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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

Wednesday, March 20, 2019

Black Swan Jam Session (in the Mezzanine Café) - March 19

Jeremy McMurray (piano); John Pope (drums); Dave McKeague (drums) + Steve Summers (alto/tenor saxes); Graham Easthope (soprano/tenor saxes); Jordan Alfonso (alto sax); Elliott Todd (trumpet); David 'Showtime' Gray (trombone); Paddy ? (clarinet).
(Review/PHOTOS by Lance).

Three cracking gigs in a row and if I'd been able to slot in Blaydon, Bishop Auckland and the Lit & Phil it would have been six!

I'm going to buck protocol and relive last night by starting at the finish. All the major players are on stage - this could have been JATP at Hartford, Connecticut back in the 1950s except it was 2019 in Newcastle. The fortnightly Jam at the Black Swan Arts Centre taking place, for this week only, in the Mezzanine Café. Accessible via a series of signposted twists and turns - by comparision the maze at Hampton Court pales into insignificance - the question debated by the contenders is as to whether the grand finale should be Cherokee or Caravan

Caravan it is. The house trio sets the pace leading them across the burning sands. Valves fingered, keys rattled, slide slid in anticipation. A battle royal. It's Joshua, Fury, Wilder and a couple more preparing to mug each other. Showtime Gray isn't taking prisoners, he never does, staccato bursts pepper the room, the body language adds video to the audio and the crowd roars its approval. Wild!

Todd offers contrast, he's lyrical and melodic without letting the temperature drop. Enter Alfonso he takes it up a notch with a paint-stripping solo - even Charlie Parker* couldn't top this - it looked like game, set and match to Jordan.
Wrong!
Easthope and Summers form an unholy alliance to wipe the floor with the opposition. The intricate weaving, the contrapuntal passages all slot together and the crown is theirs which just goes to prove that two heads are better than one.

A fitting climax to what, initially, had had me thinking of an early bath.

The opener by the trio suggested that the acoustics were less than perfect. McKeague, a drummer whom I rate very highly, drowned everyone out including McMurray which isn't easy. However, as the evening progressed the balance improved which had me wondering if its the band that adjusts to the acoustics of the room or is it the ears of the listeners that adjust? Certainly, by the time the caravanserai set off everything was Jake.

The first of the jammers was a debutant clarinetist identified only as Paddy who, by his own admission was very nervous to the extent he played with his back to the audience and eschewed the use of the mic. which would have made his playing more audible. Also putting him in with big hitter Steve Summers probably added to his trepidation. Autumn Leaves and Who's Sorry Now? the test pieces. Let's hope he returns now that he's dipped his reed into the water.

Easthope on soprano, Summers on tenor and Showtime took off on Afro Blue. Easthope's dramatic entry on soprano was electrifying! Summers had some Getzian moments on How Insensitive before a second break was called.

Bottles of Grainger Ale were quaffed then we were off once more. Alfonso taking Yardbird Suite on a memorable flight. Black Orpheus meant Machine Gun Gray entering the fray on a number that also had powerhouse piano from McMurray and some dynamic drumming from Dave (McKeague).

Todd and Summers (now on alto) gave There Will Never Be Another You a workout which saw Pope take a bass solo that trespassed into violin/viola territory.

Easthope blew tenor on that good old 'erbie 'ancock classic - Watermelon Man. Some nice drum 'n' bass work going on.

A suggestion that they played some Miles was readily taken up and, of course, it was All Blues - come back Summertime all is forgiven! Miles' repertoire is extensive and yet it always seems to be that one! Still, they did a job on it with Pope once more defying gravity. And this is where we came in.

All's well that ends well.
Lance.
*Not the Charlie Parker but a painter and decorator of my acquaintance.

1 comment :

Patti said...

Yeah - it was a great night - and full of surprises! I can imagine that Juan Tizol himself would be impressed with young Showtime's playing on Caravan .......

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