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Bebop Spoken There

Billy Boy Arnold: “As long as you don't think old you're good.” - DownBeat, December, 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!"

Simon Spillett: A lovely review from the dean of jazz bloggers, Lance Liddle...

Postage

16051 (and counting) posts since we started blogging 15 years ago. 1058 of them this year alone and, so far, 12 this month (Dec. 6).

From This Moment On ...

December

Mon 11: Harmony Brass @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Mon 11: Interim Final Recitals @ Newcastle University. Details TBC.

Tue 12: Stu Collingwood Organ Trio @ Forum Music Centre, Darlington. 7:00pm. £10.00.

Wed 13: Vieux Carré Jazzmen @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Wed 13: Darlington Big Band @ Darlington & Simpson Rolling Mills Social Club, Darlington. 7:00pm. Free. Rehearsal session (open to the public).
Wed 13: Take it to the Bridge @ The Globe, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free.
Wed 13: Bold Big Band @ Cluny 2, Newcastle. 7:30pm.
Wed 13: Giles Strong Quartet @ Alphabetti Theatre, Newcastle. 7:30pm.

Thu 14: Vieux Carré Jazzmen @ The Holystone, Whitley Road, North Tyneside. 1:00pm. Free.
Thu 14: Hot Fingers @ The Lubetkin Theatre, Peterlee. 7:00pm. £10.00.
Thu 14: After Hours Student Jazz Jam @ The Globe, Newcastle. 8:00pm. Free.
Thu 14: Merlin Roxby @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 8:00pm. . Free. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig.
Thu 14: Niffi Osiyemi Trio @ Harbour View, Sunderland. 8:00pm. Free.
Thu 14: Mo Scott ‘Little Mo’s Festive Appearance’ @ The Schooner, Gateshead. 8:00pm. Free.
Thu 14: Tees Hot Club w. Kevin Eland, Josh Bentham, Garry Hadfield, Adrian Beadnell @ Dorman’s Club, Middlesbrough. 9:00pm.

Fri 15: Paul Edis @ Lit & Phil, Newcastle. 1:00pm. SOLD OUT!
Fri 15: Classic Swing @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 15: New Orleans Preservation Jazz Band @ Oxbridge Hotel, Stockton. 1:00pm. £5.00.
Fri 15: Rendezvous Jazz @ The Monkseaton Arms, Monkseaton. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 15: Paul Skerritt @ Black Horse Inn, Crook. From 7:00pm.
Fri 15: Paul Edis: A Jazzy Christmas @ St Cuhtbert's Centre, Crook. 7:30pm. £15.00. SOLD OUT! Waiting list open.
Fri 15: Zoë Gilby Trio @ Seventeen Nineteen, Hendon, Sunderland. 7:30pm. £12.00. POSTPONED!
Fri 15: Strictly Smokin' Big Band @ Gosforth Civic Theatre, Newcastle. 8:00pm. First night of two. SOLD OUT!
Fri 15: Darlington Big Band @ Traveller’s Rest, Darlington. 8:00pm. £10.00. Opus 4 Jazz Club.
Fri 15: Baghdaddies @ Cobalt Studios, Newcastle. 8:00pm. £14.00.; £10.00.

Sat 16: Paul Edis: A Jazzy Christmas @ The Glasshouse, Gateshead. 2:00pm. A Jazzy Christmas + Jambone.
Sat 16: Porritt & Barrett & Friends Xmas Special @ Cullercoats Watch House. 7:00pm. £4.00.
Sat 16: Milne-Glendinning Band @ The Vault, Darlington. 7:00pm. Free.
Sat 16: Red Kites Jazz Band @ The Staithes Café, Gateshead. 7:00pm--9:00pm.
Sat 16: Hayley's Little Big Band @ Ellingham Village Hall, Chathill. 7:30pm. £12.00., £8.00.
Sat 16: Paul Edis: A Jazzy Christmas @ The Glasshouse, Gateshead. 8:00pm.
Sat 16: Strictly Smokin' Big Band @ Gosforth Civic Theatre, Newcastle. 8:00pm. Second night of two.

Sun 17: Red Kites Jazz Band @ Gibside Chapel, nr. Rowlands Gill. 1:00-2:30pm.
Sun 17: Paul Skerritt @ Hibou Blanc, Newcastle. 2:00pm.
Sun 17: Revolutionaires @ Tyne Bar, Newcastle. 4:00pm. Free. Rock ‘n’ roll excellence!
Sun 17: Tweed River Jazz Band @ Barrels Alehouse, Berwick. 7:00pm. Free.
Sun 17: The Globe Xmas Party @ The Globe, Newcastle. 7:00pm. Free. Multi-bill inc. David Gray’s Flextet + jam session.
Sun 17: Paul Edis: A Jazzy Christmas @ Queen's Hall, Hexham. 7:30pm. £17.00., £15.00.
Sun 17: Hayley's Little Big Band @ Amble Parish Hall. 7:30pm. £12.00., £6.00.
Sun 17: Snake Davis Trio @ St John’s Hall, Snods Edge, Shotley Bridge DH8 9TJ. 7:30pm. £15.00. from 07766 037893.

Sunday, December 22, 2019

Paul Edis & Friends: A Jazzy Christmas @ Sage Gateshead - Dec. 21 (evening performance)

(Review by Russell)

A Jazzy Christmas played to enthusiastic full houses across the region during December culminating in an evening performance in front of another capacity audience in Sage Two. Project director Paul Edis arranged all of the material for an A-list ensemble which, it should be said, seemed to enjoy the occasion every bit as much as the festive (Santa hats were in evidence!) audience. 

Winter WonderlandAll I Want for Christmas is YouRockin' Around the Christmas Tree - the opening three numbers, just as they were on the other tour dates. Edis' regular bass and drums pals - Andy Champion and Russ Morgan -  are at the top of their profession which is, no doubt, reassuring to a bandleader writing parts for the horns, a horn section featuring Matt Anderson on tenor and soprano saxophones. The presence of virtuoso violinist Emma Fisk and star vocalist Jo Harrop simply put an iced cherry on top of Edis' Jazzy Christmas cake. 

Cambridge University student Megan Robinson played a wonderful piccolo solo on Carol of Bells alongside Edis' impressive arrangement for the horns and our bandleader followed up with a piano-vocal feature of his own, singing Merry Christmas on Christmas Day (composer P. Edis/lyrics K. Edis).  

Edis likes Bill Evans and chose to open the second set with Santa Claus is Coming to Town for trio (Edis, piano, Champion, bass, Morgan, drums). The trio is a regular working unit and well worth catching in other settings, there is none better! A Jazzy Christmas wouldn't be complete without Jo Harrop. A voice to die for, Ms Harrop could sing the phone book, however, on this Sage Gateshead engagement she sang a book of seasonal numbers including Let it Snow, Let it Snow, Let it Snow (Graham Hardy to the fore, Champion soloing like a Champion) and a Basie-like arrangement of Santa Baby - Edis suggesting we should think of it as Splanky Baby

The depth of talent on show was quite something - Jo Harrop, Hardy (trumpet, flugelhorn), Jason Holcomb (trombone), Emma Fisk and Matt Anderson the established names, tomorrow's stars Megan Robinson (flute, piccolo), Faye Thompson (alto sax, clarinet) and the prodigious Francis Tulip (guitar) and, of course, MD Paul Edis, Andy Champion and Russ Morgan.    

A Jazzy Christmas has become an annual treat, it's all but certain to happen again this time next year and, as Jo Harrop asked the question What Are You Doing New Year's Eve?, the majority of those in Sage Two were probably thinking: Let's book for next year!     
Russell

Paul Edis (piano, vocals); Jo Harrop (vocals); Matt Anderson (tenor sax, soprano sax); Graham Hardy (trumpet, flugelhorn); Jason Holcomb (trombone); Emma Fisk (violin); Faye Thompson (alto sax, clarinet); Megan Robinson (flute, piccolo); Francis Tulip (guitar); Andy Champion (double bass); Russ Morgan (drums)  

2 comments :

Martin Waugh (on F/b) said...

What a great show it sounds Lance. Such talented musicians and of course the wonderful Paul Edis. Happy blogging in the year to come and best wishes from Myra and myself.

Lance said...

Well that was Russell's review but it was a great couple of sessions - I was at the afternoon one. Hope to see Myra and yourself in the new year

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