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Bebop Spoken There

Wendell Brunious: "Because the blues is not 1,4 and 5 or 1,4,5,2,1. You could wake up with a flat tyre or a headache this morning, that's the blues, man" - (DownBeat, Oct. 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

15878 (and counting) posts since we started blogging 15 years ago. 885 of them this year alone and, so far, 83 this month (Sept. 30).

From This Moment On ...

October

Wed 04: Vieux Carré Jazzmen @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm.
Wed 04: Darlington Big Band @ Darlington & Simpson Rolling Mills Social Club, Darlington. 7:00pm. Rehearsal session (open to the public).
Wed 04: Paul Skerritt @ Vespa Italian Bar & Steakhouse, Primrose Hill, Jarrow. From 7:00pm. To book a table - 0191 483 3355.
Wed 04: Take it to the Bridge @ The Globe, Newcastle. 7:30pm.

Thu 05: Vieux Carré Jazzmen @ The Holystone, Whitley Road, North Tyneside. 1:00pm. Free.
Thu 05: Sound the Trumpets @ King's Hall, Newcastle University. 1:15pm. Free.
Thu 05: Hot Club du Nord @ The Lubetkin Theatre, Peterlee. 7:00pm. £10.00. POSTPONED!
Thu 05: Thursday Night Prayer Meeting @ The Globe, Newcastle. 7:30pm.
Thu 05: Tommy Bentz Trio + Mark Croft Duo + George Shovlin & George Lamb @ The Harbour View, Sunderland. 8:00pm. Free. Harbour View Speakeasy's USA blues double bill + Shovlin & Lamb!
Thu 05: Merlin Roxby @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 8:00pm. Ragtime piano. A 'Jar on the Bar' gig.
Thu 05: Tees Hot Club @ Dorman's Club, Middlesbrough. 9:00pm.

Fri 06: Alcyona Mick @ Lit & Phil, Newcastle. 1:00pm. A Newcastle Festival of Jazz & Improvised Music event.
Fri 06: Classic Swing @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm.
Fri 06: New Orleans Preservation Jazz Band @ Oxbridge Hotel, Stockton. 1:00pm. £5.00.
Fri 06: Rendezvous Jazz @ The Monkseaton Arms, Monkseaton. 1:00pm.
Fri 06: WORKSHOP: Philosophy of Arts & Entertainment @ Lit & Phil, Newcastle. 2:00pm. A Newcastle Festival of Jazz & Improvised Music event.
Fri 06: Balo @ Lit & Phil, Newcastle. 6:20pm. A Newcastle Festival of Jazz & Improvised Music event.
Fri 06: Paul Skerritt @ 3Sixty Champagne Lounge, Hadrian’s Tower, Newcastle. From 7:00pm. To book a table - 0191 933 8591.
Fri 06: Lexer/Mayes/Noble + Semay Wu + Miman @ Lit & Phil, Newcastle. 7:20pm. A Newcastle Festival of Jazz & Improvised Music event.
Fri 06: Dulcie May Moreno @ The Vault, Hexham. 7:30pm. £20.00. Book in advance. Moreno with Alan Law, Paul Grainger & John Bradford.
Fri 06: Dean Stockdale Quartet @ Saltburn Community Hall. 7:30pm. 'Celebrating Oscar'.
Fri 06: Nu Brass Sounds: Big Brass Bash @ Billy Bootlegger’s, Newcastle. 8:00pm. Free.
Fri 06: King Bees @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 8:00pm. Blind Pig Blues Club. A 'Jar on the Bar' gig.

Sat 07: WORKSHOP: Philosophy of Arts & Entertainment @ Lit & Phil, Newcastle. 10:15am. A Newcastle Festival of Jazz & Improvised Music event.
Sat 07: Hot Club du Nord @ St Augustine's Parish Centre, Darlington. 12:30pm.
Sat 07: Bugge & Niccols + Moore & Fairhall @ Lit & Phil, Newcastle. 1:00pm. A Newcastle Festival of Jazz & Improvised Music event.
Sat 07: Play Jazz! workshop @ The Globe, Newcastle. 1:30pm. Tutor: Steve Glendinning - All the Things You Are. £25.00. Enrol at: www.jazz.coop.
Sat 07: Abbie Finn Trio @ The Vault, Darlington. 6:00pm. Free.
Sat 07: Rie Nakajima @ Lit & Phil, Newcastle. 6:20pm. A Newcastle Festival of Jazz & Improvised Music event.
Sat 07: Paul Skerritt @ 3Sixty Champagne Lounge, Hadrian’s Tower, Newcastle. From 7:00pm. To book a table - 0191 933 8591.
Sat 07: Boys of Brass @ Salt Market Social, Liddell St., North Shields. From 7:00pm. £9.00. + bf.
Sat 07: Samuel Blaser Trio + Toxvaerd & Zeeberg + Muramatsu & Welch @ Lit & Phil, Newcastle. 7:20pm. A Newcastle Festival of Jazz & Improvised Music event.
Sat 07: Anth Purdy @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 8:00pm.
Sat 07: Rendezvous Jazz @ Red Lion, Earsdon. 8:00pm. £3.00.

Sun 08: Zoë Gilby Quintet + Ubunye @ The Globe, Newcastle. 2:00pm. Line-up inc. Tony Kofi. A Newcastle Festival of Jazz & Improvised Music event.
Sun 08: Tommy Bentz Band @ Tyne Bar, Newcastle. 4:00pm. Free. USA blues band.

Mon 09: Harmony Brass @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm.
Mon 09: Cherise Adams-Burnett @ The Grove, Byker, Newcastle. 7:30pm. .

Tue 10: Abbie Finn Trio @ Forum Music Centre, Darlington. 7:30pm.

Wednesday, November 27, 2019

Jam Session @ The Black Swan - Nov. 26

(Review by Lance).

One of the more sedate jams that was, nevertheless, not without its merits and quite often less is more and so tonight proved.

The house trio of Stu, Paul and Rob set the tone with Lover, A Nightingale Sang in Berkeley Square and Take the A Train. Played with their customary precision and aplomb, it told any newcomers, and there were a few, that they would be in safe hands should they take the plunge.

Steve Summers is no newcomer and he set out his stall with compelling versions of Wave and Well You Needn’t. His booting tenor as tough as they come.

A new face, and one that could have launched a 1000 ships on the way here had there been any ships to launch. Angelina, a German/Russian student sang Angel Eyes quite delightfully. From now on, to me that song will always be called Angelina Eyes! This was followed up with Lullaby of Birdland and left me wanting more.
It seemed appropriate that I was drinking Tyneside Blonde.

It was a challenge for any singer to step up after Angelina but the home team’s Minnie Fraser can handle any situation and her versions of God Bless the Child and Darn That Dream kept us in the game bringing us up to half time.

Whilst the players were in the dressing room sucking lemons another newcomer occupied the piano stool. Joe Johnson played an original composition that was impressive with lots of changes of tempo and interesting chords. We never did get to know the name of the tune, maybe, as of yet, it’s untitled.

The second set got underway with more surprises. Steve Summers changed from tenor to sop sax and began playing Body and Soul. This encouraged the sartorially splendid – he makes the late George Melly look like your average man in the street – Ray Burns to leap in and take the vocal as well as having a blast on Harmonica.

‘Showtime’ Gray joined the party and Michael Mather played drums. Bye Bye Blackbird and Wayne Shorter’s Footprints kept things humming.

I opted for another Tyneside Blonde whilst Minnie went for Black Coffee before confiding that she Ain’t Misbehavin’ which was once more a cue for Burnsy to bag a few choruses. Mark Taylor played drums – another discovery!

Summers and Gray blew Billie's Bounce to smithereens then sought redemption in Excclusiastics from the Mingus Oh Yeah album – the one where he plays piano and sings Hog Callin’ Blues.

Minnie didn’t do any hog calling but sang That Old Black Magic.

I missed Black Orpheus and Blue Monk which wasn’t all I missed! The Metro didn’t turn up on time which meant I missed my connecting bus at Heworth and was beaten by a short head in the sprint for the one and only taxi in the rank.

Still, but a minor blip in an otherwise enjoyable evening!
Lance.

Paul Grainger (bass); Stu Collingwood (piano); Rob Walker (drums) + Steve Summers (tenor/soprano sax); David Gray (trombone); Ray Burns (harmonica/vocals); Michael Mather, Mark Taylor (drums); Joe Johnson (piano); Minnie Fraser, Angelina Smyschlajew (vocals).

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