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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.

Saturday, December 14, 2019

Strictly Smokin' Big Band @ Gosforth Civic Theatre - Dec 13

(Review by Russell)

At the last minute BSH Editor-in-Chief LL couldn't make it hence your reviewer being given the nod to come off the subs' bench. Listening to the Strictly Smokin' Big Band at Gosforth is hardly an arduous task! This was the first of two sold out nights, it's been that way for nine consecutive years! 

An evening comprising timeless GASbook numbers, the work of contemporary composers and arrangers, ancient carols and, of course, perennial singalong favourites performed by the Strictly Smokin' should be on everyone's bucket list. 

Winter Games opened the programme. Never in a month of Sundays could anyone have predicted the official anthem of the 1988 Winter Olympic Games in Calgary, Canada would be heard some thirty years later at a big band concert in Gosforth Civic Theatre, Newcastle upon Tyne! Vocalist Alice Grace made an early appearance to sing The Late, Late Show (Ms Grace alluding to Nat Cole's late fifties' recording of the number). We would hear much more of AG during the evening singing Anita O'Day, Ella and more.  

A Bobby Watson chart made its way into the set list and the one member of the orchestra all but guaranteed to take on the alto part just had to be Keith Robinson. KR stood up, from first note to last, the floor was his. The 'jazz heads' in the audience were impressed. Hark! The Herald Angels Sing (remember it's Christmas time) featured the mellifluous tones of Pete Tanton's flugelhorn. 

Alice Grace returned to the stage to sing a Chris Walden arrangement of Willow Weep for Me. Phrasing, timing, projecting to all parts of the hall, AG knocked 'em dead. And our adopted Geordie did it again singing Rodgers and Hammerstein's People Will Say We're in Love from Oklahoma! If that had been the sum total of AG's contribution it would have been worthwhile attending but there was more to come, much more.

The SSBB closed a fine first set with two carols - a Dick Stacey feature on O Holy Night (at its end fellow trumpeter Gordon Marshall gave DS a pat on the head!) - and an energetic (if the charts were marked 'con brio' or similar that would be about right) Joy to the World with a crystal clear contribution from guitarist Pawel Jedrzejewski. 

The interval: Brisk sales of the SSBB's new CD Christmas Live Gosforth Civic Theatre (December 2018) suggested loved ones were going to receive a much-appreciated gift in their Christmas stocking. 

Tenor saxophonist Jamie Toms contributed several assured, measured solos during the evening, not least as the band opened the second set with It's the Most Wonderful Time of the Year. On a Christmas gig it would be understandable if a bandleader tailored the material to the occasion and, of course, MD Michael Lamb did just that, however, Coventry Carol (Steve Summers' committed alto solo) would have satisfied out and out, hardcore jazz fans any time of the year. This was a real highlight among highlights.

Irving Berlin, Alice Grace and Michael Lamb - now there's a winning combination! Yes, a solo blast from MD Lamb on I've Got My Love to Keep Me Warm. And then there was AG singing Mel Tormé's Christmas Song (the trumpet section off stage, pianist Graham Don accompanist to Ms Grace). That''ll do, let's go home. No! Wait! MD Lamb was to introduce a surprise guest..

Direct from the London stage, local-lad-made-good, Mr Adam Dutton! Suited and booted, Dutton (resumé inc. Show BoatOliver! and My Fair Lady) joined Alice Grace to sing Frank Loesser's Baby, It's Cold Outside. It's fair to say the place went wild. As AG temporarily left the stage, Dutton, originally from Kenton, Newcastle, revealed this was his first visit to Gosforth Civic Theatre. Singing Caroling, Caroling with the band won the impressive Dutton a whole host of new fans. As our guest left the stage we were left wondering if that was Dutton's last contribution of the evening...

Duke Ellington's arrangement of Jingle Bells (Jamie Toms' tenor sax solo) added lustre to a lustrous occasion. Don't you just love jazz?!

And when the lights were low...Ms Grace and Mr Dutton returned to say goodnight singing Fairytale of New York. Everytime it's a winner. Dutton played his part, Grace hers and the audience couldn't resist singing along. And finally, Ms Grace had the stage to herself to conduct band and audience in a magical Last Christmas. Magical, indeed. 
Russell  
           
Alice Grace (vocals); Steve Summers, Keith Robinson, Jamie Toms, Dave Kerridge, Laurie Rangecroft (reeds); Gordon Marshall, Dick Stacey, Michael Lamb MD, Pete Tanton (trumpets); Kieran Parnaby, Mark Ferris, Chris Kurgi-Smith, John Flood (trombones); Graham Don (piano); Pawel Jedrzejewski (guitar); Michael Whent (bass guitar); Guy Swinton (drums) + Adam Dutton (vocals).

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