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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.

Monday, July 01, 2019

Scottish Jazz Saxophonist Tommy Smith to be presented with OBE by Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II on July 2nd at Holyrood Palace, Edinburgh


(From Tommy Smith)
At the age of 52, you can't help contemplate, if you've done enough for your country. I certainly have had a very stagnated career since focusing on the SNJO from 1995 to present, Spartacus Records in 2000, my youth orchestra from 2002, the Scottish Jazz Federation, the RCS jazz programme in 2009, and its adjacent Summer jazz school.
Soon, I hope to spend more time on my own career writing, practising and touring. All I ever imagined, as a young player, was to excel in a small quartet, trio or duo. I never wished to start a National orchestra nor develop a University Jazz programme, but Scotland was in dire need of them - and as I saw every country on the planet flourish with those elements we lacked whilst touring internationally with Gary Burton. Somebody, me, had to stick their career on the line and get their hands mucky to begin the long wait and develop the basics that was sorely neglected.

It's been over a quarter of a Century now since my first 24-week jazz programme at Napier University in 1993, and Scotland STILL needs a proper jazz infrastructure equal to our European neighbours regarding promoters, festivals, record companies, agents, improvised music in high schools, radio, and TV, etc., Even though we a small country, we can do it!

The young talented next generation of creative musicians sweeping our country like Fergus McCreadieJoe WilliamsonHelena KayGraham CostelloMatthew CarmichaelMark HendryKornelijus Pukinskis, Brodie Jarvie, Rachel Cohen, Tom StephensonStephen Henderson, Alan Benzie, Pete JohnstoneAndrew RobbCorrie  Dick, Joseph Wright, John FlemingJohn LowrieBen MacLauren Macdonald, etc. to name but a few... need an immense amount of support so they can flourish, develop and tour internationally; they deserve it! Although, many have already left Scotland.
Finding and hooking up with international agents, while working in Scotland, is like trying to find a Dodo or a Tasmanian Tiger.

Hopefully, as we live through this new digital age, the zeros and ones will assist this new generation of Scottish improvisers to circumnavigate any barriers that confront them. Good luck to them, they'll need it, as it is a tough terrain ahead from 2020 onwards.

On Tuesday, at Holyrood Palace in Edinburgh, I am to be presented with my official OBE by Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II as Head of Jazz at the RCS and Artistic Director of the SNJO for services to Education and Jazz Music. I'm am very grateful for the honour and truly thank the people or person who nominated me. It will be a wonderful day for my family and me.

Truthfully, my heart is here in Scotland but for the community of improvising musicians to be equals on the World stage, the European stage, we still have a long way to go.
So raise a glass, and toast to the 2nd Enlightenment!
Best regards,
Tommy Smith
P.S. Perhaps my solo career needs to wait a little longer.
Photos by Derek Clark © 2018

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