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Bebop Spoken There

Branford Marsalis: "As ignorance often forces us to do, you make a generalisation about a musician based on one specific record or one moment in time." - (Jazzwise June 2023).

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

15478 (and counting) posts since we started blogging 15 years ago. 499 of them this year alone and, so far, 120 this month (May 27).

From This Moment On ...

May 2023

Wed 31: Vieux Carré Jazzmen @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm.
Wed 31: Darlington Big Band @ Darlington & Simpson Rolling Mills Social Club, Darlington. 7:00pm. Rehearsal session (open to the public).
Wed 31: 4B @ The Exchange, North Shields. 7:00pm.
Wed 31: Take it to the Bridge @ The Globe, Newcastle. 7:30pm.

June
Thu 01: Vieux Carré Jazzmen @ The Holystone, Whitley Road, North Tyneside. 1:00pm. Free.
Thu 01: Thursday Night Prayer Meeting @ The Globe, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Donations.
Thu 01: Merlin Roxby @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 8:00pm. Ragtime piano. A 'Jar on the Bar' gig.
Thu 01: Jake Leg Jug Band @ The Globe, Newcastle. 8:00pm.
Thu 01: Tees Hot Club @ Dorman's Club, Middlesbrough. 9:00pm.

Fri 02: Classic Swing @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm.
Fri 02: New Orleans Preservation Jazz Band @ Oxbridge Hotel, Stockton. 1:00pm. £5.00.
Fri 02: Rendezvous Jazz @ The Monkseaton Arms, Monkseaton. 1:00pm.
Fri 02: Joseph Carville Trio @ Saltburn Community Hall. 7:30pm.
Fri 02: Claire Martin & Her Trio @ The Witham, Barnard Castle. 7:30pm. £25.00., £20.00. Feat. Jim Mullen, Alex Garnett & Jeremy Brown.
Fri 02: Guy Davis + Michael Littlefield & Scott Taylor @ Cluny 2, Newcastle. Doors 7:30pm. Blues double bill.
Fri 02: Anders Ingram @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 8:00pm. Blind Pig Blues Club. Country blues. A 'Jar on the Bar' gig.

Sat 03: Newcastle Record Fair @ Northumbria University, Newcastle NE8 8SB. 10:00am-3:00pm. Admission: £2.00.
Sat 03: Pedigree Jazz Band @ St Augustine's Parish Centre, Darlington. 12:30pm.
Sat 03: Play Jazz! workshop @ The Globe, Newcastle. 1:30pm. Tutor: Sue Ferris. £25.00. Enrol at: www.jazz.coop.
Sat 03: Abbie Finn Trio @ The Vault, Darlington. 6:00pm. Free.
Sat 03: Rendezvous Jazz @ Red Lion, Earsdon. 8:00pm. £3.00.
Sat 03: Papa G's Troves @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 8:00pm. A 'Jar on the Bar' gig.

Sun 04: Smokin' Spitfires @ The Cluny, Newcastle. 12:45pm.
Sun 04: Central Bar Quintet @ Central Bar, Gateshead. 2:00-4:00pm. £5.00. The Central Bar Quintet plays Sonny Rollins' Saxophone Colossus. Featuring Lewis Watson.
Sun 04: 4B @ The Exchange, North Shields. 3:00pm.
Sun 04: Struggle Buggy + Michael Littlefield @ Tyne Bar, Newcastle. 4:00pm. Free. Acoustic blues.
Sun 04: Swinging at the Cotton Club: Harry Strutters' Hot Rhythm Orchestra @ The Fire Station, Sunderland. 7:30pm.
Sun 04: Richard Jones Trio @ The Globe, Newcastle. 8:00pm.

Mon 05: Harmony Brass @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm.

Tue 06: Paul Skerritt @ The Rabbit Hole, Hallgarth St., Durham DH1 3AT. 7:00pm. Paul Skerritt's (solo) weekly residency.
Tue 06: Jam session @ Black Swan, Newcastle Arts Centre. 7:30pm. House trio: Stu Collingwood (piano); Paul Grainger (double bass); Sid White (drums).

Wednesday, June 26, 2019

Jam Session @ the Black Swan - June 25

(Review by Lance/PHOTOS).

Another Tuesday, another jam session. The fortnightly free-for-all never fails to deliver and last night was no exception.

'Showtime' usually leaves it late but tonight he was first up and not without a few surprises. Although beloved by vocalists, Charles Trenet's La Mer, or Bobby Darin's Beyond the Sea to some, isn't staple jam session material for instrumentalists but this didn't deter our intrepid slideman who gave la chanson a spirited workout. 

"Is Wayne Shorter in the house?" No, Mr Shorter was elsewhere no doubt celebrating the DownBeat critics having pronounced his CD Emanon as the Jazz Album of the Year. However, Harry Keeble was hanging out and he played a 200mph version of Shorter's ESP that took my breath away - not to mention that of the rhythm section who hung on gamely.
More surprises from 'Showtime'. This time a Randy Newman opus - You've Got a Friend in Me. An extended piece that looked to have been arranged by our boy. It had some nice harmonic twists and turns. Prior to this premiere, a relaxed version of Doxy.

Ray Johnson joined David and Harry for Samba Orpheus with Abbie at the kit. The three horn frontline sounded good.

The towering figure of Lachlan and Niffi went to the Darktown Strutters Ball before doing a demolition job on Let's Do It - Niffi certainly did it to Cole Porter, God rest his soul.

A more restrained couple of numbers from Jan and Dean who'd never been to Surf City and so didn't sing about it choosing instead to give us This Can't be Love and Come Rain or Come Shine. The duo was ok although, personally, I'd have preferred it with bass and drums added.

Drums were added with the arrival of Matt, James Metcalf joined on trumpet and Francis Tulip made a fleeting appearance on guitar as Jan waxed eloquent about The Boy From Ipanema.

Marcus took over on piano as young James played Stella by Starlight - when in doubt at a jam... This was followed by I Remember You. The knights of the round table were making reference to that most abysmal recording of the song by Frank Ifield. If his fellow Aussies played cricket like he sang England's worries would be over. I felt it my duty to point out that the Lennie Niehaus recording of the song is one of the classic recordings of all time - both in the arrangement and the alto solo. James didn't quite reach those heights but he's certainly upped his game since I last heard him - well done!

The evening was drawing to a close but not before Ray Burns sang and played Don't Get Around Much Anymore setting the stage for the grand finale which involved Niffi, the two trumpets, trombone, tenor, piano, bass and drums with the three pianists seamlessly interchanging.
Needless to say, the house trio was, as ever, tops throughout.

This maybe wasn't one of the never to be forgotten sessions but it was still very enjoyable.
Lance 
PHOTOS

Alan Law (piano); Paul Grainger (bass); John Bradford (drums) + Ray Johnson, James Metcalf (trumpets); David 'Showtime' Gray (trombone); Lachlan Fotheringham (soprano sax); Harry Keeble (tenor sax); Dean Stockdale, Marcus Tham (piano); Abbie Finn, Matt MacKellar (drums); Ray Burns (harmonica/vocal); Niffi Osiyemi, Jan Spencelayh (vocals); Francis Tulip (guitar).

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