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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

16034 (and counting) posts since we started blogging 15 years ago. 1041 of them this year alone and, so far, 73 this month (Nov. 27).

From This Moment On ...

December

Tue 05: Customs House Big Band @ All Saints Church, Cleadon. 7:00pm. Concert in the church hall. BYOB.
Tue 05: Jam session @ The Black Swan, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free. House trio: Michael Young, Paul Grainger, Sid White. The best free show in town!

Wed 06: Vieux Carré Jazzmen @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Wed 06: Darlington Big Band @ Darlington & Simpson Rolling Mills Social Club, Darlington. 8:00pm. Free. Note later start time, concert performance (open to the public).
Wed 06: Take it to the Bridge @ The Globe, Newcastle. 7:30pm.

Thu 07: Vieux Carré Jazzmen @ The Holystone, Whitley Road, North Tyneside. 1:00pm. Free CANCELLED!
Thu 07: Vieux Carré Hot 4 @ Spanish City, Whitley Bay, Newcastle. 12 noon - 4:00pm. £26.00 (inc 3-course meal in in St Mary's Lighthouse Suite). SOLD OUT!
Thu 07: Gateshead Jazz Appreciation Society @ Gateshead Central Library, Gateshead. 2:30pm. All welcome.
Thu 07: Thursday Night Prayer Meeting @ The Globe, Newcastle. 7:30pm.Donations. Feat. Mark Sanders. CANCELLED!
Thu 07: Indigo Jazz Voices @ The Globe, Newcastle. 7:45pm. £5.00. Downstairs.
Thu 07: Tees Hot Club: Just Friends @ Dorman’s Club, Middlesbrough. Guest band night w. Richie Emmerson, Ian Bosworth, Dave Archbold, Ron Smith, Mark Hawkins. 9:00pm.

Fri 08: Classic Swing @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm.
Fri 08: New Orleans Preservation Jazz Band @ Oxbridge Hotel, Stockton. 1:00pm. £5.00.
Fri 08: Rendezvous Jazz @ The Monkseaton Arms, Monkseaton. 1:00pm.
Fri 08: Giles Strong Quartet @ The Old Library, Auckland Castle. 1:00pm. £7.00.
Fri 08: Hayley's Little Big Band @ Woodland Village Hall, Bishop Auckland. 7:00pm. £12.00.
Fri 08: Sleep Suppressor + Redwell @ Head of Steam, Neville St., Newcastle. 8:00pm. £10.00. (£8.00. adv); £5.00. student.
Fri 08: Hot Club du Nord @ St Cuthbert's Church, Shadforth, Co. Durham.
Fri 08: Têtes de Pois + Nauta @ Cobalt Studios, Newcastle. 8:00pm. £12.00., £8.00.

Sat 09: Prudhoe Community Band @ Central Station, Newcastle. 10:00am - 12 noon. Charity fundraiser.
Sat 09: Durham Alumni Big Band @ Number One Bar, Skinnergate, Darlington. 1:00pm.
Sat 09: Castillo Nuevo Trio @ Revoluçion de Cuba, Newcastle. 5:30pm. Free.
Sat 09: Hayley's Little Big Band @ Middleton & Todridge Village Hall, Morpeth. 7:30pm. £12.00., £6.00.
Sat 09: Paul Skerritt @ Slaley Hall, Hexham NE47 0BX. 7:30pm. From £42.00.

Sun 10: Musicians Unlimited’s Xmas Party with Zoe Gilby Quartet @ Park Inn, Hartlepool. MU 1:00-3:00pm; Zoë Gilby Quartet 4:00-6:00pm. Tickets: £7.50.
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.

Thursday, September 26, 2019

Scarborough Jazz Festival 2019. Sunday, September 22. Afternoon Session: Alec Dankworth's Spanish Accents and Bonsai.

Alec Dankworth's Spanish Accents:
Graciela Rodriquez (vocal), Jesus Olmedo (dance), Roland Sutherland (flute), Mark Lockheart (saxes), Phil Robson (guitar), Alec Danworth (double bass), Demi Garcia Sabat (drums).
(Review/photos by Steve T).

Dog-sitter problems meant we had to forfeit the first band of the session but arrived just in time for this impressive lineup. The thought of some sketches of Spain and Tijuana moods was mouth-watering but also presented problems of translation, comprehension and no doubt spelling, so apologies in advance for going with his translations.

The first piece translated as In Your Latte and brought the first of many fine solos from flautist Roland Sutherland. The instrument is still a relative rarity in jazz which always keep them interesting.

The second piece was Drinking Water and introduced featured vocalist Graciela Rodriquez and brought the first solo from Phil Robson, demonstrating why he's one of the country's leading jazz guitarists. The choice of guitar over piano seemed appropriate and proved to be a masterstroke. 

Rodriquez upped the ante for the first of two pieces from Cuban album and film the Buena Vista Social Club, giving a more deep-throated and impassioned performance.

Dankworth announced Oye Como Va as a piece made famous by its creator Tito Puente, though Santana probably made it far more famous. This stuck with the original, but with lyrics in English.

Two original instrumentals were followed by a Spanish folk song translated as Four Wheel Drive, featuring an unsuccessful attempt to replicate the sound of bagpipes - apparently commonplace in Spanish music - with a flute. Once it got going, it reminded me of an early Jethro Tull song called Fatman, with some great flute, the drummer playing with his hands and dancer Olmedo adding castanets.

The announcement of the final piece as Sudusa by Abdullah Ibrahim met with approval from the audience and proved the high point of the set for me, the leader conceding it's more African than Spanish, though there do seem to be many historic links between Spain and Africa, just across the Med.

Bonsai
Rory Ingham (trombone), Dominic Ingham (violin, vocal), Toby Comeau (keyboards), Joe Lee (bass guitar), Jonny Mansfield (drums).

Just time for a quick latte while listening to northeast guitarist James Birkett and his trio, with guests on keyboards, harmonica and an assortment of singers, before it was back in for the next band, only to find it had changed from the original programme.
      
They'd been scheduled to open the day's session but had presumably swapped with the New Jazz Extempore, who were due to close the afternoon session.

I was intrigued by the unusual frontline of trombone and violin and it worked a treat. Compere Alan Barnes described them as a cracking little band and - for once - he wasn't joking.

Hop and the Hip Replacement found the trombone embellished with effects while the violin played it straight, and the set was at its best when both frontline instruments played.

Dominic handled most of the vocals and was fine rather than remarkable, though struggled outside his range. A bit folky, a bit proggy, one small moan would be that there was too much singing and I liked it better when he was playing violin.

A number of people began to drift away, though I suspect more to extend the break before the next session than as a reflection of the band, but we took the opportunity to move right to the front.

Once again the final piece was my favourite, this one called The Crescent. It featured several tempo changes, 'bone and violin in unison during the faster passages, intricate drumming, an into-it bass player and a keyboardist in the centre keeping it all together. 

An extended trombone solo increased the anticipation of a final violin showcase, but the tension was prolonged by a restrained bass solo, with light touch cymbals and keys before the 'bone came back in, Dominic scatting along before his violin joined the trombone ahead of his inevitable solo.

They'd have probably benefited from going on first or playing the previous set, but nevertheless did themselves proud.     
Steve T

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