191 266 8137. 1:00pm. Free. CANCELLED!
Mon 23: Edison Herbert Trio @ The Vault, Darlington. 4:00pm. Free.
Mon 23: Jason Isaacs @ St. James’ STACK, Newcastle. 4:00-6:00pm. Free. Vocalist Isaacs working with backing tapes.
Mon 23: Milne-Glendinning Band @ The Vault, Darlington. 7:00pm. Free.

Tue 24: Lindsay Hannon & Mark Williams @ Ernest, Ouseburn, Newcastle. 11:00am-1:00pm. Free.
Tue 24: Paul Skerritt @ Mambo Wine & Dine, South Shields. 1:00pm. Free. Vocalist Skerritt working with backing tapes.

Wed 25: Wot? No jazz!

Thu 26: Vieux Carré Jazzmen @ The Holystone, Whitley Road, North Tyneside. 1:00pm. Free. TBC.
Thu 26: The Boneshakers @ Tyne Bar, Ouseburn, Newcastle. 4:00pm. Free. The 17th annual Boneshakers’ Shindig.

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

Saturday, October 20, 2018

Middlesbrough Jazz Weekender 2018: Beats & Pieces @ Middlesbrough Town Hall - October 19

(Review by Lance).
After hearing the Mingus Big Band at Ronnie's on Wednesday, I hope I can be forgiven for feeling that nothing could follow that until this coming Sunday when the American ensemble brings the MJW to a close.
However, it is fair to say that the Manchester-based outfit, Beats & Pieces who opened the weekend, produced a scintillating performance that set the benchmark for all the bands who follow.

Ben Cottrell has, over the years, whipped up a crew that holds a candle to no one. His arrangements and compositions are as imaginative as those by any of his contemporaries. 


There were only two visible music stands, one for baritone saxist Burkhardt – a relative newcomer – indicating that they’ve either played them so many times that they could play them in their sleep or, and I think this is more likely, a lot of them are head arrangements fashioned over time from Cottrell's initial scores by the intuitive playing of the sections.
Most likely, a bit of both. Whatever, the end result is effective.

The moods change, not just from piece to piece but within the composition itself so you can be hearing a funereal chorus that, almost imperceptibly, morphs into a frantic free-for-all then, with the tension at a post-orgasmic high it stops. For a second or two, nobody applauds until it dawns upon them that the piece has ended. A kind of musical coitus interruptus.

I'm not going to single out individual musicians as each contributed to the overall picture both as soloists and section members. Although one of the many highlights that can't go without mention was the unaccompanied trombone trio blast with all three sliders playing a wild, contrapuntal, no holds barred, battle royal where there were no losers.

As befits a relatively young band various effects were incorporated, delays, sustains, reverbs and what-have-yous that produced an occasional surreal effect that didn't hurt at all.
What did hurt for some of us sitting at the front was the piercing lighting effects (see pic. by Russell) that detracted rather than enhanced the music and one of our worthy constituents, not Russell, did complain. I guess it's because I belong to an age where the music spoke for itself which, with B & P, certainly applies.
Despite that small reservation, it was a knockout evening that should have had half the population of Middlesborough crammed into the magnificently renovated building.
As it was, they didn't, perhaps they'd all gone to Sheffield to see The Boro beat Wednesday on a Friday.
Lance.
Setlist
1) Jazzwalk
2) Three
3) Toan (the first ever number the band played at its first rehearsal)
4) Let's Dance (David Bowie)
5) Pop
6) Nois 
7) Rain
8) Broken
9) Banger
Encore
10) Fairytale
11) Hendo
Ben Cottrell (MD & guitar); Anthony Brown (tenor/soprano); Ollie Dover (alto/  soprano); Emily Burkhardt (baritone); Nick Walters, Owen Bryce, Graham South  (trumpets); Richard Foote, Simon Lodge (trombones); Richard McVeigh (bass  trombone); Anton Hunter (guitar); Richard Jones (piano/Nord); Stewart Wilson (bass); Finlay Panter (drums).

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