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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.

Wednesday, May 01, 2019

Jam session @ The Black Swan - April 30

Mark Williams (guitar); Paul Grainger (double bass); John Bradford (drums) + James Metcalf (trumpet); John Rowland (tenor sax); Graham Easthope (tenor sax); Francis Tulip (guitar) 
(Review by Russell/Photos to follow)

A couple of old hands, a couple of student hotshots, otherwise it was a quiet night. This week's Black Swan jam session began quietly and, for the most part, continued that way. Piano-less house trios invariably result in restrained affairs and on International Jazz Day the booters, honkers and rip-it-up merchants stayed home. 

Tyne and Wear's Metro system experienced yet more disruptions to service which perhaps accounted for the relatively low numbers in town as Messrs Williams, Grainger and Bradford opened with I Should Care. Guitarist Mark Williams exudes class and his early appreciation of 'new boy' John Bradford gladdened the heart. Lynchpin bassist Paul Grainger adopted his usual station in the middle of the action, periodically calling sitters-in to the stand.  

How High the Moon then It's Almost Like Being in Love stirred James Metcalf. Our Nottingham-based student, home for a few days, blew fine trumpet...he's been in the woodshed, no question. Old hand John Rowland looked to inject some umph into proceedings with his bootin' Basie small group Kansas City style tenor which in turn encouraged fellow tenor horn Graham Easthope to  join him on Just Friends

We hadn't heard from Francis Tulip for a while due to a case of RSI. Now sufficiently recovered to play again - FT claimed he was short of practice...yeah, right! - the manager put him on up front in search of a winner and, sure enough, he came up trumps on There'll Never be Another You and again on Stella by Starlight.

Second set - PG had suggested they take five - Mark Williams gave a masterclass on Chick Corea's Windows and again on I'll be Seeing You. The sitters-in massed in the wings - the horns of Rowland and Easthope, young guns Metcalf and Tulip up for some more. Night in Tunisia suited all and all of a sudden it was almost time to go. And so they went, bebopping, the soloists sparking off one another. The next Black Swan jam is on Tuesday 14 May. If you can't wait that long then get along to the Dun Cow (Jesmond) tonight (May Day) to listen to the house trio (Stu Collingwood, Paul Grainger and Paul Wight) and any number of frisky May Day revellers, eight o'clock start.    
Russell           

1 comment :

Steve T said...

A piano-less trio on Jazz Day seemed a perfect opportunity to sabotage the metro. Payed off too. Although I only made the last hour, I may be a bit more inclined to jam sessions if they were a bit more like this, though I get that the venues need healthy bar takings to be able to keep putting them on.
More like a gig by a loose sextet, with horns coming and going. Triffic stuff.

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