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Bebop Spoken There

Abbie Finn: "Even though there's a lot of great work being done to promote women in jazz, I still come up against some attitudes! I pulled up at a recording session with my drums in the car and the studio owner said, 'I'm sorry, this space is reserved for the drummer!'" - (Jazzwise April 2023).

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!"

Postage

15229 (and counting) posts since we started blogging 15 years ago. 248 of them this year alone and, so far, 61 this month (March 20).

From This Moment On ...

March

Fri 24: Classic Swing @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm.
Fri 24: New Orleans Preservation Jazz Band @ Oxbridge Hotel, Stockton. 1:00pm. £5.00.
Fri 24: Rendezvous Jazz @ The Monkseaton Arms, Monkseaton. 1:00pm.
Fri 24: FILM: Mo' Better Blues @ Forum Cinema, Hexham. 7:00pm.
Fri 24: Ian Millar & Dominic Spencer @ Scarth Hall, Staindrop, Co. Durham. 8:00pm. £10.00.
Fri 24: Archipelago + Bulbils @ Cobalt Studios, Newcastle. 7:00pm.

Sat 25: Vermont Big Band @ Walker Community Centre, Walker, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Fundraiser for Benfield Juniours Football Club. Hot food available, BYOB.
Sat 25: John Logan & Friends @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 8:00pm. Rat Pack, Motown etc. 8:00pm. Free (donations).

Sun 26: Musicians Unlimited @ Park Inn, Hartlepool. 1:00pm.
Sun 26: More Jam @ The Globe, Newcastle. 3:00pm. Free.
Sun 26: 4B @ The Exchange, North Shields. 3:00pm.
Sun 26: Outlines @ The Globe, Newcastle. 8:00pm. JNE promotion (upstairs).

Mon 27: Harmony Brass @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm.

Tue 28: Paul Skerritt @ The Rabbit Hole, Hallgarth St., Durham DH1 3AT. 7:00pm. Paul Skerritt's (solo) weekly residency.
Tue 28: Sanaz Lavasani Trio @ Black Swan, Newcastle Arts Centre. 8:00pm. £12.00 (£10.00. adv).

Wed 29: Vieux Carré Jazzmen @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm.
Wed 29: Darlington Big Band @ Darlington & Simpson Rolling Mills Social Club, Darlington. 7:00pm. Rehearsal session (open to the public).
Wed 29: 4B @ The Exchange, North Shields. 7:00pm.
Wed 29: Take it to the Bridge @ The Globe, Newcastle. 7:30pm.

Thu 30: Gateshead Jazz Appreciation Society @ Gateshead Central Library. 2:30-4:30pm. £2.00. All welcome.
Thu 30: Vieux Carré Jazzmen @ The Holystone, Whitley Road, North Tyneside. Back to 1:00pm stomp off. Free.
Thu 30: '58 Jazz Collective @ Hops & Cheese, Hartlepool. 7:30pm. Free.
Thu 30: Lindsay Hannon: Tom Waits for No Man @ Harbour View, Sunderland. 8:00pm.
Thu 30: Tees Hot Club @ Dorman's Club, Middlesbrough. 9:00pm.

Friday, November 16, 2018

Alan Glen Trio @ The Globe Jazz Bar - Nov. 15

Alan Glen (piano); John Pope (bass); Paul Wight (drums).
(Review by Lance).
The choice lay between Alan Glen at the Globe or James Harrison and Paul Skerritt at the Black Swan. The undefeated champion or his number one contender?
It was a tough call but, having heard James the previous night at Jesmond, I opted to catch one of the all too rare appearances by the old master.

It nearly didn't happen, apart from aggravating a pulled hamstring as I ran for the bus, all was not well with the Yamaha piano at the Jazz Coop HQ. A note that, without warning, trebled in volume gave our pianist cause for concern - just as well Keith Jarrett wasn't doing the gig.  Nevertheless, trooper that he is, the keyboard king bravely soldiered on to give an outstanding performance that thrilled the gathered worshippers.


Paul Wight too had problems in the form of a knackered bass drum pedal. Fortunately, a replacement was at hand. All that remained now was for John Pope to snap a string. 
He didn't! Instead, he gave a performance that befitted his position as an in-demand bass player.

The music.
If I Should Lose You (perish the thought Alan) followed by Time After Time. Earlier in the day, by coincidence, Liz in York had sent me a YouTube shot of Chet Baker singing the very same. We both agreed it was one of the classiest songs ever and, even without Chet's wistful vocal, Alan's version was, despite the malfunctioning middle G, equally, pardon the pun, timeless.
Love is a Many Splendoured Thing; That's All; Yardbird Suite; Love Letters; Night Shade (Glen original) and Love For Sale saw the first set out.

Glasses recharged, it was back to the street - On Green Dolphin St. to be precise. A swinging version followed by the gentle lilt of I Thought About You and the romanticism of I'll Close My Eyes and When I Fall in Love. John Pope's arco bass solo on the latter number hit the spot.

An original, Waltz For A.C. Who or what A.C. represents wasn't explained. All of You wallowed in some luxuriant chording before the final number - Cherokee. They don't come much better - or faster - than this one driven on relentlessly by drummer Wight.
A boppish encore sent everyone home happy - it had been quite a night.
Lance.

1 comment :

Patti said...

Yes - this was an ace gig - and a wonderful play list. As Lance says, the closing number was Cherokee - it's always a bit of a barnstormer - a flag waver, as some say. It's interesting to think about Ray Noble's earlier compositions as comparison - the gorgeously sweet melodies of The Very Thought Of You and Goodnight Sweetheart.

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