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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.

Saturday, September 28, 2019

House of the Black Gardenia @ The Old Coal Yard - September 27

(Review by Russell)

From Ellington through to a closing left hook landing squarely on the bonce of the current occupant of 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue, the House of the Black Gardenia owned the joint. It wasn't quite Duke gracing the Savoy Ballroom, more like Bobbi Charleston and her boys down the Old Coal Yard. 

Several large, chic industrial heaters warded off a chill autumn air, an air wafting street food vendors' oh-so-tempting pizzas across the Byker premises. Swing dancers gathered preparing to strut their stuff as drinkers queued at Northern Alchemy's no-frills bar. A pint of, hmmm...Passion Fruit and Pineapple Sour*. Okay, the band is on, Ellington (Keith Robinson a key Ellingtonian).

Blue DragRussian Caravan, familiar numbers, make that familiar welcome numbers, performed by a fantastic nine piece outfit, this evening featuring a dep and a new boy; with Showtime elsewhere the Gardenias had to make do - make do! - with the Tenements' Paddy Darley on trombone and, with Marcus Tham having returned home to the Far East, Elliott Rush occupied the piano stool. 

The multi-talented Gardenias interact with the audience to the extent that washboard queen Bobbi Charleston and violinist Katja Roberts always find time to sit-out on one or two numbers to partner a swing dance fan on the floor;  Bobbi on CW Stoneking's Handy Man Blues (Michael Littlefield's fabulous vocals), Katja on Graveyard Shift (Bobbi singing and scrubbing). Paddy Darley had a blast on a Liittlefield blues feature - Ain't it Hard - as did trumpet king Michael Lamb, plungering in old school style.

Second set, more of the same, this is one ace of a  band! Lots of material, an album is due soon (watch this space!); Lamb leading on Spider Crawl, drummer Kit Haigh coming down front to play Django-esque guitar, singing 'bout Liza with Littlefield alongside (there's a duo set in there somewhere!) and before we knew it Bobbi Charleston gave a good kicking (sadly only metaphorically) to 'the mother****** in the White House' with a killer Big, Big Man. An encore was demanded, of course it was, and, with boss bass man Neil Hopper directing the ensemble, Viper Mad once more filled the dancefloor.  
  
*Passion Fruit and Pineapple Sour could be said to be an acquired taste...you can't win 'em all!
Russell.

Bobbi Charleston (vocals, washboard); Michael Lamb (trumpet); Paddy Darley (trombone); Keith Robinson (soprano, alto, tenor saxophones, clarinet); Katja Roberts (violin); Elliott Rush (keyboards); Michael Littlefield (guitar, banjo, vocals); Neil Hopper (bass, sousaphone); Kit Haigh (drums, guitar, vocals)

2 comments :

Marcus Tham said...

Aww, wish i was there! I do sorely miss the whole Northeast Jazz scene very much. Thanks for writing these reviews Lance! It makes me feel closer to Newcastle from where i am halfway across the world in Singapore! :)

Lance said...

Marcus, we miss you too. Not just your great piano playing but your friendly personality. I must point out however, that this review was by my colleague Russell. Great to keep in touch and we'd love it if you could send news of gigs you play in Singapore. Best wishes.

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