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Bebop Spoken There

Simon Spillett: “ Bebop and hard bop came naturally to him [Tubby Hayes]". Morning Star, March 28, 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

Fri 29: FILM: Soul @ The Forum Cinema, Hexham. 12:30pm. Jazz-themed film animation.
Fri 29: Classic Swing @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 29: Rendezvous Jazz @ The Monkseaton Arms. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 29: New Orleans Preservation Jazz Band @ The Oxbridge Hotel, Stockton. 1:00pm. £5.00.
Fri 29: Abbie Finn Trio @ The Vault, Darlington. 6:00pm. Free. POSTPONED!
Fri 29: Thundercat @ Newcastle City Hall.
Fri 29: John Logan @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 8:00pm. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig.
Fri 29: True Colours @ Barrels Ale House, Berwick. 9:00pm. Blues, jazz & swing.

Sat 30: Papa G’s Troves @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 8:00pm. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig.
Sat 30: Pete Tanton’s Cuba Libre @ Whitley Bay Library, York Road, Whitley Bay. 8:00pm.

Sun 31: 4B @ The Ticket Office, Whitley Bay Metro Station. 3:00pm. Free.
Sun 31: Ruth Lambert Trio @ Juke Shed, Union Quay, North Shields NE30 1HJ. 3:00pm. Free. Lambert, Alan Law & Paul Grainger.
Sun 31: Sid Jacobs & Tom Remon @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 7:00pm. Free. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig. USA/London jazz guitar duo.
Sun 31: Bellavana @ The Globe, Newcastle. 8:00pm.

April
Mon 01: Harmony Brass @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Mon 01: Ray Stubbs R&B All Stars @ Billy Bootlegger’s, Ouseburn, Newcastle. 3:00pm. Free.

Tue 02: Jam session @ The Black Swan, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free. House trio: Dean Stockdale, Paul Grainger, Abbie Finn.

Wed 03: Vieux Carré Jazzmen @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Wed 03: Darlington Big Band @ Darlington & Simpson Rolling Mills Social Club, Darlington. 7:00pm. Free. Rehearsal session (open to the public).
Wed 03: Take it to the Bridge @ The Globe, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free.

Thu 04: FILM: Soul @ Forum Cinema, Hexham. 2:00pm. Jazz-themed film animation.
Thu 04: Vieux Carré Jazzmen @ The Holystone, Whitley Road, North Tyneside. 1:00pm. Free.
Thu 04: Funky Drummer @ The Globe, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free.
Thu 04: Eva Fox & the Jazz Guys @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 8:00pm. Free. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig.
Thu 04: Tees Hot Club @ Dorman’s Club, Middlesbrough. 8:30pm.

Sunday, November 17, 2019

Emma Johnson's Gravy Boat @ The Globe - Nov. 16

Emma Johnson (tenor sax); Fergus Vickers (guitar); Richard Jones (piano); Angus Milne (bass); Alasdair Pennington (drums)
(Review by Lance/photos courtesy of Ken Drew).

The Metro was crowded. Cans of lager and cider were being surreptitiously popped. The hemlines were high - even non-existent - and I wasn't complaining!

The hordes disembarked at Central and headed in the direction of The Globe. On the sidewalk, one "Busking Joe" played drums the crowd danced to his rhythm - he could play! The ground floor bar of the Jazz Coop HQ was heaving as the hoi polloi primed themselves for an evening with Gerry Cinnamon, a singer/songwriter whose lyrics it's reported are 'brutally honest'. He was appearing across the road at the Utilita Arena.

His next gig is at Hampden Park which is seemingly sold out! Clearly this guy is a big deal!

In the upstairs Jazz Bar, there was another big deal - Emma Johnson's Gravy Boat may not have pulled the number of punters that Gerry C did but, on a person per square foot basis, I reckon she held her own.

Keith Barrett, major-domo for the evening, found that his main task was finding more seats for the non-stop stream of arrivals.

JNE and the Jazz Coop, who got together to promote the event, must have been pleased - not just for the turn out and the coins in the coffers but for the music that inspired so many to leave their warm firesides for what must have surely been uncharted waters for some.

The opening few bars had me thinking wistfully of warm firesides. Discordant, lots of long notes but, before I'd completed my yawn, the gravy boat arrived and I knew why everyone was here.

A programme of well-crafted originals that really were original but with themes that made sense played by five fine and formidable players. Johnson gets a great sound on tenor and has a technique to match. Not one of those in your face players but someone whose solos build gradually and logically with a natural lyricism reminiscent of Coltrane in his saner moments.

Likewise, the other four also impressed, drum and bass solos kept to a minimum thus making them all the more effective when they did surface. Impressive keyboard work and guitar playing that was laid back and listenable with some juicy chording.

Titles: Vertical Plains; Fully Fledged; Little Creatures (named after Emma’s favourite beer); Things I Didn’t Know; Arguments in 12/8; Scraps; Speak in Whispers; Plucker; Where Are You Hiding? (Emma tells us there is a new version of this with vocal by Nishla Smith in the pipeline); Summer Stone.

A very satisfying evening – more gravy please.

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