Total Pageviews

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

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.

Fri 27: Classic Swing @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 27: Rendezvous Jazz @ The Monkseaton Arms. 1:00pm. Free. Business as usual!.
Fri 27: Jason Isaacs @ Seaburn STACK, Seaburn. 3:30-5:30pm. Free. Vocalist Isaacs working with backing tapes.
Fri 27: Michael Woods @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 8:00pm. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig. Country blues guitar & vocals.

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

Sunday, January 13, 2019

Snake Davis @ Charts - January 13

Snake Davis (alto/tenor sax/flutes/vocal); Stu Collingwood (keys); Andy Champion (bass guitar); Paul Smith (drums).
(Review by Lance)

Charts was fuller than ever. It was as if the Tall Ships were moored outside! All 3 levels were occupied and food and drink were being downed as if it was going out of fashion. What wasn't going out of fashion was the music - no sir. 

Jazz never goes out of fashion, it just moves its borders in a multitude of directions - inside, outside, east coast, west coast, trad, modern, swing, bop, blues, new wave, olde style, smooth, fusion - confusion!


Snake Davis doesn't cover all of those genres but he tips his hat at a few - smooth being the one that has its nose in front. He's an excellent sax/flautist without being an out and out jazz man - him and Kenny G. Neither of them quite swing although, as sax players, they'd probably get the nod from Adolphe, who invented the damn thing - maybe more so than, say, Bird or Trane.

Snake doesn't float across the beat but tends to be a touch rigid and lacks the fluidity that signifies a great jazz musician. Having said that, he's a great player and, when he blows the blues, the growling earthy sound suggests that he's primed to burst from the commercial cage that he's trapped in - his bank manager no doubt will put  a stop to those primeval urges and he'll happily carry on down his merry way.

The support was superb Stu, Andy and Paul played to perfection. Andy doing things on bass guitar that were amazing, Paul reminded us that he is to drumming what his namesake is to socks whilst Stu was merely Stu which trumps a whole lot of jazz pianists.

I spoke to a couple of listeners - both hit the nail on the head.
"Say what you like, he puts bums on seats"
"As good a way as any to spend a Sunday afternoon."

Next week we're back to the normal jam session or, jazz social as they prefer - what's in a name? A jam is a conserve by any other name so don't conserve your talent but come and have a blow. 
Lance.
PS: The occasion was also to celebrate the "guvner's" mother's 90th birthday. She's been a fan of Snake since before he was born! We wish her the very best.

4 comments :

Ian Douglas (on F/b). said...

I didn't know he was on. A great soul saxophonist.

Patti said...

Pity you didn't look at the blog, Ian!

Unknown said...

",,a touch rigid and lacks fluidity,,, really lance??

Lance said...

Just how I heard it. He's still a great player.

Blog Archive