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Bebop Spoken There

Spasmo Brown: “Jazz is an ice cream sandwich! It's the Fourth of July! It's a girl with a waterbed!”. (Syncopated Times, July, 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

17328 (and counting) posts since we started blogging 16 years ago. 612 of them this year alone and, so far, 17 this month (Sept. 5).

From This Moment On ...

September

Mon 09: Mark Williams Trio @ Yamaha Music School, Blyth. 1:00pm. £9.00.
Mon 09: Harmony Brass @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.

Tue 10: ???

Wed 11: Vieux Carré Jazzmen @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Wed 11: Darlington Big Band @ Darlington & Simpson Rolling Mills Social Club, Darlington. 7:00pm. Free. Rehearsal session (open to the public).
Wed 11: The Tannery Jam Session @ The Tannery, Gilesgate, Hexham. 7:00-9:00pm. Free. A ‘second Wednesday in the month’ jam session.
Wed 11: Take it to the Bridge @ The Globe, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free.

Thu 12: Vieux Carré Jazzmen @ The Holystone, Whitley Road, North Tyneside. 1:00pm. Free.
Thu 12: Gateshead Jazz Appreciation Society @ Brunswick Methodist Church, Newcastle NE1 7BJ. 2:30pm. £4.00. ‘A Great Day in Harlem’.
Thu 12: The Cuban Heels @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 8:00pm. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig. Pete Tanton & co.
Thu 12: Tees Hot Club @ Dorman’s Club, Middlesborough. 8:30pm. Free. THC with guests Donna Hewitt, Bill Watson, Dave Archbold, Adrian Beadnell, Mark Hawkins.

Fri 13: Jeff Barnhart & Neville Dickie @ The Lit & Phil, Newcastle. 1:00pm. Two pianos, two pianists! SOLD OUT!
Fri 13: Noel Dennis Quartet @ The Old Library, Auckland Castle, Bishop Auckland. 1:00pm. £8.00.
Fri 13: Classic Swing @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 13: Rendezvous Jazz @ The Monkseaton Arms. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 13: New Orleans Preservation Jazz Band @ The Oxbridge Hotel, Stockton. 1:00pm. £5.00.
Fri 13: Dilutey Juice @ Old Coal Yard, Byker, Newcastle. 7:30pm. £11.00. adv..
Fri 13: Ray Stubbs R & B All-stars @ The Forum, Darlington. 7:30pm. Classic blues.

Sat 14: Jeff Barnhart’s Silent Film Fest @ St Augustine's Parish Centre, Darlington. 12:30pm. Darlington New Orleans Jazz Club.
Sat 14: Customs House Big Band w. Ruth Lambert @ St Paul’s Centre, St Paul’s Gardens, Spennymoor DL16 7LR. 7:00pm (6:45pm doors). Tickets £10.00. from the venue or tel: 01388 813404. A ‘BYOB’ event.
Sat 14: Emma Wilson @ Claypath Deli, Durham. 7:00pm. £12.00. Acoustic blues.
Sat 14: Rat Pack - Swingin’ at the Sands @ Billingham Forum. 7:30pm.

Sun 15: Jude Murphy, Steve Chambers & Sid White @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 7:00pm. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig.
Sun 15: Tweed River Jazz Band @ Barrels Ale House, Berwick-upon-Tweed. 7:00pm. Free.
Sun 15: Panharmonia @ The Globe, Newcastle. 8:00pm.

Thursday, July 04, 2019

Jam Session @ the Dun Cow, Jesmond - July 3

Dean Stockdale (piano); Paul Grainger (bass); Matt MacKellar (drums) + Ray Johnson (trumpet/flugelhorn); Jordan Alfonso (tenor sax); Charles Harrison, Laurence Harrison (guitars); Jan Spencelayh, Mel Grundy (vocals).
(Review/photos by Lance).

For some time now the fortnightly jam sessions at the Black Swan have been unchallenged in terms of quality with the Dun Cow in Jesmond running a distant second. However, since opting to go monthly things at the latter venue have picked up and, on the strength of last night, jazzwise it could be said to have held its own.

Both sessions are organised by Paul Grainger and most of the same musicians are involved but, as is often the case there are always the unexpected visitors eager to display their talents (or lack of).

The latest new arrivals came in the form of the brothers Harrison, both guitarists, who made their mark in no uncertain terms. Charles Harrison, a South Shields guitar teacher, last showed at the Jazz Café back in the Pete Gilligan era (May 17, 2016) whilst bro Laurance has been plying his trade in London. Charles played the jammers' favourite, the tune the aforementioned Gilligan would refer to as Stella by Artois. and Someday My Prince Will Come.

Laurance had a blast on Solar and maybe something else - I was so knocked out by the notes I didn't take notes - before teaming up with a couple of the other big hitters - Ray Johnson and Jordan Alfonso for I Got Rhythm. Ray had played trumpet on There's a Small Hotel and Alfie's Theme but switched to flugel for this one whilst Jordan had left his alto at home to blow some gutsy tenor on Black Coffee and Girl From Ipanema, two numbers more associated with vocalists.

Speaking of vocalists, Mel confessed she'd been ill (she missed her last gig at the Globe) and was using this as a fitness test - she passed! You'd be so Nice to Come Home To and I Didn't Know What Time it Was were the chosen arias.

Jan sounded really good on Teach me Tonight and Orange Colored Sky then, on the grand finale with all the cats joining in, My Baby Just Cares For Me, updating the lyrics to include Beyoncé and Julia Roberts for those of us too young to remember Liz Taylor and Lana Turner.

Special mention for the unsung heroes of the evening - the house trio who'd got the ball rolling with My Romance and The Nearness of You. The Hoagy tune featured Matt on an extended drum solo - not quite what you expect on a romantic ballad but, hey ho, that's jazz - the sound of surprise! Throughout they covered whatever was thrown at them and did it just perfectly - maybe more so!

Another malfunctioning Metro system (both coming and going) did nothing to detract from a most enjoyable evening.
Lance.

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