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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, October 27, 2019

CD Review: McAlmont & Webb - The Last Bohemians

(Review by Lance).

McAlmont, I’m ashamed to admit, is a new name to me. However, discovering that The Independent described him as "British pop's best kept secret" gave me the consolation of not being alone in my ignorance and, on the strength of what's laid down here I'll do my best to ensure McAlmont's no secret any more.

An intriguing voice, higher pitched than your average jazzman's vocal chords - at first hearing I was gender confused and the fact that he recently did a live interpretation of Billie Holiday's songs muddied the waters even further. However, listening again all doubts were banished and I realised I was listening to one of the more original (and pleasing) male voices of recent years. Where has he been hiding?

Teaming up with Alex Webb, himself one of the UK's outstanding pianists and composers, makes for an ideal partnership. Ten of the songs are by Webb two of which are co-written with the singer. Other items include Queen's Love of my Life, The Beatles' I'm So Tired and Suede's The Wild Ones

McAlmont and Suede's Bernard Butler also formed a duo - McAlmont and Butler - who made their mark back in the 1990's, early 2000's.

The Last Bohemians is described as a love letter to the jazz life. A life most of us have lived either at the mouthpiece end or at the end of a horn player's bell. If you're reading this page you've done it for real or by proxy. The music takes the listener along a journey. An adventure  that maybe began in London at The Flamingo (depicted on the inner cover) or maybe The Down Beat in Newcastle or any of the dives, anywhere in the world, that we sought out to sate our passion for the music.

That journey is portrayed in all its tarnished glory by the contributions from Tony Kofi's sax playing, Andy Davies' trumpet playing, a sympathetic rhythm section and, most of all, by McAlmont and Webb. 
Lance

Release date November 22. Launch at Hampstead Jazz Club on November 19 - details.

David McAlmont (vocals); Alex Webb (piano/MD); Andrew Cleyndert/Jihad Darwish (bass); Peter Adam Hill (drums/perc.); Jonathan Preiss (guitar); Tony Kofi (soprano/alto/tenor saxes); Andy Davies (trumpet/flugelhorn); Alex Balanescu, Julian Tear (violins); Katie Wilkinson (viola); Dave Daniels (cello).

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