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Bebop Spoken There

Branford Marsalis: "As ignorance often forces us to do, you make a generalisation about a musician based on one specific record or one moment in time." - (Jazzwise June 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

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.

Sun 04: Smokin' Spitfires @ The Cluny, Newcastle. 12:45pm.
Sun 04: Central Bar Quintet @ Central Bar, Gateshead. 2:00-4:00pm. £5.00. The Central Bar Quintet plays Sonny Rollins' Saxophone Colossus. Featuring Lewis Watson.
Sun 04: 4B @ The Exchange, North Shields. 3:00pm.
Sun 04: Struggle Buggy + Michael Littlefield @ Tyne Bar, Newcastle. 4:00pm. Free. Acoustic blues.
Sun 04: Swinging at the Cotton Club: Harry Strutters' Hot Rhythm Orchestra @ The Fire Station, Sunderland. 7:30pm.
Sun 04: Richard Jones Trio @ The Globe, Newcastle. 8:00pm.

Mon 05: Harmony Brass @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm.

Tue 06: Paul Skerritt @ The Rabbit Hole, Hallgarth St., Durham DH1 3AT. 7:00pm. Paul Skerritt's (solo) weekly residency.
Tue 06: Jam session @ Black Swan, Newcastle Arts Centre. 7:30pm. House trio: Stu Collingwood (piano); Paul Grainger (double bass); Sid White (drums).

Sunday, September 22, 2019

The Sumner Suite @ The Gosforth Hotel

(By Russell)
A rare visit to the Gosforth Hotel to watch the Newcastle v Brighton Premier League match on tv. A pint from the Cullercoats Brewery first half, a pint from the Whitley Bay Brewing Company second half (keeping it local) then at full time (0-0) a trip to the gents. On the wall at the bottom of the stairs was a sign 'The Sumner Suite'. 

Ah, the memories came flooding back! Way back when, every Wednesday night, 40p on the door to see a local band called Last Exit. Terry Ellis, guitar, Gerry Richardson, keyboards, Ronnie Pearson, drums and one Gordon Sumner, bass guitar. Yes Gordon Sumner, or Sting, as he was already known, was soon to hit the big time. Jazz, jazz funk, original material, Last Exit was one of those once in a generation outfits. 


Upstairs on the wall outside the room now known as the Sumner Suite is a piece about those far off days. This evening (Saturday 21 September) a function was booked into the room. The host kindly allowed your correspondent to step inside....there was Terry by the bar, Ronnie behind his kit, a bearded Gerry at the keys over on the left, and in the middle, out front, the man who was destined for fame and fortune, Sting. Happy days! 
Russell

5 comments :

NeilC said...

The following comments are controversial but its something I feel very strongly about . It is so sad they chose to name the suite after him . I think he does a disservice to the North East, he denies his roots and on occasion is really critical about the North East, unless there's money to be made . He has talent but if you notice he always surrounds himself with brilliant musicians to ensure he can effectively hide his own shortcomings . Other members of Last Exit are probably more deserving of having a room named after them but of course national fame sadly deserted them so whilst visitors might struggle for a short while identifying Sumner suite as being named after Sting but would undoubtedly fail to recognise the significance if named over any of the other members.

Lance said...

Denies his roots?

NeilC said...

A flavour of his thoughts are shown in this article :-

https://www.chroniclelive.co.uk/news/north-east-news/sting-hates-home-town-1664229

Patti said...

I think certain members of Sting's family here in the North East might find Neil's comments controversial too! Anyway, the Gosforth Hotel also has a sign up to say that the first issue of Viz magazine was sold there, in December 1979! Another claim to fame ......

Lance said...

He may not have liked growing up in the northeast but, in the Chronicle article, he certainly didn't deny his roots. Plus, back then, if you wanted to make it in the arts you didn't stay in Wallsend.

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