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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.

Wednesday, July 24, 2019

Jam Session @ the Black Swan - July 23

(Review/PHOTOS by Lance)

School was out, the students dispersed across the land. Outside they were frying eggs on the pavement - it was sizzling - so it seemed likely that the Black Swan would be a dead duck last night. Quite the opposite in fact as a goodly throng of both players and listeners turned out for another fine jam session.

The house trio set the ball rolling with Four, On Green Dolphin Street and Tenderly setting it up for the first of the blowers, Neville Hartley and Tangerine followed by Out of Nowhere. Not quite from out of nowhere came Faye Thompson and It Could Happen to You. Faye, blowing tenor, stayed on board   for Jen Errington who demanded All or Nothing at All - the audience chose the former option - so, with John Settle on drums, continued with Meditation. Settle, a first time visitor, is from Wakefield. He, like Jen, impressed.

ML MD SSBB which, translated, means Michael Lamb Musical Director Strictly Smokin' Big Band, Giles Strong and Owen Jones had a blast on I Love You and Beautiful Love. Debra stepped up to the plate for It Don't Mean a Thing which did have that swing. Debs scatted and exchanged fours whilst Michael Lamb took what may have been the chorus of the night!

The singers kept-a-comin' - some all the way from Hartlepool which, as Ronnie Scott may have quipped, is a good place to come from. The first  Hartlepudlian was Jan who delivered Angel Eyes with the sensitivity the Matt Dennis song deserves then, with John Rowland, one of the many wearing shorts this balmy evening, giving her some solid tenor sax support, dazzled on Night and Day.

Astronaut Ray Burns brought us down to Earth with Fly me to the Moon singing, scatting and blowing harmonica - Neil Armstrong lives!

More space travel as Niffi soared off into an Orange Colored Sky. Another SSBB member out on parole was 'bonist Parnaby who helped Niffi to Let the Good Times Roll. Alec J was on guitar but either hadn't plugged in or turned up the volume sufficiently.

Ben Lawrence played knock out piano on Someday My Prince Will Come and the Strictly Smokin' Duo blew Doxy apart.

Bob Caswell - also from Hartlepool - occupied the final allotted guest spot and sang Misty with some harp help from Burnsy then, after consultation with Stu, a fine Witchcraft which lead us up towards the bewitching hour where Straight No Chaser was the clarion call that rallied the troops from the trenches for the final onslaught. Two tenors, two trombones, trumpet and rhythm with a cameo from Niffi. When I arrived it was sizzling outside and it was sizzling inside as I left but, then again, it always is.

The good news is that, according to their website, the Black Swan jams, unlike in previous years at 'the old place', will continue throughout the summer.
Lance.
Paul Grainger (bass); Stu Collingwood (piano); Matt MacKellar (drums) + Faye Thompson, John Rowland (tenor saxes); Neville Hartley, Kieran Parnaby (trombones); Michael Lamb (trumpet); Owen Jones (bass); Giles Strong, Alec J. Gamble (guitars); John Settle (drums); Jen Errington, Jan Spencelayh, Debra Milne, Niffi Osiyemi, Bob Caswell (vocals); Ray Burns (vocals/harmonica).

1 comment :

Patti said...

What a storming session this must have been - they're often full of surprises - but maybe this one more than most, in terms of the musician sitters in! And I had to miss it - oh well, the next one? I hope so - new knee permitting! But how wonderful to have this in the Toon - and to continue on a regular basis. It's a real treat for us jazz lovers who are listeners, and for the musicians, who often travel a considerable distance for this opportunity.

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