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Bebop Spoken There

Simon Spillett: “ Bebop and hard bop came naturally to him [Tubby Hayes]". Morning Star, March 28, 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

Fri 29: FILM: Soul @ The Forum Cinema, Hexham. 12:30pm. Jazz-themed film animation.
Fri 29: Classic Swing @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 29: Rendezvous Jazz @ The Monkseaton Arms. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 29: New Orleans Preservation Jazz Band @ The Oxbridge Hotel, Stockton. 1:00pm. £5.00.
Fri 29: Abbie Finn Trio @ The Vault, Darlington. 6:00pm. Free. POSTPONED!
Fri 29: Thundercat @ Newcastle City Hall.
Fri 29: John Logan @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 8:00pm. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig.
Fri 29: True Colours @ Barrels Ale House, Berwick. 9:00pm. Blues, jazz & swing.

Sat 30: Papa G’s Troves @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 8:00pm. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig.
Sat 30: Pete Tanton’s Cuba Libre @ Whitley Bay Library, York Road, Whitley Bay. 8:00pm.

Sun 31: 4B @ The Ticket Office, Whitley Bay Metro Station. 3:00pm. Free.
Sun 31: Ruth Lambert Trio @ Juke Shed, Union Quay, North Shields NE30 1HJ. 3:00pm. Free. Lambert, Alan Law & Paul Grainger.
Sun 31: Sid Jacobs & Tom Remon @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 7:00pm. Free. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig. USA/London jazz guitar duo.
Sun 31: Bellavana @ The Globe, Newcastle. 8:00pm.

April
Mon 01: Harmony Brass @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Mon 01: Ray Stubbs R&B All Stars @ Billy Bootlegger’s, Ouseburn, Newcastle. 3:00pm. Free.

Tue 02: Jam session @ The Black Swan, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free. House trio: Dean Stockdale, Paul Grainger, Abbie Finn.

Wed 03: Vieux Carré Jazzmen @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Wed 03: Darlington Big Band @ Darlington & Simpson Rolling Mills Social Club, Darlington. 7:00pm. Free. Rehearsal session (open to the public).
Wed 03: Take it to the Bridge @ The Globe, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free.

Thu 04: FILM: Soul @ Forum Cinema, Hexham. 2:00pm. Jazz-themed film animation.
Thu 04: Vieux Carré Jazzmen @ The Holystone, Whitley Road, North Tyneside. 1:00pm. Free.
Thu 04: Funky Drummer @ The Globe, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free.
Thu 04: Eva Fox & the Jazz Guys @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 8:00pm. Free. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig.
Thu 04: Tees Hot Club @ Dorman’s Club, Middlesbrough. 8:30pm.

Tuesday, May 07, 2019

Darlington Jazz Festival: Sebastiaan de Krom Quintet @ The Market Square Marquee - May 4


Martin Shaw (trumpet); Brandon Allen (tenor saxophone); Gareth Williams (piano); Steve Watts (double bass); Sebastiaan de Krom (drums)
(Review by Russell)

The idea of a town centre marquee to help promote this year's jazz festival to a wider public must have seemed like a good idea...on paper. What the festival organisers couldn't have bargained for were near Arctic conditions on the middle evening of the three-day event. An industrial size heater intermittently pumped hot air into the tent. As the audience huddled together coats remained firmly buttoned. 


Friend of Darlington Jazz Festival Sebastiaan de Krom returned to the County Durham town with his all-star band in tow. The band leader and three of his buddies opted for jackets, the odd one out, the hard man of the quintet, Steve Watts, played it in shirt sleeves. The easy-going de Krom spoke warmly (warmly!) of the work put in by festival director Shaune Eland and his team to make the event the success it is and the many friendly faces he encountered around town.

Drummer de Krom selected an all Miles' programme. Two sets of music written by, or associated with, trumpeter Miles Davis proved to be a popular draw. Miles' musical partner from way back - Charlie Parker - provided an early highlight (Ah-Leu-Cha), similarly Jackie McLean's Little Melonae with solos spread across the quintet; the horns - Martin Shaw (trumpet) and the musically muscular Aussie tenor saxophonist Brandon Allen - flanked on their right by a rather frozen-looking Gareth Willams (piano), de Krom himself operating in the shadows to their left with hard man Watts surveying all before him from the back of the stage.

As the cold set in pianist Williams stopped mid-solo to blow on his hands - the group huddle sympathised! Budo (comp. Miles Davis and/or Bud Powell) led into modal-era Miles on Dear Old Stockholm featuring a fine solo from Watts who was a tower of strength all night. The setlist
 contained a string of numbers recorded by de Krom's subject; Our Delight (Tadd Dameron), All of You (Cole Porter) with Williams sufficient warmed-up to knock out a great solo, the ostensibly odd choice of Sweet Sue, Just YouRound Midnight and, to close, Teo, Miles' tribute to influential producer Teo Macero. 

It had been a night for hardy souls, those who stuck with it heard some tremendous jazz from the ensemble and its A-list soloists. Sebastiaan de Krom is a man of sunny disposition, just what Dr Jazz ordered on a night such as this.     
Russell

1 comment :

Jim Hall (on F/b) said...

How these guys played such mesmerising jazz when the temperature must have been close to freezing beggars belief true pros, that’s why they’re at the top of the tree. Must mention Gareth Williams great chordal and solo work.

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