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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.

Thursday, December 12, 2019

The Bold Big Band @ The Dun Cow - Dec 11

(Review by Russell)

This band does what it says on the tin - BOLD in name, BOLD in performance. Comprising Newcastle University graduates and undergraduates with, on occasion, one or two professionals beefing up the numbers, the Bold Big Band certainly makes a big impression. 

The Dun Cow has previously played host to the band and tonight's gig pulled a large crowd of fellow students there to enjoy the music, the crack and, of course, to sink a few end of term beers.

Manteca blazed a trail. Dizzy Gillespie would have roared his approval, no doubt about it. MD Simon Hirst introduced Bob Florence's Willowcrest as the band's most challenging chart of the evening. It can be reported the orchestra rose to the challenge; superb ensemble work, powerful sections and, a rarity, Jordan Alfonso briefly switching to soprano sax. And still no let up with Gordon Goodwin's Backrow Politics making one hell of a din with the ace trumpet section in Big Phat Band mode.

New band vocalist Ally Wilson couldn't have got off to a better start singing Orange Colored Sky without resorting to lyric sheet, iphone or ipad and, what's more, Ms Wilson made herself heard - no mean achievement standing in front of a band like this! More? Yep, The Lady is a Tramp. We've found ourself a vocalist, let's hear Ally at a jam session. 

Phil Collins is rarely, if ever, mentioned on BSH (!) but we'll make an exception as Jordan Alfonso took Against All Odds by the throat and made something of it in a ballad feature for alto saxophone. The half time whistle came at just the right time...

MD Hirst set about reassembling the orchestra. As usual one or two band members had gone to powder their nose. Who would be a bandleader?! 

Spain seems to be in every big band's pad and here in Brandling Village it was in the Bold Big Band's set. A bravura piece requires the big guns to step up to the plate and Jordan Alfonso and trumpeter Tom Alcorn did just that. Excellent rollercoaster stuff. Lead trumpeter Danny Wilson picked up his flugelhorn for an oh-so-mellow intro to Chuck Mangione's Children of Sanchez before bottom end brass and reeds and top C trumpet mayhem broke loose. Thrilling stuff.

Ally Wilson rejoined the band for a Christmassy finale - Sway (not so Christmassy) then Santa Claus is Comin'  to Town (definitely Christmassy!). The brass boys put the B into BOLD on this one. A Big Band Christmas sent us on our way, some sorely tempted to go carroling. 
Russell
        
Tom Alcorn, Danny Wilson, Thomas, Oli Presland (trumpets); Jordan Alfonso (alto sax, soprano sax), David Johnson (alto sax), Sam Fox (tenor sax), Cristina (tenor sax), ? (baritone sax); Simon Hirst (MD), Bertie Marks, Alex Utting (trombones); Harry Knott (piano); Ifede Osiyemi (bass guitar); Dan (drums), Caleb (drums); Ally Wilson (vocals)   

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