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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: Tommy Harkenrider Quartet - May 11

Tommy Harkenrider (guitar); Richard Exall (tenor sax); Sandy Suchodolski (double bass); Morgan Childs (drums)
(Review by Russell)

A couple (friends of BSH) from the Tyne-Tees Delta recommended catching Tommy Harkenrider's second concert performance at this year's Keswick Jazz and Blues Festival. The word was the jazz 'n' blues guitarist was the 'real deal'. On Thursday the man from Orange County, California had played a trio engagement with BSH favourite Bruce Rollo and Canadian drummer Morgan Childs. This Saturday evening performance would be in quartet format to include bootin' tenor sax. 
Slim, suited and booted, originally from Las Vegas, Tommy Harkenrider works out of Orange County and this UK appearance presented an opportunity to check him out. Working with the American on this Keswick date were Richard Exall on tenor sax , engaged, no doubt, to act as foil to the main man, Royal Academy graduate bassist Sandy Suchodolski (Alan Barnes, Scott Hamilton, Gareth Lockrane, BBC Big Band) and, all the way from Toronto,  drummer Morgan Childs.

Harkenrider's amiable stage patter was along the lines: Has anyone heard of...Tiny Grimes?...Pee Wee Crayton?...T-Bone Walker? and so on. Yes, this was our American visitor sussing out his audience. Some of those present knew the names, evidently quite a few didn't. And it appeared Harkenrider wasn't one for names, namely Richard Exall and Sandy Suchodolski! So, seemingly a scratch band put together for the occasion, Exall's job was to 'put the boot in' and he did just that. Little did Harkenrider know just how good the Brit was! Exall did everything required and more, Harkenrider was surely left thinking: Who is this guy?! 

Harkenrider cites George Barnes, Teddy Bunn and Les Paul as influences and he's worked the circuit with James Harman and Big Sandy. This Keswick gig revealed the American to be a Les Paul man by way of Bob Wills and all things Americana. To his left stood Sandy Suchodolski. BSH's regular north east of England stomping ground has its share of A-list bass players and, if you want an out-of-towner, the balding, bearded Suchodolski is your man. Think Andys Champion and Cleyndert or NHOP, Mr S is up there. 

Drummer Morgan Childs is active on the Toronto jazz scene with recordings out under his own name and here he was in Keswick playing a blues and boogie set. More Tiny Grimes (Frankie and Johnny Boogie), more Pee Wee then Harkenrider enquired: Has anyone heard of Freddie King? Yeah! replied some. The lights were getting low, it was almost time to go when our American guest chose to play something by his all-time hero - Texas Johnny Brown. Turning to his pick-up band Harkenrider said: A barn-burner, double shuffle. A collective nod of the head, they doggone burned it down!    
Russell

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