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Bebop Spoken There

Art Blakey: "You [Bobby Watson] don't want to play too long, because you don't know they're clapping because they're glad you finished!" - (JazzTimes, Nov. 2019)..

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!"

Postage

15848 (and counting) posts since we started blogging 15 years ago. 855 of them this year alone and, so far, 53 this month (Sept. 18).

From This Moment On ...

September

Mon 25: Harmony Brass @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm.
Mon 25: Michael Young Trio @ The Engine Room, Sunderland. 7:00pm.

Tue 26: Paul Skerritt @ The Rabbit Hole, Hallgarth St., Durham DH1 3AT. 7:00pm. Paul Skerritt's (solo) weekly residency.

Wed 27: Vieux Carré Jazzmen @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm.
Wed 27: Darlington Big Band @ Darlington & Simpson Rolling Mills Social Club, Darlington. 7:00pm. Rehearsal session (open to the public).
Wed 27: Take it to the Bridge @ The Globe, Newcastle. 7:30pm.

Thu 28: Vieux Carré Jazzmen @ The Holystone, Whitley Road, North Tyneside. 1:00pm. Free.
Thu 28: Alice Grace Quartet @ King's Hall, Newcastle University. 1:15pm. Free.
Thu 28: Gateshead Jazz Appreciation Society @ Gateshead Central Library, Gateshead. 2:30pm. All welcome.
Thu 28: Faye MacCalman + Snape/Sankey @ Cobalt Studios, Newcastle. 7:00pm.
Thu 28: Zoe Rahman @ Jesmond United Reformed Church, Jesmond, Newcastle. 7:30pm. A Newcastle Festival of Jazz & Improvised Music event.
Thu 28: '58 Jazz Collective @ Hops & Cheese, Hartlepool. 7:30pm.
Thu 28: Speakeasy @ Queen's Hall, Hexham. 7:30pm. £15.00. A Southpaw Dance Company presentation. Dance, audio-visuals, Count Basie, Benny Goodman, swing dancers etc.
Thu 28: Mick Cantwell Band @ Harbour View, Sunderland. 8:00pm. Free. Ace blues band.
Thu 28: Tees Hot Club @ Dorman's Club, Middlesbrough. 9:00pm.

Fri 29: Classic Swing @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm.
Fri 29: New Orleans Preservation Jazz Band @ Oxbridge Hotel, Stockton. 1:00pm. £5.00.
Fri 29: Rendezvous Jazz @ The Monkseaton Arms, Monkseaton. 1:00pm.

Sat 30: John Pope Quintet + Late Girl + Shapeshifters @ Bobik's, Jesmond, Newcastle.
Sat 30: Papa G's Troves @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 8:00pm. A 'Jar on the Bar' gig.

OCTOBER

Sun 01: Smokin' Spitfires @ The Cluny, Newcastle. 12:45pm.
Sun 01: Dulcie May Moreno sings Portrait of Sheila @ Central Bar, Gateshead. 2:00pm. £10.00. Moreno sings Sheila Jordan with Giles Strong, Mick Shoulder & John Bradford.
Sun 01: Middlesbrough Jazz & Blues Orchestra @ Saltburn Community Hall. 2:00pm.
Sun 01: The Easy Rollers @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 7:00pm. £13.70., £11.55.
Sun 01: Brand/Roberts/Champion/Sanders @ Blank Studios, Newcastle. 8:00pm. A Newcastle Festival of Jazz & Improvised Music event.
Sun 01: Papa G's Troves @ The Globe, Newcastle. 8:00pm.

Mon 02: Harmony Brass @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm.
Mon 02: FILM: Wattstax; 50th Anniversary @ Forum Cinema, Hexham. 8:00pm.

Sunday, June 30, 2019

Emma Fisk's Hot Club du Nord @ Sage Gateshead - June 29

Emma Fisk (violin); James Birkett. Dave Harris (guitars); Bruce Rollo (bass).
(Review by Lance/photo courtesy of Russell).

From the opening bars of Honeysuckle Rose to the final J'attendrai the magic unfolded, taking us back to the days when Django and Stéphane were the toast of Paree. Last night, Emma Fisk and her Hot Club du Nord were the toast of 'Gatesheed'. Yes, the well-attended Sage Two audience showed their approval in no uncertain manner - and so they should, it doesn't get much better than this.

Fisk displays amazing control, Emma doesn't play the violin, the violin is as much a part of her as the hand holding the bow or the fingers that move with such dexterity up and down the fingerboard. Total mastery (if that isn't a gender contradiction!)

Flanked by Birkett and Harris thrashing away on their Maccaferri guitars, and Rollo slapping bass with a gentle subtlety this was gypsy jazz/swing at its finest. However, unlike the original where Django soloed and the other two guitarists played rhythm James and Dave alternated solos to offer contrasting sounds. The former, smoother toned whilst still keeping within the spirit of the music, the latter harder, more metallic sounding. Both ace players blending well together.

No surprises in the repertoire, we knew what to expect and we got just that although it was nice to have a reference to Oscar Alemán, the Argentinian guitarist many rated above Django. It was all great stuff but, for me, the absolute standout out number was A Nightingale Sang in Berkeley Square dedicated by Emma to her late father. A pin drop moment.

As we left I couldn't help but feel a little patronising towards those folk who'd opted for the B52s in Sage One - if they only knew what they'd missed!
Lance.

Honeysuckle Rose; Body & Soul; Dinah; Del Salle; Blue Drag; HCQ Strut; Nuages; Exactly Like You; Sweet Chorus; Coquette; Oriental Shuffle; Swing 42; Ain't Misbehavin'; I'm Confessin'; Viper's Dream; Crazy Rhythm; Minor Swing; A Nightingale Sang in Berkeley Square; Sweet Georgia Brown; J'attendrai.

1 comment :

EmmaFiskJazzVio said...

Many thanks for the review Lance - sorry I didn't catch you after the gig! X

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