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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

Fri 20: Edison Herbert Trio @ The Lit & Phil, Newcastle. 1:00pm. SOLD OUT!
Fri 20: Classic Swing @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 20: Rendezvous Jazz @ The Monkseaton Arms. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 20: New Orleans Preservation Jazz Band @ The Oxbridge Hotel, Stockton. 1:00pm. £5.00.
Fri 20: Jason Isaacs @ St. James’ STACK, Newcastle. 1:00-3:00pm. Free. Vocalist Isaacs working with backing tapes.
Fri 20: Baghdaddies @ Cobalt Studios, Newcastle. 7:00pm. SOLD OUT!
Fri 20: Smokin’ Spitfires @ Platform 1, East Bedlington Community Centre. 7:00pm.
Fri 20: Pete Tanton’s Christmas @ 1719, Hendon, Sunderland. 7:30pm. CANCELLED!
Fri 20: Alligator Gumbo @ Saltburn Community Hall. 7:30pm. SOLD OUT!
Fri 20: Abbie Finn’s Finntet @ The Traveller’s Rest, Darlington. 8:00pm. Opus 4 Jazz Club.
Fri 20: Brass Fiesta @ Revoluçion de Cuba, Newcastle. 10:30pm. Free.

Sat 21: Lindsay Hannon Quartet @ Central Bar, Gateshead. 2:00pm. £15.00. ‘Swinging with Christmas Songs’.
Sat 21: Jason Isaacs @ Seaburn STACK, Seaburn. 3:30-5:30pm. Free. Vocalist Isaacs working with backing tapes.
Sat 21: Jackson’s Wharf Xmas Party @ Jackson’s Wharf, Hartlepool. 7:00pm. Free. Featuring the New ’58 Jazz Collective.
Sat 21: Brass Fiesta @ Revoluçion de Cuba, Newcastle. 10:30pm. Free.

Sun 22: Hot Club du Nord @ The Globe, Newcastle. 1:00pm. £15.00. + bf. Xmas party. SOLD OUT!
Sun 22: Red Kites Jazz @ Gibside Chapel, nr. Rowlands Gill. 1:00pm. Admission charge applies.
Sun 22: Paul Skerritt @ Hibou Blanc, Newcastle. 2:00pm. Free. Vocalist Skerritt working with backing tapes.
Sun 22: Ruth Lambert Trio @ The Juke Shed, Union Quay, North Shields. 3:00pm. Free.
Sun 22: 4B @ The Ticket Office, Whitley Bay. 3:00pm. Free.
Sun 22: Revolutionaires @ Tyne Bar, Ouseburn, Newcastle. 4:00pm. Free. Superb rhythm & blues outfit.
Sun 22: Laurence Harrison, Paul Grainger & Mark Robertson @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 7:00pm. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig. Line-up TBC.
Sun 22: The Globe Xmas Party @ The Globe, Newcastle. 7:00pm. Free. Live music (musicians TBC).
Sun 22: Ray Stubbs R & B All-Stars @ Zerox, Sandhill, Newcastle. 7:00pm (doors).

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: Vieux Carré Jazzmen @ The Holystone, Whitley Road, North Tyneside. 1:00pm. Free. TBC.
Thu 26: The Boneshakers @ Tyne Bar, Ouseburn, Newcastle. 4:00pm. Free. The 17th annual Boneshakers’ Shindig.

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

Sunday, July 14, 2019

Denmark Street Big Band with Jo Harrop @ The Dean Street Pizza Express, Soho, London - July 13

(Review by Russell)

This was something of a treat. A day trip to London to hear Paul Burch's cracking big band working with star vocalist Jo Harrop. The Gene Krupa Story is the Denmark Street Big Band's latest project and on a warm summer's day the orchestra assembled for a lunchtime engagement at the Dean Street Pizza Express.

Soho bustled as it always does; traders, tourists, locals, some looking cool, some trying to look cool, others not so cool. The Pizza Express' basement venue offered some relief from the on-street rising mercury. Members of the orchestra arrived in ones and twos as Ms Harrop sound-checked alongside pianist Ben Croft.  

Gene Krupa, Benny Goodman, the kings of pre-war swing, this would be the fayre on offer alongside a mouthwatering selection courtesy of the Pizza Express' hard-working, efficient team. The on-stage team - Paul Burch's hand-picked ensemble - swung it from the off. Nick Charles (aka Benny Goodman), sitting to Burch's left, featured on clarinet with the lead tenor sax parts handled by the depping Alex Garnett. The Big Noise from Winnetka with a band arrangement went down a storm as did Starburst with Anita O'Day in the wings waiting her turn. 

MD Burch welcomed O'Day (aka Jo Harrop) to the stage to sing a few numbers beginning with a believable Ten Cents a Dance. Harrop took us up to the interval with some choice cuts; Georgia accompanied by Garnett's tenor sax, Boogie Blues (Nick Charles blowing alto), Memories of You (Harrop referencing the movie The Gene Krupa Story in which O'Day made a cameo appearance opposite Sal Mineo's Krupa), Drummin' Man turned the spotlight on the man behind the traps, Mr Gary O'Toole - Krupa himself would have been impressed! - and, as Roy Eldridge (aka David Mian) joined the band here at the Pizza Express, the roof came off with Thanks for the Boogie Ride and again as Harrop closed a fine first set with 'Little Jazz' Mian blowing on Let Me Off Uptown.   

The reeds blowing on Bugle Call Rag signalled the return to the stage of the Denmark Street ensemble. A band arrangement of Flying Home met with the approval of the Dean Street pizza-dining crowd as did Indiana. Thus far the principal soloists had been Alex Garnett and Nick Charles. Time for a trumpet feature on Hoagy's Rockin' Chair starring Andy Gibson - at its end cue tumultuous applause!   

And more applause as County Durham's Jo Harrop (Londoners take note, Jo is merely on loan!) returned to conclude the afternoon's set with a run of winning numbers. Tea for Two (recalling Jazz on a Summer's Day), Bolero at the Savoy, a fabulous He's Funny That Way followed by an instrumental band number (Opus One) setting up a highlight of highlights as Ms Harrop, accompanied by pianist Ben Croft, sang Skylark. If a pin had fallen the silence would have been shattered...it didn't and it wasn't. Quite simply, a wonderful moment. 

The fabulous Ms Harrop concluded her big band vocal masterclass with a double helping of George and Ira Gershwin. First, 'S Wonderful brought in by Croft's leisurely piano intro, then, with a snap of the fingers, the Denmark Street guys took it at breakneck pace with Krupa, sorry, O'Toole, soloing and Harrop word perfect. Phew! They Can't Take That Away from Me took it down and out. Calls for an encore heeded, the Pizza Express' jazz-loving crowd got Sing, Sing, Sing as the familiar drum pattern on the toms set the band off on a rollercoaster ride. It had been quite an afternoon.  
Russell             

Denmark Street Big Band: Paul Burch (MD, alto sax, clarinet); Nick Charles (clarinet, alto sax); Alex Garnett (tenor sax); Mike Rubie (tenor sax); Frank White (baritone sax); David Mian, Andy Gibson, Duncan Fraser, Sean Hollis (trumpets); Jeff Mason, Sam Sankey, Marcus Reynolds, Alan Tomlinson (trombones); Curtis Volt (guitar); Ben Croft (piano); Doug Grannell (double bass); Gary O'Toole (drums); Jo Harrop (vocals)

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