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Bebop Spoken There

Art Blakey: "You [Bobby Watson] don't want to play too long, because you don't know they're clapping because they're glad you finished!" - (JazzTimes, Nov. 2019)..

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!"

Postage

15867 (and counting) posts since we started blogging 15 years ago. 874 of them this year alone and, so far, 72 this month (Sept. 25).

From This Moment On ...

September

Sat 30: John Pope Quintet + Late Girl + Shapeshifters @ Bobik's, Jesmond, Newcastle.
Sat 30: Papa G's Troves @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 8:00pm. A 'Jar on the Bar' gig.

OCTOBER

Sun 01: Smokin' Spitfires @ The Cluny, Newcastle. 12:45pm.
Sun 01: Dulcie May Moreno sings Portrait of Sheila @ Central Bar, Gateshead. 2:00pm. £10.00. Moreno sings Sheila Jordan with Giles Strong, Mick Shoulder & John Bradford.
Sun 01: Middlesbrough Jazz & Blues Orchestra @ Saltburn Community Hall. 2:00pm.
Sun 01: The Easy Rollers @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 7:00pm. £13.70., £11.55.
Sun 01: Brand/Roberts/Champion/Sanders @ Blank Studios, Newcastle. 8:00pm. A Newcastle Festival of Jazz & Improvised Music event.
Sun 01: Papa G's Troves @ The Globe, Newcastle. 8:00pm.

Mon 02: Harmony Brass @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm.
Mon 02: FILM: Wattstax; 50th Anniversary @ Forum Cinema, Hexham. 8:00pm.

Tue 03: Paul Skerritt @ The Rabbit Hole, Hallgarth St., Durham DH1 3AT. 7:00pm. Paul Skerritt's (solo) weekly residency.
Tue 03: Jam session @ The Black Swan, Newcastle. 7:30pm. House trio: Michael Young (piano); Paul Grainger (double bass); Sid White (drums). CANCELLED!

Wed 04: Vieux Carré Jazzmen @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm.
Wed 04: Darlington Big Band @ Darlington & Simpson Rolling Mills Social Club, Darlington. 7:00pm. Rehearsal session (open to the public).
Wed 04: Paul Skerritt @ Vespa Italian Bar & Steakhouse, Primrose Hill, Jarrow. From 7:00pm. To book a table - 0191 483 3355.
Wed 04: Take it to the Bridge @ The Globe, Newcastle. 7:30pm.

Thu 05: Vieux Carré Jazzmen @ The Holystone, Whitley Road, North Tyneside. 1:00pm. Free.
Thu 05: Sound the Trumpets @ King's Hall, Newcastle University. 1:15pm. Free.
Thu 05: Hot Club du Nord @ The Lubetkin Theatre, Peterlee. 7:00pm. £10.00. POSTPONED!
Thu 05: Thursday Night Prayer Meeting @ The Globe, Newcastle. 7:30pm.
Thu 05: Tommy Bentz Trio + Mark Croft Duo + George Shovlin & George Lamb @ The Harbour View, Sunderland. 8:00pm. Free. Harbour View Speakeasy's USA blues double bill + Shovlin & Lamb!
Thu 05: Merlin Roxby @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 8:00pm. Ragtime piano. A 'Jar on the Bar' gig.
Thu 05: Tees Hot Club @ Dorman's Club, Middlesbrough. 9:00pm.

Fri 06: Alcyona Mick @ Lit & Phil, Newcastle. 1:00pm. A Newcastle Festival of Jazz & Improvised Music event.
Fri 06: Classic Swing @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm.
Fri 06: New Orleans Preservation Jazz Band @ Oxbridge Hotel, Stockton. 1:00pm. £5.00.
Fri 06: Rendezvous Jazz @ The Monkseaton Arms, Monkseaton. 1:00pm.
Fri 06: WORKSHOP: Philosophy of Arts & Entertainment @ Lit & Phil, Newcastle. 2:00pm. A Newcastle Festival of Jazz & Improvised Music event.
Fri 06: Balo @ Lit & Phil, Newcastle. 6:20pm. A Newcastle Festival of Jazz & Improvised Music event.
Fri 06: Paul Skerritt @ 3Sixty Champagne Lounge, Hadrian’s Tower, Newcastle. From 7:00pm. To book a table - 0191 933 8591.
Fri 06: Lexer/Mayes/Noble + Semay Wu + Miman @ Lit & Phil, Newcastle. 7:20pm. A Newcastle Festival of Jazz & Improvised Music event.
Fri 06: Dulcie May Moreno @ The Vault, Hexham. 7:30pm. £20.00. Book in advance. Moreno with Alan Law, Paul Grainger & John Bradford.
Fri 06: Dean Stockdale Quartet @ Saltburn Community Hall. 7:30pm. 'Celebrating Oscar'.
Fri 06: Nu Brass Sounds: Big Brass Bash @ Billy Bootlegger’s, Newcastle. 8:00pm. Free.
Fri 06: TBC @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 8:00pm. Blind Pig Blues Club. A 'Jar on the Bar' gig.

Thursday, August 08, 2019

Ann Hampton Callaway: Jazz Meets Broadway @ Pizza Express, Soho - August 7

Ann Hampton Callaway (piano/vocals)
(Review by Lance/Photo courtesy of Sebastian Scotney)

In this day and age it is a brave initiative to book a solo artist for 5 consecutive nights (2 at the Pheasantry and 3 at Dean St.) but, judging by last night, it paid off with many who had been at the Chelsea gigs following up here for a second helping and, I'm told, a totally different programme.

This was the final gig of my two day trip to our capital city and what a gig it was! The title "Jazz Meets Broadway" summed up the evening perfectly. This was jazz, cabaret style, in a manner that detracted from neither worlds. 

As Ms. Callaway observed, many of our jazz standards began life in Broadway shows and often bore little resemblance to what jazz musicians and singers subsequently did with them.

That Old Devil Moon included a scat chorus any jazz instrumentalist would be proud of. Just in Time was, just divine, leading, as it did up to 'the patter'.

This is one funny lady!

I've Grown Accustomed to Her Face was simply beautiful although she may have neutralised the gender in the lyric.

Callaway also does amazing impressions - such is her vocal range no one is safe! On How High the Moon I'd venture she even outdone Ella her idol with another amazing scat solo. Prior to this she'd sung a few bars as Broadway baritone Alfred Drake may have performed the tune!

"How many singers does it take to sing My Funny Valentine?" asked Callaway. Answer "all of them". The audience by now were her devoted slaves and her revealing story of the background to Larry Hart's lyric meant that I, and I'm sure all of the others present, no longer saw the piece as an overworked vehicle but one of the most poignant songs ever written!

And so the show rolled on. Can't mention everything there was just too much! In an audience sing-along number she advised us not to try it if we had a lisp - 'S Wonderful!

Another killer was Blues in the Night - never heard the Harold Arlen classic done better.

Those who witnessed Soweto Kinch's gig at DJazz last year will no doubt remember his audience participation "let's write a tune" number. The audience shouts out words and the artist then makes a song incorporating them.

Ann (at this stage I think we can dispense with formalities) did just that and managed to compose a credible lyric with words related to London such as BBC, Brexit (natch), Willesden and a whole lot more. All good fun.

To finish off with it was Carole King's You've Got a Friend - So have you Ann, a room full of them.
Lance.
PS: Ann Hampton Callaway also plays mighty fine piano!
PPS: Good to catch up with Sebastian of LondonJazz News who kindly took the picture.

That Old Devil Moon; Just in Time; I've Grown Accustomed to Her Face; How High the Moon?; My Funny Valentine; Ain't Misbehavin'; Every Time We Say Goodbye; Taking a Chance on Love; From This Moment On; Happy Birthday; This Can't Be Love; It Never Entered my Mind; Whatever Lola Wants; 'S Wonderful; They Can't Take That Away From Me; Blues in the Night;You've Got a Friend.

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