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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.

Wednesday, October 16, 2019

Jam Session @ the Black Swan - October 15

(Review by Lance/Photo link)

Anyone for tenors? There's no shortage of them tonight. They buck the trend and outnumber the girl singers 4 to 1.
Harry Keeble's the first to put up with a somewhat reflective opener that seems to meander a bit. However, Tadd Dameron's Ladybird dispenses with the meandering and Harry unleashes the torrent of notes we expect from him and the now crowded room roars its approval.



Undeterred by this early benchmark, George Sykes doesn't attempt to fight fire with fire choosing instead to demonstrate his melodic side with Beautiful Love and Blue Bossa. Mo has taken over at the kit and it runs smoothly.

It's been awhile since Paul Gowland showed at the jam but, fresh from his paintstripping alto blast at last Saturday's birthday bash for Dave Weisser, he's up for doing it again on tenor. Here's That Rainy Day finds him digging in then, appropriately, I'll Remember April. Remember it? Who could forget this version? Is this game, set and match? Well, er, not quite...

Hearts and Hibs may be no great shakes when they cross Hadrian's Wall but when Edinburgh''s finest, Nick Gould, lays siege the sparks fly. Tonight it's Shiny Stockings and On Green Dolphin St. that light up the room. What a night for tenors!

And what a night for singers too. The ever delightful Jan delivers Lullaby of Birdland followed by The Look of Love. I'm sitting up front so I'm hearing it good. However,  those sitting further back lose the intimacy of the moment, partly due to the chit-chat at the back of the room and a sound system that maybe needs turned up a notch or two.

John Pope's now on bass and Joel Brown, back from Senegal, is at the keyboard and Bob Caswell's taking us to Brazil. The veteran crooner has still got it as he proves when he manages to silence the barflies with My Funny Valentine.

The brothers Harrison are in the house and Laurence adds some guitar magic as the evening rocks on.

However, tonight it's all about the sax with Keeble and Sykes laying waste to Wayne Shorter's Speak No Evil. Abbie and Charles Harrison get behind Gowland and Gould for Invitation and we're on Central Avenue in LA and it's Dexter and Wardell taking us in to the home straight - Straight No Chaser to be precise. Keeble makes it three tenors and the horns give it their best shot over two choruses each.

It's been another great night although, as someone once said to me, the downside is that with such great music for free who wants to pay to see a band? Food for thought.

Needless to say, the house trio, as ever, have been superb. Dean Stockdale's opening Have You Met Miss Jones? played out of time with beautiful, rich harmonies told me tonight is going to be special and when Grainger and Walker picked up the tempo it was.
Lance

Dean Stockdale (piano); Paul Grainger (bass); Rob Walker (drums) + Harry Keeble, George Sykes, Paul Gowland, Nick Gould (tenor saxes); Hazem Mohammed, Abbie Finn (drums); Joel Brown (piano); John Pope (bass); Laurence Harrison, Charles Harrison (guitars); Jan Spencelayh, Bob Caswell (vocals).

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