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Bebop Spoken There

Béla Fleck: “ And that's the great thing about live performances, you take people on a journey. It doesn't have to be like something else they've heard. It's not supposed to be". DownBeat, April, 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

16287 (and counting) posts since we started blogging 16 years ago. 169 of them this year alone and, so far, 41 this month (Mar 18).

From This Moment On ...

March

Thu 28: Vieux Carré Jazzmen @ The Holystone, Whitley Road, North Tyneside. 1:00pm. Free.
Thu 28: Gateshead Jazz Appreciation Society @ Gateshead Central Library, Gateshead. 2:30pm.
Thu 28: Richard Herdman Quartet @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 8:00pm. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig.
Thu 28: Tees Hot Club @ Dorman’s Club, Middlesbrough. 8:30pm. Guests: Josh Bentham (alto sax); Alan Marshall (tenor sax); Neil Brodie (trumpet); Adrian Beadnell (bass); Graham Thompson (keys); Steve Hunter (drums).

Fri 29: FILM: Soul @ The Forum Cinema, Hexham. 12:30pm. Jazz-themed film animation.
Fri 29: Classic Swing @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 29: Rendezvous Jazz @ The Monkseaton Arms. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 29: New Orleans Preservation Jazz Band @ The Oxbridge Hotel, Stockton. 1:00pm. £5.00.
Fri 29: Abbie Finn Trio @ The Vault, Darlington. 6:00pm. Free. POSTPONED!
Fri 29: Thundercat @ Newcastle City Hall.
Fri 29: John Logan @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 8:00pm. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig.

Sat 30: Papa G’s Troves @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 8:00pm. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig.
Sat 30: Pete Tanton’s Cuba Libre @ Whitley Bay Library, York Road, Whitley Bay. 8:00pm.

Sun 31: 4B @ The Ticket Office, Whitley Bay Metro Station. 3:00pm. Free.
Sun 31: Ruth Lambert Trio @ Juke Shed, Union Quay, North Shields NE30 1HJ. 3:00pm. Free. Lambert, Alan Law & Paul Grainger.
Sun 31: Sid Jacobs & Tom Remon @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 7:00pm. Free. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig. USA/London jazz guitar duo.
Sun 31: Bellavana @ The Globe, Newcastle. 8:00pm.

April
Mon 01: Harmony Brass @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Mon 01: Ray Stubbs R&B All Stars @ Billy Bootlegger’s, Ouseburn, Newcastle. 3:00pm. Free.

Tue 02: Jam session @ The Black Swan, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free. House trio: Dean Stockdale, Paul Grainger, Abbie Finn.

Wed 03: Vieux Carré Jazzmen @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Wed 03: Darlington Big Band @ Darlington & Simpson Rolling Mills Social Club, Darlington. 7:00pm. Free. Rehearsal session (open to the public).
Wed 03: Take it to the Bridge @ The Globe, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free.

Tuesday, December 18, 2018

Glenn Miller Orchestra @ Sage Gateshead - Dec 17

(Review by Russell)

In 1988 Ray McVay visited New York to meet with David Mackay Jr., President, Glenn Miller Productions. McVay's dream was to establish a British based band dedicated to performing the music of the famous American bandleader. McVay's trip was successful, not only could he use the Miller name, he returned with licenses, a trunk full of charts and all the help he needed. 

Thirty years on, here at Sage Gateshead, McVay's Glenn Miller Orchestra gave the audience what it wanted. From Little Brown Jug to St Louis Blues to Minnie the Moocher memories were stirred. With a book comprising in excess of two hundred tunes would the favourites be performed one more time? Of course they would! Assisting MD McVay was a well-drilled band (the collective CV boasting ex BBC Big Band sessions, theatre, recording studio, television and radio engagements, countless jazz club gigs and more), star vocalists Catherine Sykes and Mark Porter, the Uptown Hall Gang, the Moonlight Serenaders and the ever-energetic Swing Time Jivers.

A String of PearlsAmerican PatrolIn the MoodPennsylvania 65000 and, inevitably, Moonlight Serenade rolled back the years in Sage One. It's a fair bet some present were there first time around. Heads nodded, feet tapped, the crowd up for a bit of audience participation...the orchestra: Pennsylvania, the masses: 6-5-0-0-0.   

This Sage Gateshead concert was uncomfortably close to Christmas...would we get a surfeit of seasonal songs? Then some! Catherine Sykes sang a flawless version of The Christmas Song and Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas, Mark Porter crooned Santa Claus is Comin' to Town and as a duo they agreed Baby, It's Cold Outside. The orchestra donned Santa hats, likewise, singers, dancers and MD McVay himself joined in the festive fun.

The Moonlight Serenaders weren't about to be party poopers as they looked forward to a White Christmas and that was about it. Oh, there was a Sinatra medley (Mark Porter), drummer Bobby Cleall woke anyone who may have been dozing with a thunderous party-piece solo on Sing! Sing! Sing! and the Swing Time Jivers - Maxine, Jemma, Shangomula and Julien - reminded the more senior members of the audience of what they themselves did (or attempted to do!) all those years ago. Ray McVay's Glenn Miller Orchestra signed-off with Adios.              
Russell.

Glenn Miller Orchestra: Ray McVay (MD); Mark Porter (vocals); Catherine Sykes (vocals); Andy Potts, Simon Meredith, Martin Dunsdon, Dan Faulkner, Loren Hignell (saxophones); Dave Ford, Alan Berlyn, Danny Hammerton, John Hinch (trumpets); Dale Gibson Jnr., Ray Wordsworth, Bruce Douglas, Keith Hutton (trombones); Bunny Thompson (piano); Paul Scott (double bass); Bobby Cleall (drums) 

Uptown Hall Gang: Simon Meredith (clarinet), Alan Berlyn (trumpet), Ray Wordsworth (trombone), Bunny Thompson (piano); Paul Scott (double bass); Bobby Cleall (drums)

Moonlight Serenaders: Ray Wordsworth, Catherine Sykes, Alan Berlyn, Dan Faulkner 
Swing Time Jivers: Maxine Green, Jemma Gould, Shangomula Edunjobi, Julien Roussel  

2 comments :

Liz said...

Now that's a show I would love to have attended!

Jen Errington said...

Overall a good show - but poor Ray - not sure what age he is - but I kept thinking a 999 call(never mind 6-5000) would be needed as he swayed around the stage and could hardly get his breath - took the edge of it for me and my friends!

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