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Bebop Spoken There

Ambrose Akinmusire: “ I am certainly always aware of what the masses are doing. And when I see too many people going one way, I'm going another way - even when I don't know what's over that way". DownBeat, March, 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

16287 (and counting) posts since we started blogging 16 years ago. 169 of them this year alone and, so far, 41 this month (Mar 18).

From This Moment On ...

March

Tue 19: Jam session @ The Black Swan, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free. House trio: Michael Young, Paul Grainger, Tim Johnston.

Wed 20: Vieux Carré Jazzmen @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Wed 20: Darlington Big Band @ Darlington & Simpson Rolling Mills Social Club, Darlington. 7:00pm. Free. Rehearsal session (open to the public).
Wed 20: Take it to the Bridge @ The Globe, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free.

Thu 21: Vieux Carré Jazzmen @ The Holystone, Whitley Road, North Tyneside. 1:00pm. Free.
Thu 21: Castillo Neuvo Trio + Conor Emery & His ‘Bones Band @ The Grove, Ouseburn, Newcastle. 7:30pm (7:00pm doors). £10.00. (£7.00. student).
Thu 21: Remi Banklyn + Chris Corcoran Trio @ The Globe, Newcastle. 8:00pm. £12.50. Chicago blues. An International Guitar Foundation promotion.
Thu 21: Merlin Roxby @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 8:00pm. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig. Ragtime piano.
Thu 21: Tees Hot Club @ Dorman’s Club, Middlesbrough. 8:30pm.

Fri 22: Vasilis Xenopoulos & Paul Edis @ The Gala, Durham. 1:00pm. £8.00. SOLD OUT!
Fri 22: Classic Swing @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 22: Rendezvous Jazz @ The Monkseaton Arms. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 22: New Orleans Preservation Jazz Band @ The Oxbridge Hotel, Stockton. 1:00pm. £5.00.
Fri 22: Nauta + Remy CB + Last Orders @ Hoochie Coochie, Newcastle. 8:30pm (7:30pm doors). Free.
Fri 22: Vasilis Xenopoulos-Paul Edis Quartet @ Traveller’s Rest, Darlington. 8:00pm. £15.00. Opus 4 Jazz Club.
Fri 22: Redwell @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 8:00pm. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig.

Sat 23: Jambone @ The Glasshouse, Gateshead. 6:30pm. Free (ticketed). End of term performance in the Northern Rock Foundation Hall.
Sat 23: Milne-Glendinning Band @ The Vault, Darlington. 7:00pm. Free.
Sat 23: Red Kites Jazz @ Rowlands Gill Community Centre NE39 1JB. 7:00pm. Tickets: £12.00. (gibsidecommunityfarm@gmail.com). A ‘Build a Barn’ fundraiser. BYOB, tea/coffee available.
Sat 23: New Century Ragtime Orchestra @ Gosforth Civic Theatre, Newcastle. 7:30pm. £20.00. + bf (book in person at venue - no booking fee!). Featuring pianist Martin Litton.
Sat 23: Pete Tanton’s Cuba Libre @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 8:00pm. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig.

Sun 24: Musicians Unlimited @ Park Inn, Hartlepool. 1:00pm. Free.
Sun 24: More Jam @ The Globe, Newcastle. 2:30pm. Free.
Sun 24: Luis Verde @ Queen’s Hall, Hexham. 3:00pm. Verde (alto sax); Joe Steels (guitar); John Pope (double bass); John Hirst (drums). Alto sax brilliance!
Sun 24: Elsie Franklin @ The Globe, Newcastle. 3:00pm. £10.00. Country blues. An International Guitar Foundation promotion.
Sun 24: 4B @ The Ticket Office, Whitley Bay Metro Station. 3:00pm. Free.
Sun 24: Las Vegas Live with the Rat Pack @ The Forum, Billingham.
Sun 24: Ian Millar & Dominic Spencer @ Otterburn Memorial Hall. 7:30pm. £12.00.
Sun 24: Lindsay Hannon: Tom Waits for No Man @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 7:00pm. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig. Note start time - 7:00pm.
Sun 24: Bold Big Band @ The Globe, Newcastle. 8:00pm.

Mon 25: Harmony Brass @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Mon 25: Michael Young Trio @ The Engine Room, Sunderland. 6:30pm. Free.

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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