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Bebop Spoken There

Spasmo Brown: “Jazz is an ice cream sandwich! It's the Fourth of July! It's a girl with a waterbed!”. (Syncopated Times, July, 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...

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Postage

17444 (and counting) posts since we started blogging 16 years ago. 718 of them this year alone and, so far, 100 this month (Oct. 10).

From This Moment On ...

October

Tue 15: Jam session @ The Black Swan, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free. House trio: Alan Law (piano), Paul Grainger (double bass), Bailey Rudd (drums).

Wed 16: Vieux Carré Jazzmen @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Wed 16: Cath Stephens’ improvisation workshop @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 4:30-6:00pm. Collaborative group focusing on vocal improvisations.
Wed 16: Darlington Big Band @ Darlington & Simpson Rolling Mills Social Club, Darlington. 7:00pm. Free. Rehearsal session (open to the public).
Wed 16: Take it to the Bridge @ The Globe, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free.

Thu 17: Vieux Carré Jazzmen @ The Holystone, Whitley Road, North Tyneside. 1:00pm. Free.
Thu 17: Olivia Cuttill Quintet @ King’s Hall, Newcastle University. 1:15pm. Free.
Thu 17: Moonlight Serenade Orchestra UK: Glenn Miller & Big Band Spectacular @ Phoenix Theatre, Blyth. 7:30pm.
Thu 17: Merlin Roxby @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 8:00pm. Free. Ragtime piano. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig.
Thu 17: Niffi Osiyemi Trio @ The Harbour View, Sunderland. 8:00pm. Free.
Thu 17: Tees Hot Club @ Dorman’s Club, Middlesborough. Guests Jeremy McMurray (keys); Richie Emmerson (tenor sax); Mark Toomey (alto sax); Adrian Beadnell (bass). 8:30pm. Free.

Fri 18: Classic Swing @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 18: Rendezvous Jazz @ The Monkseaton Arms. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 18: New Orleans Preservation Jazz Band @ The Oxbridge Hotel, Stockton. 1:00pm. £5.00.
Fri 18: Hot Club du Nord @ St Cuthbert’s, Crook. 7:30pm.
Fri 18: Chet Set @ Seventeen Nineteen, Hendon, Sunderland. 7:30pm. Pete Tanton & co.
Fri 18: Michael Woods @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. Doors 7:30pm (upstairs). A Hoodoo Blues dance & social event. £10.00. class & social (£10.00., £7.50., £5.00. social only). Michael Woods (country blues guitar) on stage 9:00pm.
Fri 18: East Coast Swing Band @ Hexham Abbey. 7:30pm. £9.00.
Fri 18: Ben Crosland Quartet @ Traveller’s Rest, Darlington. 8:00pm. Opus 4 Jazz Club.
Fri 18: Durham University Jazz Society’s ‘High Standards’ @ Music Dept. Music Room, Divinity House, Palace Green, Durham University DH1 3RS. 8:009-30pm. Tel: 0191 334 1419. £7.00., £5.00.
Fri 18: Ray Stubbs R&B All Stars @ Blues Underground, Nelson St., Newcastle. 9:00pm. Free.

Sat 19: Sat 19: Paula Jackman’s Jazz Masters @ St Augustine’s Parish Centre, Darlington. 12:30pm. Darlington New Orleans Jazz Club.
Jeff Hewer Trio @ The Vault, Darlington. 7:00pm. Free.
Sat 19: Howlin’ Mat @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 8:00pm. Country blues guitar & vocals. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig.

Sun 20: Kamasi Washington @ The Glasshouse, Gateshead. 7:30pm. POSTPONED! New date Saturday 5 April 2025.
Sun 20: Tweed River Jazz Band @ Barrels Ale House, Berwick-upon-Tweed. 7:00pm. Free.
Sun 20: Magpies of Swing @ The Globe, Newcastle. 8:00pm.

Mon 21: Gideon Tazelaar Quartet @ Yamaha Music School, Blyth. 1:00pm. £9.00.
Mon 21: Harmony Brass @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Mon 21: Gideon Tazelaar Quartet @ The Black Bull, Blaydon. 8:00pm.

Tue 22: Bywater Call @ The Cluny, Newcastle. 7:30pm (doors). Americana/blues/soul excellence.

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 06, 2018

Newcastle Festival of Jazz and Improvised Music @ The Lit and Phil: Stan Sulzmann and Nikki Iles – Oct. 5

Stan Sulzmann (tenor); Nikki Iles (piano)
(Review by Ann Alex/Photo courtesy of Ken Drew).
By 12.45 the Lit and Phil concert room was almost full. I took a side seat (I like to be near the action), but this meant that I was behind our pianist, not ideal for hearing the names of the tunes, so excuse me for any titles I’ve omitted. Wes Stephenson introduced the proceedings, sporting a shaggy beard, which goes well with the concept of improvised music.

I really am at quite a loss to describe the music as it was so, so good, as proved by the hearty applause. I wish I knew more about jazz technically, in order to do full justice to the playing. But Who Can I Turn To? which was the first tune. Flowing piano, and a slower, contrasting sax, alternating solos. This was very danceable music and I’d have been on my feet if I’d been listening at home. The next piece was from Porgy and Bess, beginning with long, slow sax notes, and now I wanted to sing.
A sax-led boppy number followed. A strong lively tune which never far below the surface during the improvisation, an effect which I love, and the piano neatly varying the timing. Apparently, Norma Winstone has written lyrics to this one.

Film music: The Night We Called It A Day, slow and serene, followed by a Kenny Wheeler composition. Nikki suggested a tea break as she’d supposed that the gig was to last until 3pm, but the scheduled ending was 2pm, so our players continued, probably thirstily, but it didn’t affect the high standard of music. A wonderfully sensitive You Don’t Know What Love is (from Billie Holiday’s album Lady in Satin), then the last tune, How Deep Is the Ocean?
 Ros Rigby did the final announcements, telling us that the Middlesbrough Jazz Weekend (Oct 19-21) will feature Nikki Iles’ brand new composition for the National Youth Jazz Orchestra.

I must add that we were given a very informative leaflet with lots of information about the musicians. Stan Sulzmann, a veteran of the jazz scene, has played with many of the ‘greats’ and Nikki Iles, an award-winning musician, composer and teacher also has an impressive résumé.
Photos.
Ann Alex

2 comments :

Hugh said...

This was a great gig with a full hall. The third item was Ladies in Mercedes (the place, not the car apparently!), by Steve Swallow.

What struck me about the gig (in the light of Lance's previous piece on clapping) was the applause. The Literary and Philosophical audience did not applaud after each solo, but reserved their (enthusiastic and full) applause until the last embers of each carefully crafted ending had died down. This, in my view, added to the great atmosphere in this chamber setting.

Nikki Iles also announced a forthcoming duo album with Stan Sulzmann: Lush Life, available shortly.

Hugh said...

Nice photo. Glad that's not the back of my head in the foreground!

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