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Bebop Spoken There

Ambrose Akinmusire: “ I am certainly always aware of what the masses are doing. And when I see too many people going one way, I'm going another way - even when I don't know what's over that way". DownBeat, March, 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

Tue 19: Jam session @ The Black Swan, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free. House trio: Michael Young, Paul Grainger, Tim Johnston.

Wed 20: Vieux Carré Jazzmen @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Wed 20: Darlington Big Band @ Darlington & Simpson Rolling Mills Social Club, Darlington. 7:00pm. Free. Rehearsal session (open to the public).
Wed 20: Take it to the Bridge @ The Globe, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free.

Thu 21: Vieux Carré Jazzmen @ The Holystone, Whitley Road, North Tyneside. 1:00pm. Free.
Thu 21: Castillo Neuvo Trio + Conor Emery & His ‘Bones Band @ The Grove, Ouseburn, Newcastle. 7:30pm (7:00pm doors). £10.00. (£7.00. student).
Thu 21: Remi Banklyn + Chris Corcoran Trio @ The Globe, Newcastle. 8:00pm. £12.50. Chicago blues. An International Guitar Foundation promotion.
Thu 21: Merlin Roxby @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 8:00pm. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig. Ragtime piano.
Thu 21: Tees Hot Club @ Dorman’s Club, Middlesbrough. 8:30pm.

Fri 22: Vasilis Xenopoulos & Paul Edis @ The Gala, Durham. 1:00pm. £8.00. SOLD OUT!
Fri 22: Classic Swing @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 22: Rendezvous Jazz @ The Monkseaton Arms. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 22: New Orleans Preservation Jazz Band @ The Oxbridge Hotel, Stockton. 1:00pm. £5.00.
Fri 22: Nauta + Remy CB + Last Orders @ Hoochie Coochie, Newcastle. 8:30pm (7:30pm doors). Free.
Fri 22: Vasilis Xenopoulos-Paul Edis Quartet @ Traveller’s Rest, Darlington. 8:00pm. £15.00. Opus 4 Jazz Club.
Fri 22: Redwell @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 8:00pm. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig.

Sat 23: Jambone @ The Glasshouse, Gateshead. 6:30pm. Free (ticketed). End of term performance in the Northern Rock Foundation Hall.
Sat 23: Milne-Glendinning Band @ The Vault, Darlington. 7:00pm. Free.
Sat 23: Red Kites Jazz @ Rowlands Gill Community Centre NE39 1JB. 7:00pm. Tickets: £12.00. (gibsidecommunityfarm@gmail.com). A ‘Build a Barn’ fundraiser. BYOB, tea/coffee available.
Sat 23: New Century Ragtime Orchestra @ Gosforth Civic Theatre, Newcastle. 7:30pm. £20.00. + bf (book in person at venue - no booking fee!). Featuring pianist Martin Litton.
Sat 23: Pete Tanton’s Cuba Libre @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 8:00pm. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig.

Sun 24: Musicians Unlimited @ Park Inn, Hartlepool. 1:00pm. Free.
Sun 24: More Jam @ The Globe, Newcastle. 2:30pm. Free.
Sun 24: Luis Verde @ Queen’s Hall, Hexham. 3:00pm. Verde (alto sax); Joe Steels (guitar); John Pope (double bass); John Hirst (drums). Alto sax brilliance!
Sun 24: Elsie Franklin @ The Globe, Newcastle. 3:00pm. £10.00. Country blues. An International Guitar Foundation promotion.
Sun 24: 4B @ The Ticket Office, Whitley Bay Metro Station. 3:00pm. Free.
Sun 24: Las Vegas Live with the Rat Pack @ The Forum, Billingham.
Sun 24: Ian Millar & Dominic Spencer @ Otterburn Memorial Hall. 7:30pm. £12.00.
Sun 24: Lindsay Hannon: Tom Waits for No Man @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 7:00pm. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig. Note start time - 7:00pm.
Sun 24: Bold Big Band @ The Globe, Newcastle. 8:00pm.

Mon 25: Harmony Brass @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Mon 25: Michael Young Trio @ The Engine Room, Sunderland. 6:30pm. Free.

Saturday, April 27, 2019

The Ronnie Scott's Story: 60th Anniversary Concert @ Sage Gateshead - April 26

James Pearson (piano); Alex Garnett (tenor sax/vocals); Sam Burgess (bass); Chris Draper (drums); Natalie Williams (vocals).
(Review by Lance).

I'd seen the show a couple of times previously but this didn't detract from an enjoyable evening. When all the old jokes were rolled out I groaned but, they were seemingly new to many of the audience in the three-tiers full Sage Two so I laughed along with them and, truth to tell, I never tire of hearing them again. 

Pearson (pictured left) and Garnett did most of the narration helped by the projected backdrop and some words from the late, great, man himself. I never made it to the Club 11 or the first Ronnie Scott's in Gerrard St. although there was a period when I was a regular at the Flamingo Club, also in Soho, where Ronnie Scott often appeared whilst this coming Wednesday (May 1) I shall be at the Frith St. club where Alan Barnes is playing. Paradoxically, many would say that Barnes has inherited the role of Jazz Court Jester that once was Ronnie's.


I digress as, of course, tonight it was the live music that made the gig something special and the surprise inclusion of Natalie Williams who sang beautifully as she always does

The tall singer looked good and sounded good. Prior to this evening, I'd heard her in a previous edition of the show as well as at  Hoochie, Cadogan Hall and on CD. After the concert, her albums were replacing hot cakes in the bestseller lists and deservedly so.

A Night in Tunisia; How High the Moon; Moody's Mood for Love; Love For Sale; James (Pat Metheny); Spain; I Loves You Porgy; Sister Sadie and the encore It Don't Mean a Thing -  which was synced with a projection of Ella Do-wa-do-wa-do-waing it on screen - all of which were knockout performances.

The band were well featured with some 'Scott-ish' tenor from Garnett who also produced some Roland Kirk-like harmonics, sang a duet with Williams on Moody's Mood and the pair's vocalese/tenor blast on Sister Sadie was truly memorable!

As well as helping out with the anecdotes and 'vamping till ready' Pearson paid tribute to Oscar Peterson with a dazzling Place St. Henri from his [Peterson's] Canadiana Suite, Burgess was featured on Walkin' and Draper played one of the more imaginative drum solos on Love For Sale.

Instrumentals included a blistering Airmail Special; Through the Night Roared the Overland Express and Alfie's Theme.

A thoroughly enjoyable history lesson.
Lance

1 comment :

Andy Hudson said...

"...Anyone in from Middlesbrough... There's a little known fact Ladies and
Gentlemen that towards the end of the war the Americans accidentally dropped
an atom bomb whilst flying over the town......Did £4 of damage."

"Just after the war, we were all very poor and had to walk around dressed in
war surplus clothing...I can tell you it was no fun for a nice jewish boy to
be going around the East End dressed as a Japanese Admiral...."

Hey Ho That was Ronnie.

I do miss him and the other two,

Ronnie's was BPR Ltd Brian Pete and Ronnie

Brian (Theobald) was the agent, Pete (King) was the club manager and
incidentally also a racing driver trainer at Brands Hatch. and of course
Ronnie Scott(Musician and Host)

When I left the North East in 1979; for the first year, my office was on the
1st floor of Ronnies - A gift from the 3 of them to get me going in London.
The first Alexandra Palace jazz Festival was organised from there. It was a
fun-filled period.

"You from Hebburn Sir ? ...... I spent a fortnight there....Last Thursday!"

RIP Ronnie Scott

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