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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, December 04, 2019

Customs House Big Band with Ruth Lambert @ All Saints' Church, Cleadon - Dec 3

(Review by Russell)

If it's the first Tuesday in December (it was) you can be sure Peter Morgan's sleigh will be parked up outside All Saints' Parish Hall (it was). Inside, not one but two, Christmas trees decorated the stage leaving room for the Customs House Big Band's rhythm section and little else. The horns (all thirteen of them) assembled on the floor. Band vocalist Ruth Lambert sat to one side waiting to be called to sing a selection of songs which, due to the time of year, would likely as not include some Yuletide favourites. 

Minutes before the advertised 7:30pm started someone noticed that there wasn't a licensed bar. What?! Whoosh! A mass exodus of punters made for Cleadon's nearest corner shop. Minutes later folk staggered in carrying bottles of plonk, bottles of beer, nibbles, the works...this was more like it!

If you like classic Basie-Nestico charts (who doesn't?) then the Customs House Big Band is the big band for you. Gerry Mulligan's Young Blood opened the concert with Jim McBriarty (tenor sax) and Alan Marshall (alto sax) leading the way. Quincy Jones' The Witching Hour (arr. S. Nestico) heard once more from McBriarty with veteran Mick Hill contributing a measured, muted trumpet solo. Nestico's Groovin' Easy gave guitar ace Bradley Johnston a first opportunity to shine and, as ever, BJ's volume control was spot on - we expect nothing less!

Ms Lambert had been sitting down for too long. Up she stepped with a sparkling Lullaby of Birdland which unexpectedly featured a short scat section (!) followed by Sway. RL would later return to the stage. 

Nestico's The Joy of Cookin'How High the Moon? as an instrumental with Lambert sitting on the sidelines (!), then our vocalist got to her feet to sing one of her favourites - Teach Me Tonight. More Nestico (MD Morgan likes his Nestico) with Traces then a potentially dodgy Darby and Jones' favourite - When You're Smiling - largely avoided ill-advised populist participation!

The interval - plonk, beer, more plonk, more beer, a squillion raffle prizes, then...from All Saints' kitchen - sarnies, pies, mince pies. If you insist! Another bottle of beer opened to wash it all down!

Second set. Well, it's that time of year. Jingle BellsOh Come all Ye Faithful...look, resistance is futile, altogether now...Silent Night. And, importantly, this wasn't some tedious, carol singing group knocking on doors, this was the Customs House Big Band's jazz arrangements of your festive favourites. 

Ms Lambert, this year without a Santa outfit, sang Norah Jones' Don't Know Why, the band got stuck into some more first rate festive arrangements (Hark! The Herald Angels Sing) and our band vocalist hit the jackpot with a teasing Santa Baby. The Customs House Big Band visits Cleadon year after year and, thankfully, there is no reason to think things will be any different next year.        
Russell   

Peter Morgan (MD); Bob Temple, Mick Hill, Ken DeVere, Alan Catherall (trumpets); Dave Brocklesby, Gareth Weaver, Mike Fletcher, Keiran Parnaby (trombones); Alan Marshall, Kim Skerritt, Jim McBriarty, Chris Kaberry, Josh Bentham (reeds); John Stephenson (piano); Bradley Johnston (guitar); Ron Smith (bass guitar); Abbie Finn (drums); Ruth Lambert (vocals)

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