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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

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: 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.

Sat 28: Jason Isaacs @ St. James’ STACK, Newcastle. 11:30am. Free. Vocalist Isaacs working with backing tapes.
Sat 28: Fri 20: Castillo Nuevo @ Revoluçion de Cuba, Newcastle. 5:30pm. Free.
Sat 28: Jude Murphy, Rich Herdman & Giles Strong @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 8:00pm. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig.
Sat 28: Ray Stubbs R & B All-Stars @ Billy Bootlegger’s, Stepney Bank, Newcastle. 9:00pm. Free.

Sun 29: Paul Skerritt @ Hibou Blanc, Newcastle. 2:00pm. Free. Vocalist Skerritt working with backing tapes.
Sun 29: Alexia Gardner Quintet @ The Globe, Newcastle. 8:00pm.

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

Tuesday, May 14, 2019

Keswick Jazz & Blues Festival: Keith Nichols' Ragamuffins - May 11

Keith Nichols (piano); Michael McQuaid (reeds, vocals); Alistair Allan (trombone, vocals); Spats Langham (banjo, guitar, vocals); Malcolm Sked (double bass, sousaphone); Nick Ward (drums)
(Review by Russell)
On a warm, blue sky Cumbrian day it would have been understandable if some festival-goers joined the many walkers on the fells high above the bustling Lakeland town. Jazz the priority, the Theatre by the Lake once more accommodated a large crowd to hear Keith Nichols present the second of three concerts at Keswick 2019. 

On the Trail of the Lonesome Pine sang Spats Langham, his fellow Ragamuffins hit the Gin Bottle Blues with Spats staying on the wagon to sing the tongue-twister Nagasaki. A typically eclectic selection of tunes for Nichols' small group to play to an onside crowd. The repartee between band leader and sidemen is never less than entertaining and,  invariably, Maestro Nichols has the final word although a tradition has developed whereupon the audience greets Malcolm Sked (sousaphone) with tumultuous applause leaving the Ragamuffins' bandleader in a state of bemusement...much hilarity all round!     
A Fats Waller medley (Nichols retains a fine command of ragtime and stride piano styles), an Alistair Allan feature on I Cover the Waterfront (Nichols couldn't resist telling the story of Bruce Turner habitually referring to the number as I Water the Front Cover!), Michael McQuaid playing alto sax on Joe Jordan's Dreaming the Hours Away, Spats dedicating My Sweet Virginia to the late Ted Wood (Temperance Seven, Bob Kerr's Whoopie Band), this was a gentle amble (countryside ramble?) through a thoroughly enjoyable concert set list.

The afternoon's entertainment once more turned to Fats Waller (Come on and Stomp, Stomp, Stomp), Spats singing Bing (In the Blue of the Night) and All God's Chillun Got Rhythm interspersed by a few more observational gems from Nichols including: Lil Hardin was a diminutive woman who played the piano like a rhinoceros! 

Out into the late afternoon sunshine and a stroll up to Main Street in search of a decent pint before a night of Stateside blues.    
Russell

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