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Bebop Spoken There

David Hadju: "It was kind of a lightning bolt [seeing a photo of a hi-fi store that's now occupied by a phone store]. Everyone had hi-fi systems, now everyone has a phone" - (DownBeat May 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!"

Postage

15478 (and counting) posts since we started blogging 15 years ago. 499 of them this year alone and, so far, 120 this month (May 27).

From This Moment On ...

May 2023

Sun 28: Bradley Creswick's Western Swingfonia @ Whitley Bay Carnival. Free. Plaza Arena stage. 12 noon.
Sun 28: MSK @ Whitley Bay Carnival. 12:15pm. Free. Marquee stage. MSK - Steve Glendinning, Katy Trigger, Martin Douglas.
Sun 28: Musicians Unlimited @ The Park Inn, Hartlepool. 1:00pm. Free.
Sun 28: Back Chat Brass @ Whitley Bay Carnival. 1:30pm. Free. Marquee stage.
Sun 28: More Jam @ The Globe, Newcastle. 2:00pm. Free.
Sun 28: Tim Kliphuis Trio @ St Mary's Church, Wooler NE71 6BZ. 3:00pm. £15.00 standard; £5.00 student/unwaged; free under 18. Afternoon Cocktail, a Wooler Summer Arts' concert promotion. Kliphuis (violin); Nigel Clark (guitar); Roy Percy (double bass).
Sun 28: Back Chat Brass @ Whitley Bay Carnival. 3:00pm. Free. Plaza Arena stage.
Sun 28: 4B @ The Exchange, North Shields. 3:00pm.
Sun 28: King Bees @ The Delaval Arms, Old Hartley NE26 4RL. 5:00pm. Free. Chicago blues at its best!
Sun 28: Matt Anderson Quartet @ The Globe, Newcastle. 8:00pm. Anderson (saxophones); Jamil Sheriff (piano); Andy Champion (double bass); Dave Walsh (drums).

Mon 29: Harmony Brass @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm.

Tue 30: Paul Skerritt @ The Rabbit Hole, Hallgarth St., Durham DH1 3AT. 7:00pm. Paul Skerritt's (solo) weekly residency.
Tue 30: Big Chris Barber Band @ Whitley Bay Playhouse. 7:30pm.

Wed 31: Vieux Carré Jazzmen @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm.
Wed 31: Darlington Big Band @ Darlington & Simpson Rolling Mills Social Club, Darlington. 7:00pm. Rehearsal session (open to the public).
Wed 31: 4B @ The Exchange, North Shields. 7:00pm.
Wed 31: Take it to the Bridge @ The Globe, Newcastle. 7:30pm.

June
Thu 01: Vieux Carré Jazzmen @ The Holystone, Whitley Road, North Tyneside. 1:00pm. Free.
Thu 01: Thursday Night Prayer Meeting @ The Globe, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Donations.
Thu 01: Merlin Roxby @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 8:00pm. Ragtime piano. A 'Jar on the Bar' gig.
Thu 01: Jake Leg Jug Band @ The Globe, Newcastle. 8:00pm.
Thu 01: Tees Hot Club @ Dorman's Club, Middlesbrough. 9:00pm.

Fri 02: Classic Swing @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm.
Fri 02: New Orleans Preservation Jazz Band @ Oxbridge Hotel, Stockton. 1:00pm. £5.00.
Fri 02: Rendezvous Jazz @ The Monkseaton Arms, Monkseaton. 1:00pm.
Fri 02: Joseph Carville Trio @ Saltburn Community Hall. 7:30pm.
Fri 02: Claire Martin & Her Trio @ The Witham, Barnard Castle. 7:30pm. £25.00., £20.00. Feat. Jim Mullen, Alex Garnett & Jeremy Brown.
Fri 02: Guy Davis + Michael Littlefield & Scott Taylor @ Cluny 2, Newcastle. Doors 7:30pm. Blues double bill.
Fri 02: Anders Ingram @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 8:00pm. Blind Pig Blues Club. Country blues. A 'Jar on the Bar' gig.

Sat 03: Newcastle Record Fair @ Northumbria University, Newcastle NE8 8SB. 10:00am-3:00pm. Admission: £2.00.
Sat 03: Pedigree Jazz Band @ St Augustine's Parish Centre, Darlington. 12:30pm.
Sat 03: Play Jazz! workshop @ The Globe, Newcastle. 1:30pm. Tutor: Sue Ferris. £25.00. Enrol at: www.jazz.coop.
Sat 03: Abbie Finn Trio @ The Vault, Darlington. 6:00pm. Free.
Sat 03: Rendezvous Jazz @ Red Lion, Earsdon. 8:00pm. £3.00.
Sat 03: Papa G's Troves @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 8:00pm. A 'Jar on the Bar' gig.

Thursday, September 19, 2019

Dave Rae's Levee Ramblers New Orleans Jazz Band @ Springwell Village Community Venue - September 18

Dave Rae (banjo, vocals); Bob Wade (trumpet, clarinet); Jim McBriarty (clarinet, vocals); Jim Blenkin (trombone); John Robinson (double bass)
(Review by Russell)

Dave Rae's Springwell session is one of the region's enduring residencies. Wednesday evening, week in, week out, the Levee Ramblers bring a touch of New Orleans to the Borough of Gateshead. From time to time the core band is augmented by the presence of a guest star or, as was the case this week, in the the absence of three of its members (the Bacons, Liz and Paul, and Mick Hill) top class guests/deps made welcome appearances.

Clarinetist Jim McBriarty depped for Liz B, trumpeter Bob Wade for Mick Hill and, interestingly, the Ramblers chose not to draft in a dep for drummer Paul B. So, it would be a three-horn front line supported by a two-string rhythm section of Dave Rae, banjo, and string bass man John Robinson. The set list comprised the tried and tested and that is no bad thing as the Levee Ramblers play it better than most - 'it' being the music of the pioneering musicians of the twenties and thirties. 
Basin Street BluesSouth (Benny Moten's Kansas City Orchestra), Canal Street Blues, a Bixian Jazz Me Blues - enduring tunes played by a top class outfit. Guest Bob Wade led the line and, by way of a bonus, added something extra to proceedings - the 'extra' being Wade's individual take on the role of the instrument; a teasing succession of squeezed valves capped by an explosive flourish.  

Jim McBriarty is known for his ability to play most of the reeds, all to a high standard, but here at Springwell Village Community Venue he restricted himself to clarinet with an occasional vocal feature for good measure. Baby Won't You Please Come Home? a vocal number, likewise I Want a Little Girl, the audience liked what it was hearing, no more so than on a feature number (Wade and trombonist Jim Blenkin retired to the bar) - Blues for Jimmie (Noone).

The boss, birthday boy Mr Dave Rae, took a back seat, literally, in the absence of Paul Bacon's drum kit, playing his usual classy banjo parts alongside the imperturbable John Robinson. A Levee Ramblers' gig is a guarantee of quality and one number above all illustrated this - a marvellous two-clarinet (Wade doubling) reading of Creole Love Call. Yes, this was good stuff alright and with stomping versions of Muskrat Ramble and a set-closing Tiger Rag thrown in for good measure, it all added up to a great night's entertainment.   
Russell

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