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Bebop Spoken There

Branford Marsalis: "As ignorance often forces us to do, you make a generalisation about a musician based on one specific record or one moment in time." - (Jazzwise June 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

15491 (and counting) posts since we started blogging 15 years ago. 512 of them this year alone and, so far, 133 this month (May 31).

From This Moment On ...

Tue 06: Paul Skerritt @ The Rabbit Hole, Hallgarth St., Durham DH1 3AT. 7:00pm. Paul Skerritt's (solo) weekly residency.
Tue 06: Jam session @ Black Swan, Newcastle Arts Centre. 7:30pm. House trio: Stu Collingwood (piano); Paul Grainger (double bass); Sid White (drums).

Wed 07: Vieux Carré Jazzmen @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm.
Wed 07: Darlington Big Band @ Darlington & Simpson Rolling Mills Social Club, Darlington. 7:00pm. Rehearsal session (open to the public).
Wed 07: 4B @ The Exchange, North Shields. 7:00pm.
Wed 07: Take it to the Bridge @ The Globe, Newcastle. 7:30pm.

Thu 08: Vieux Carré Jazzmen @ The Holystone, Whitley Road, North Tyneside. 1:00pm. Free. CANCELLED! BACK ON JUNE 15.
Thu 08: Easington Colliery Brass Band @ The Lubetkin Theatre, Peterlee. 7:00pm. £10.00.
Thu 08: Faye MacCalman + Blue Dust Archive @ Cobalt Studios, Newcastle. 7:00pm.
Thu 08: Dilutey Juice + Ceramic @ The Ampitheatre, Sea Road, South Shields. 7:00pm. Free. A South Tyneside Festival event.
Thu 08: Lara Jones w. Vigilance State @ Lubber Fiend, Blandford Square, Newcastle. 7:00pm.
Thu 08: Michael Littlefield @ the Harbour View, Roker, Sunderland. 8:00pm. Free. Country blues.
Thu 08: Tees Hot Club @ Dorman's Club, Middlesbrough. 9:00pm.

Fri 09: Classic Swing @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm.
Fri 09: New Orleans Preservation Jazz Band @ Oxbridge Hotel, Stockton. 1:00pm. £5.00.
Fri 09: Rendezvous Jazz @ The Monkseaton Arms, Monkseaton. 1:00pm.
Fri 09: Castillo Nuevo @ Revolución de Cuba, Newcastle. 5:30-8:30pm.
Fri 09: Emma Rawicz @ Sage Gateshead. 8:00pm.

Sat 10: Miners' Picnic @ Woodhorn, Ashington. Music inc. Northern Monkey Brass Band (3:00-3:50pm); New York Brass Band (4:00-4:55pm).
Sat 10: Front Porch Three @ The Globe, Newcastle. 7:00pm. Free. Americana, blues, jazz etc.
Sat 10: Merlin Roxby @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 8:00pm. A 'Jar on the Bar' gig.

Sun 11: WORKSHOP: Tim Richards' Jazz Piano Workshop @ JG Windows, Newcastle. Time TBC. Further details tel. 0191 232 1356.
Sun 11: Jeremy McMurray's Pocket Jazz Orchestra @ Ropner Park, Stockton TS18 4EF. 2:00-4:00pm. Free.
Sun 11: Am Jam @ The Globe, Newcastle. 2:30pm. Free.
Sun 11: 4B @ The Exchange, North Shields. 3:00pm.
Sun 11: Groovetrain @ Innisfree Sports & Social Club, Longbenton NE12 8TY. Doors 6:30pm. £15.00 (£7.00. under 16).
Sun 11: Jeffrey Hewer Collective @ The Globe, Newcastle. 8:00pm.

Mon 12: Harmony Brass @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm.

Monday, April 01, 2019

Remembering Keith @ the Prohibition Bar - March 31.

(Review by Lance)

I'd just watched Sunderland lose the Chekatrade Cup final to Portsmouth so that entering the Pro Bar and hearing Gypsy Dave Smith, accompanied by Ray Burns,  singing the blues captured my mood. I'd despaired at the cheers from Newcastle's 'anti-Sunderland' fans when Pompey emerged victorious after a penalty shoot-out. Nice one guys support a team that's 400 miles away as opposed to one that's about 12 miles and a few stops on the Metro! But that's the tribalism of the so-called beautiful game on Mother's Day*.

I remembered Crombie's views on football fans - they didn't get into the old Jazz Caff if they were wearing 'shirts' - 'A bunch of wankers!' his favourite remark. 

And, of course, we jazzers have also been guilty of tribalism if you think back to the days when traddies and boppers decreed that ne'er the like should meet.


That particular conflict has long been resolved - witness Lindsay Hannon singing Basin Street Blues. Lady Day Hannon treated it gentle. Caressing the old Spencer Williams tune as if it were the most sentimental ballad of love and yet, without losing the old New Orleans' feel, it was a pin drop moment. 
So, why were we all gathered together like this? To enjoy the music of course but, also to remember the late Keith Crombie.

Crombie is (I hate to say 'was') perhaps the most enigmatic non-playing jazz figure in the northeast and it was fitting that he should be remembered with a plaque on the wall, unveiled by his sister Janet, in the place where he made it all happen.
It was also an evening that reunited old friends and introduced new friends - hi Helena, I know we're friends on F/b but it's not the same as being friends in person whilst listening to some great music.

Then there was Kevah and his camera and his always friendly greeting. Jazz friends seem to have inseparable bonds (well most) and Kev's photos are excellent (click here).

Because it was as much a social occasion as a gig, the music wasn't always picked up by the crowd but, some of the ones that I tuned in to were, Lindsay singing Some Other Time; John Rowland blowing that rarely heard Rodgers and Hart ballad, You Are Too Beautiful and Val Clemens singing All of Me. We also had the surprise of the night when proprietor Mitch sat in on drums - following Ian Forbes no less! Turned out Mitch was just keeping the drum stool warm for 'Lady' Caroline Mary who was out slumming but proved that she too could play.
By now the 8:00pm advertised finish had long gone and, with it, so had I. I probably missed more great music - how could I not with Mark Williams and Paul Grainger aboard? But, I left, football forgotten but memories of the past and the present very much alive.
Lance.
PHOTOS.
*Mother's à la Miles.

2 comments :

Unknown said...

Thankyou So Much Lance a lovely write-up you never fail to impress it was a lovely night which I'm sure Keith would have approved of ...It was lovely to see you again too. Mitch and colleagues have created a beautifull Jazz venue I loved it .. take care my friend Val

Helena said...

Great write up about a very special evening at the Prohibition Bar unveiling the Keith Crombie Plaque Lance Thank you for the Mention it was lovely To meet you at last after being facebook friends for ages

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