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Bebop Spoken There

Billy Boy Arnold: “As long as you don't think old you're good.” - DownBeat, December, 2023.

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...

Postage

16051 (and counting) posts since we started blogging 15 years ago. 1058 of them this year alone and, so far, 12 this month (Dec. 6).

From This Moment On ...

December

Sun 10: Musicians Unlimited’s Xmas Party with Zoë Gilby Quartet @ Park Inn, Hartlepool. MU 1:00-3:00pm; Zoë Gilby Quartet 4:00-6:00pm. Tickets: £7.50.
Sun 10: Alan Law, Paul Grainger & Abbie Finn @ Darlington Market, Market Square, Darlington. 1:00pm. Free. A ‘Christmas Market’ outdoor gig. Wrap up warm!
Sun 10: Am Jam @ The Globe, Newcastle. 2:00-4:00pm. Free.
Sun 10: Funk Soul Sista @ Stack, Seaburn. 5:00-7:00pm. Free.
Sun 10: Beth Clarke @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 7:00pm. Free. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig.
Sun 10: Hayley's Little Big Band @ Whittingham Memorial Institute, Alnwick. 7:30pm. £12.00., £10.00.
Sun 10: Tele-Port @ The Globe, Newcastle. 8:00pm. Line-up inc. Zhenya Strigalev.

Mon 11: Harmony Brass @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Mon 11: Interim Final Recitals @ Newcastle University. Details TBC.

Tue 12: Stu Collingwood Organ Trio @ Forum Music Centre, Darlington. 7:00pm. £10.00.

Wed 13: Vieux Carré Jazzmen @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Wed 13: Darlington Big Band @ Darlington & Simpson Rolling Mills Social Club, Darlington. 7:00pm. Free. Rehearsal session (open to the public).
Wed 13: Take it to the Bridge @ The Globe, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free.
Wed 13: Bold Big Band @ Cluny 2, Newcastle. 7:30pm.
Wed 13: Giles Strong Quartet @ Alphabetti Theatre, Newcastle. 7:30pm.

Thu 14: Vieux Carré Jazzmen @ The Holystone, Whitley Road, North Tyneside. 1:00pm. Free.
Thu 14: Hot Fingers @ The Lubetkin Theatre, Peterlee. 7:00pm. £10.00.
Thu 14: After Hours Student Jazz Jam @ The Globe, Newcastle. 8:00pm. Free.
Thu 14: Merlin Roxby @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 8:00pm. . Free. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig.
Thu 14: Niffi Osiyemi Trio @ Harbour View, Sunderland. 8:00pm. Free.
Thu 14: Mo Scott ‘Little Mo’s Festive Appearance’ @ The Schooner, Gateshead. 8:00pm. Free.
Thu 14: Tees Hot Club w. Kevin Eland, Josh Bentham, Garry Hadfield, Adrian Beadnell @ Dorman’s Club, Middlesbrough. 9:00pm.

Fri 15: Paul Edis @ Lit & Phil, Newcastle. 1:00pm. SOLD OUT!
Fri 15: Classic Swing @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 15: New Orleans Preservation Jazz Band @ Oxbridge Hotel, Stockton. 1:00pm. £5.00.
Fri 15: Rendezvous Jazz @ The Monkseaton Arms, Monkseaton. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 15: Paul Skerritt @ Black Horse Inn, Crook. From 7:00pm.
Fri 15: Paul Edis: A Jazzy Christmas @ St Cuhtbert's Centre, Crook. 7:30pm. £15.00. SOLD OUT! Waiting list open.
Fri 15: Zoë Gilby Trio @ Seventeen Nineteen, Hendon, Sunderland. 7:30pm. £12.00. POSTPONED!
Fri 15: Strictly Smokin' Big Band @ Gosforth Civic Theatre, Newcastle. 8:00pm. First night of two.
Fri 15: Darlington Big Band @ Traveller’s Rest, Darlington. 8:00pm. £10.00. Opus 4 Jazz Club.
Fri 15: Baghdaddies @ Cobalt Studios, Newcastle. 8:00pm. £14.00.; £10.00.

Sat 16: Paul Edis: A Jazzy Christmas @ Sage Gateshead. 2:00pm. A Jazzy Christmas + Jambone.
Sat 16: Porritt & Barrett & Friends Xmas Special @ Cullercoats Watch House. 7:00pm. £4.00.
Sat 16: Milne-Glendinning Band @ The Vault, Darlington. 7:00pm. Free.
Sat 16: Red Kites Jazz Band @ The Staithes Café, Gateshead. 7:00pm--9:00pm.
Sat 16: Hayley's Little Big Band @ Ellingham Village Hall, Chathill. 7:30pm. £12.00., £8.00.
Sat 16: Paul Edis: A Jazzy Christmas @ Sage Gateshead. 8:00pm.
Sat 16: Strictly Smokin' Big Band @ Gosforth Civic Theatre, Newcastle. 8:00pm. Second night of two.

Thursday, August 01, 2019

The Fred Thompson All Stars @ Cullercoats Crescent Club - July 31

Jim McBriarty (tenor sax, soprano sax, vocals); Don Armstrong (clarinet, alto sax, sopranino sax, tin whistle); Brian Chester (keyboards); Bill Colledge (bass); Fred Thompson (drums, vocals) + Alan Armstrong (harmonica)
(Review by Russell)

Wot? No Vieux Carre? As the Big Cheese (Mr B Bennett) was away the Fred Thompson All Stars came out to play.  Jim McBriarty as acting MC, Don Armstrong in from Oz, J McB said today's gig would take the form of a saxophone quartet. This was lost on one or two of the Crescent Club's Wednesday crowd until J McB pointed out the obvious - on the stand were four reeds...tenor, soprano, clarinet and the little heard sopranino. Wot? Nee banjo? I'm gannin' yem! 
The Wednesday regulars remained in their seats willing to give the 'All Stars' (well, they needed a stage name!) a hearing and, what's more, they'd already got the beers in and ordered cheese toasties. Someday You'll Be Sorry suggested McB, good tenor from the man, and equally good clarinet from his frontline partner Don Armstrong. The rhythm section took on a familiar look - Brian Chester, piano, Bill Colledge, bass and singing drummer Fred Thompson, he of new found 'All Stars' fame. 

From here on in the reeds switched from alto to tenor, tenor to clarinet, alto to sopranino, to...you get the idea. Our man from Oz, Don Armstrong, had another trick up his sleeve or rather in his pocket, but more of that anon. Beale Street Blues with DA wailing on sopranino, then, that trick up his sleeve...from his trouser pocket Armstrong produced - Can you guess what it was? (Aussie accent for full effect)...no, not a didgeridoo, a tin whistle, on Rosetta

Fred 'All Stars' Thompson chipped in with a vocal on You Can Depend on Me, more tin whistle on Avalon and measured tenor from McB and woody clarinet from DA on a respectful Just a Closer Walk, yes, the VCJ's loyal followers were liking what they were hearing. 

The interval; another pint (from 'the wood'!) of Grainger Ale, a raffle ticket (nee luck, why bother?!), and we were soon underway again. Washington and Lee Swing (FT voc), Creole Love Call (DA soprano, then clarinet, was this Edgar Sampson or Otto Hardwicke?), a J McB vocal on You're Nobody's Sweetheart Now, things were going well. Look at the time...it was a quarter to three (pm not Sinatra wee small hours am), almost time to go. FT sang about that old Rockin' Chair before the All Stars signed-off with a rousing Ice Cream featuring FT and J McB's shared vocals. 

It had been a banjo-free afternoon. Fear not (in)sanity will be restored next week with the return of the Vieux Carre Jazzmen.          

* Translation available upon request. 
 Russell

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