bebop spoken here: Hear Me Talkin To Ya!

From This Moment On ...

DECEMBER 2025
Sat 06: Sarah Spencer’s Transatlantic Band @ St Augustine’s Parish Centre, Darlington. 12:30pm. £10.00.
Sat 06: Play Jazz! workshop @ The Globe, Newcastle. 1:30pm. £27.50. Tutor: Steve Glendinning. Minor Swing. Enrol at: learning@jazz.coop.
Sat 06: Jeff Hewer Trio @ The Vault, Darlington. 7:00pm. Free.
Sat 06: NUJO Jazz Jam @ Cobalt Studios, Newcastle. 7:00pm (doors). £3.76 (inc. bf).
Sat 06: Kaberry Big Band @ The Seahorse, Whitley Bay. 7:30pm (7:00pm doors). £15.00. (inc. hot buffet). ‘Christmas 1945’. Kaberry Big Band, formerly Vermont Big Band.
Sat 06: Smokin’ Spitfires @ Platform 1, Bedlington. 7:30pm. £6.00. Rhythm & blues.
Sat 06: Rendezvous Jazz @ The Red Lion, Earsdon. 8:00pm. £3.00. Xmas Party with buffet.
Sat 06: The Jive Aces @ The Witham, Barnard Castle. 8:00pm. £22.00., £20.00.
Sat 06: Brass Fiesta @ Revoluçion de Cuba, Newcastle. 10:30pm. Free.
Sun 07: Ian Bosworth Quintet @ Chapel, Middlesbrough. 1:00pm. Free. Feat. special guest Donna Hewitt (sax, clarinet).
Sun 07: Finn-Keeble Group @ Central Bar, Gateshead. 2:00pm. £10.00.
Sun 07: Sax Choir @ The Globe, Newcastle. 2:00pm. Free.
Sun 07: Paul Skerritt @ Hibou Blanc, Newcastle. 2:00pm. Skerritt w. backing tapes.
Sun 07: Michael Young Trio @ The Engine Room, Sunderland. 2:30pm. Free. Trio + Ruth Lambert.
Sun 07: 4B @ The Ticket Office, Whitley Bay. 3:00pm. Free.
Sun 07: Jason Isaacs Big Band @ Pilgrim, Newcastle. 5:15pm (4:00pm doors). £21.50 (inc. bf).
Sun 07: Paul Skerritt @ 3 Stories, High St. West, Sunderland. 6:30pm. Skerritt w. backing tapes.
Sun 07: Lindsay Hannon: Tom Waits for No Man @ The Globe, Newcastle. 7:00pm. Support set from Play More Jazz! course participants. Note earlier start.
Mon 08: Harmony Brass @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.

Tue 09: Jazz Jam Sandwich @ The Black Swan, Newcastle. 7:30pm

Wed 10: Vieux Carré Jazzmen @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Wed 10: Darlington Big Band @ Darlington & Simpson Rolling Mills Social Club, Darlington. 7:00pm. Free. Rehearsal session (open to the public).
Wed 10: Jam Session @ The Tannery, Hexham. 7:00pm. Free.
Wed 10: Mike Lindup Jazz Trio @ Pilgrim, Newcastle. 7:30pm (doors). £26.50 (inc. bf). Lindup, Yolanda Charles (bass), John Sam (drums).
Wed 10: Bold Big Band @ Cluny 2, Newcastle. 7:30pm. £12.00.

Thu 11: Jazz Appreciation North East @ Brunswick Methodist Church, Newcastle NE1 7BJ. 2:00pm. £4.00. Subject: West Coast (cool ) / Wordsearch (cool) Cool Jazz or ‘Cold’, ‘Cool’, ‘Hot’, ‘Warm’ in the title or lyrics.
Thu 11: George Robinson @ Prohibition Bar, Albert Road, Middlesbrough TS1 2RU. 7:00pm (doors). £5.42 (inc. bf). Vienna’s Voice charity evening featuring ’15 year old singing sensation the ‘Redcar Crooner’ George Robinson’. Over 35s only.
Thu 11: Paul Skerritt @ Chakh Dhoom, Jesmond, Newcastle. 7:00pm. Indian restaurant. Skerritt w. back tapes.
Thu 11: Ransom Van @ The Black Swan, Newcastle. 7:30pm.
Thu 11: Down for the Count Swing Orchestra @ Middlesbrough Town Hall. 7:30pm. £37.70 (inc. bf). ‘Swing into Xmas’.

Fri 12: Pete Tanton’s Chet Set @ Bishop Auckland Methodist Church. 1:00pm. £8.00.
Fri 12: Classic Swing @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 12: Rendezvous Jazz @ The Monkseaton Arms. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 12: New Orleans Preservation Jazz Band @ The Oxbridge Hotel, Stockton. 1:00pm. £5.00.
Fri 12: Milne Glendinning Band @ Northumberland Club, Jesmond, Newcastle. 7:00pm. £15.00. ‘Xmas Soiree’.
Fri 12: A Jazzy Xmas @ St Cuthbert’s Centre, Crook. 7:30pm. £15.00. Paul Edis (MD, piano); Jo Harrop (vocals); Vasilis Xenopoulos (tenor sax, soprano sax); Matthew Forster (alto sax, clarinet); Sue Ferris (flute, piccolo); Graham Hardy (trumpet, flugelhorn); Jason Holcomb (trombone);Emma Fisk (violin); Andy Champion (double bass); Matt MacKellar (drums). SOLD OUT!
Fri 12: Tony Hadley: Xmas Big Band Tour 2025 @ The Glasshouse, Gateshead. 7:30pm.
Fri 12: Alexia Gardner @ The New Ship Inn, Newbiggin-by-the-Sea. 8:00pm. Gardner, Alan Law, Jude Murphy, Abbie Finn.
Fri 12: Jive Aces: Swingin’ Xmas Show @ The Witham, Barnard Castle. 8:00pm.

Tuesday, January 01, 2019

Hear Me Talkin To Ya!

Surely this year can't have been that bad! I thought it the best year ever (but, of course, I'm biased).
Sadly, very few of our regulars have found time to send us their faves whether it be gigs, CDs, venues, books or egg sandwiches.
So, I'm making a last appeal for you to send me your memorable (musical) moments of the past 12 months. Your support is essential to justify the time spent keeping you up to date on jazz happenings.
Lance.
PS: If you're unable to negotiate the blog's comment system then email me at lanceliddle@gmail.com

16 comments :

Roly said...: I didn't get to that many concerts this year but two memorable ones were Graeme Wilson's Quartet (the CD launch) and the CD too is very enjoyable. Great playing underpinned by his unique compositions.

Also, it was great to hear Lewis Watson with Mick Shoulder's Quintet.

Early in the year, I got a used copy of the book 'Cole Porter' a biog. by Charles Schwartz. What an amazing life he had. Family wealth and earnings from his prolific compositions meant that money was no object in enjoying life to the full and he really did. Sadly his accident (he fell from a horse and it rolled on his legs) blighted his life so a very sad aspect. What an amazing person though and when you look at the list of his compositions, an amazing output (of both music and ingenious lyrics).

If I dare mention this I just got a wee present in my Christmas stocking - Buddy Holly with the Royal Philharmonic. It's a sensitive undertaking, reworking old material in this way but what a magnificent and respectful job they've done on it. I think Buddy would have been overwhelmed. And some lovely sax playing (West Coast tenor) on True Love Ways. Apparently, the original saxophonist was Sam 'the man' Taylor. OK the CD isn't jazz but I don't know, his singing still, to me, has an emotional and tender quality that I find very touching. Maybe it's second (or third?) childhood? Anyway this CD is on, in the car, all the time just now!!; Tuesday, January 01, 2019 4:49:00 pm
Steve T said...: I forgot to mention the latest John Scofield album, which is well worth it, especially for guitarists and guitar enthusiasts.

I don't particularly feel I've heard so many Jazz albums this year with my first love - chronologically and qualitatively - back centre stage after a few years in the back seat. The Great John Lias' two volumes Spinning Around: a History of the Soul LP are essential for any 'Real Soul' enthusiasts, even if it's loaded with info about chart positions (and a lack thereof) which, to mind, is as irrelevant in Soul as it is in Jazz.

FTQ on Sunday, with all four protagonists on fire, at least in the second set, has to go with my already top dozen, and since I'm not prepared to take out Tryptich or have an unlucky thirteen, I need to make it up to twenty.
Christian Scott Big Band at Cheltenham springs to mind, as does the Sun Ra Arkestra at GIJF. There were several ever so slightly disappointing Soul gigs by Maceo Parker, George Clinton, Leroy Hutson and Angie Stone (which made gig of the year in Blues and Soul mag).
The Muffin Men were less Jazz than the Zappatistas or RNCM, but Jazz is never far away with Frank. And then of course there were the two Yes bands - just kidding.; Tuesday, January 01, 2019 6:10:00 pm
Gerry Richardson said...: All from YouTube - I don't get out much except on the Colnago [racing bike].

1. Joey DeFrancesco Trio, One Hundred Ways live. 12 minutes of unbelievable build/ technique etc.

2. Roberto Fonseca, Family, live at Maria 2016, great band, great tune.

3. Clarencefield Wheeler and the Enforcers, Right On. Fantastic organ bass and a huge sound for a quintet + backing vox.

4. James Brown, Tenga Tango. Maceo! Maceo! (Pretty sure it's Maceo Parker on sax.)

5. Tower of Power, On the Soul Side of Town. Saw them at Cheltenham Jazz fest, fantastic. Went in car, not on Colnago!; Tuesday, January 01, 2019 9:13:00 pm
Ann Alex said...: Coffee Shop of the Year:
Nero Caffe, King Street, South Shields
Awarded for consistently good background music such as lots of Frank and Ella and quality jazz I can’t even identify.
The rock tracks played are also appealing (to me) eg prog rock.

Community Jazz Event of the Year:
A Jazzy Christmas
The Sage, Paul Edis and Friends, a lovely start to the festive week, with local people.

Festival of The Year:
(It is probably Ushaw Jazz Festival, but not for me as I can’t get there on public transport.)
No, it’s the Durham Festival, organised by The Empty Shop in the summer, especially seeing the Francis Tulip Quartet and the Julija Jacenaite Trio.
And so easy to book up for and you get a walking tour of the city by going to the various venues.

Gig of The Year:
Julija Jacenaite Trio (with Steve Glendinning and Paul Grainger) on 10th June at the Globe
I said it all in the review

CD of the Year:
Simone Kopmajer; Spotlight on Jazz
The latest one that I reviewed which had original songs which were the real thing.

Songs of The Year:
I must be honest, the songs which stand out for me are both rock songs. Probably to do with memories and emotions as well as song quality.

One Day Like This by Elbow
Thrilling music and superb lyrics ‘Throw those curtains wide, one day like this a year will see me right’

Creep by Radiohead
A song which lets you into another person’s viewpoint. Also done by Post Modern Jukebox, but too dramatically.; Wednesday, January 02, 2019 7:51:00 am
Steve T said...: Ann, I'm sure between us we can arrange your logistic problems for Ushaw. You'd love it.; Wednesday, January 02, 2019 10:49:00 am
Steve T said...: Yea, I need that one too Hugh. It never ends.

Biggest disappointment was missing Tommy Smith (now OBE) doing Trane at Ambleside; the biggest casualty of my smashed elbow.; Wednesday, January 02, 2019 11:37:00 am
Jerry E said...: I am abroad so much of the time that I miss a lot of top stuff – Ushaw Festival, for example – and many of the gigs I do attend will feature in other reviewers’ selections so here are some nominations from gigs not attended by other Bebop contributors:

Paul Edis Sextet @ Opus 4, Darlington. We don’t see enough of this sextet – a view reinforced by this excellent gig.

GIJF Day 3: Jambone with special guests Issie Barratt & James Brady. Young, local jazz musicians given centre-stage in their own community. Way to go, Sage!

Triptych – either the gig at Gosforth Civic Theatre or the similar set at The Fox in Hexham. Special mention for “Dark Ages”.

Zoe Gilby @ Crook. Special mention for “Red Right Hand” in a wonderfully eclectic set-list.

Noel Dennis – music of Miles Davis @ The Gala. Shedding light on my musical ignorance in a most enjoyable way!

Hot Club du Nord @ Crook. Gypsy jazz provides a great way into jazz for non-afficionados and Emma and the boys always deliver the goods. Marvellous!

I am such a skinflint (French friends accuse me of having a wallet made of peau de hérisson – hedgehog-skin!) that there’s not much to report on the CD front but I did buy one in 2018: Twelve Stories by Zoe Gilby. Emphatically money well spent.; Wednesday, January 02, 2019 1:52:00 pm
Nick said...: At this stage in the year most of the gigs are starting to blur into each other but the three (well, technically four) that particularly stick in my mind are:

1) Peter Brotzmann/Full Blast at the Lit and Phil in October. Only three of them but they produced some volume (in a good way). I half expected the building to suffer some structural damage.

2) Skeltr at the GIJF in April and at the Durham City Jazz Festival in June. I'm sure that their planned appearance at the Jazz Cafe in February would also have been on the list if it hadn't fallen victim to the snow.

3) The Sun Ra Arkestra at GIJF. First time I've seen them live. Certainly hope to see them again.; Wednesday, January 02, 2019 5:20:00 pm
Roly said...: A lot of memorable jazz right across the spectrum! And Mike Durham's International Classic Jazz Party must be one of the best festivals of its type (maybe THE best) anywhere in the world. And right here, on Tyneside.; Wednesday, January 02, 2019 8:57:00 pm
David Brownlow said...: CD of the Year (not in any particular order):
Gil Evans Orchestra - Hidden Treasures
Marvelous to hear the legacy of The Maestro carried forward by his sons and dedicated musicians.....

Fred Hersch Trio'97 @ The Village Vanguard
Fred's earlier trio, vigorous and full of energy making history at The Village Vanguard.

Ayn Inserto Jazz Orchestra - Down a Rabbit Hole
Amazing, innovative and imaginative compositions and arrangements from this lady made it a standout CD.

Bob Mintzer Big Band /New York Voices
Exciting, compelling music all the way - taking the Hi-Los up to a new level !

Gig of the Year
Two stood out for me:
Greg Abate @ the Jazz Cafe
Hard working, adventurous & always gives generous praise to his accompanists.

Kevin Holbrough @ Lit/Phil 'Afternoon in Paris'
Unassuming, talented trombonist who provided a change from "the usual" taking his inspiration from JJ Johnson and making the unwieldy instrument look easy to play!; Thursday, January 03, 2019 12:24:00 pm
Steve T said...: Yea, Brotzmann was great; a helluva coup for Jazz North East. A short set rounding off a long night. Perhaps it needed to be short and would have lost it had it gone on with more of the same, or tamed it with something restrained. They came, exploded our heads and left.; Friday, January 04, 2019 11:06:00 am
Patti said...: Here you go - some of my favourites from 2018 - not in any particular order of preference though!

Ella and Duke Ellington. The Stockholm Concert, 1966.
Mike Davis and The New Wonders.
Petra van Nuis and Andy Brown. Lessons Lyrical.
Petra and Dennis Luxion. Because We're Night People.
Jo Harrop and Her Trio. Songs For The Late Hours.
The Stuff That Dreams Are Made Of. Super Rarities and Unissued Gems of the 1920's and 1930's. On Yazoo label.
John Hallam and Jeff Barnhart. Mr Fine and Dandy.

I'll have a think about the gigs - there've been so many!; Saturday, January 05, 2019 7:19:00 pm
Francis Tulip said...: Observations from Birmingham:

Seun Kuti - Cheltenham Jazz Festival.
Roller Trio - Cheltenham Jazz Festival.
Phil Robson, Jed Levy, Oli Hayhurst, Clarence Penn - East Side Jazz Club, Birmingham.
Mike Williams Band - Olivers Bar, London.
Chris Potter/ Dave Holland/ Zakir Hussain - Edinburgh Jazz festival.
Jerry Bergonzi Quartet - East Side Jazz Club, Birmingham.
BBC Young Jazz Musician of the Year - Festival Hall, South Bank, London.
Jean Toussant - Nottingham Theatre.
Paul Dunmall Quintet feat Hamid Drake - East Side Jazz Club, Birmingham.
Soweto Kinch - Hare and Hounds, Birmingham.; Saturday, January 05, 2019 7:20:00 pm
Ron Hampton said...: After careful consideration, I think that the Darlington Big Band on July 5. should have the title Teesside's Gig of the Year (of the ones I was involved in) with the high standard of musicians the arrangements and choice of the numbers played going down extremely well with the capacity audience it proved to be a most successful night at Dormans Jazz Club.; Sunday, January 06, 2019 8:40:00 am
Patti said...: And here's the obvious one, that I shouldn't have left out, and certainly didn't mean to!
Pleasure Mad. Double CD of Live Recordings from the 2017 Mike Durham Classic Jazz Party.; Sunday, January 06, 2019 8:43:00 am
Hugh C said...: For me it has to be the whole of the Ambleside Days Festival, the highlight gig being Johannes Berauher's Hourglass and the CD of the same name.

Santa has brought me Ant Law's new CD "Life I Know" which I have not managed to hear yet, but have great expectations!; Tuesday, January 15, 2019 1:10:00 pm

About this blog - contact details.

Bebop Spoken Here -- Here, being the north-east of England -- centred in the blues heartland of Newcastle and reaching down to the Tees Delta and looking upwards to the Land of the Kilt.

Not a very original title, I know; not even an accurate one as my taste, whilst centred around the music of Bird and Diz, extends in many directions and I listen to everything from King Oliver to Chick Corea and beyond.

Not forgetting the Great American Songbook the contents of which has provided the inspiration for much great jazz and quality popular singing for round about a century.

The idea of this blog is for you to share your thoughts and pass on your comments on discs, gigs, jazz - music in general. If you've been to a gig/concert or heard a CD that knocked you sideways please share your views with us. Tell us about your favourites, your memories, your dislikes.

Contact: lanceliddle@gmail.com I look forward to hearing from you.

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Tuesday, January 01, 2019

Hear Me Talkin To Ya!

16 comments :

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