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Bebop Spoken There

Kelly Sill: "Just because everyone is playing through the changes in the same time doesn't mean they're actually playing together" - (JazzTimes March/April 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

15260 (and counting) posts since we started blogging 15 years ago. 279 of them this year alone and, so far, 92 this month (March 29).

From This Moment On ...

April
Sat 01: The Big Easy @ St Augustine's Parish Centre, Darlington. 12:30pm.
Sat 01: Play Jazz! workshop @ The Globe, Newcastle. 1:30pm. Tutor: Steve Glendinning - In a Minor Key. £25.00. Enrol at: www.jazz.coop.
Sat 01: Abbie Finn Trio @ The Vault, Darlington Covered Market, Darlington DL1 5PN. 6:00pm. New venue, live jazz!
Sat 01: Jambone @ Sage Gateshead. 7:00pm. Free (book online). A YMP! event in the Northern Rock Foundation Hall.
Sat 01: Jude Murphy & Dan Stanley @ Prohibtion Bar, Newcastle. 8:00pm. A 'Jar on the Bar' gig.
Sat 01: Boys of Brass @ Stack, Seaburn. 7:00-9:00pm.
Sat 01: Hot Club du Nord @ Pleased to Meet You, Bridge St., Morpeth. 8:00pm. £79.00. A charity fundraising event.
Sat 01: Rendezvous Jazz @ Red Lion, Earsdon. 8:00pm. £3.00. RESCHEDULED to next week (Sat 08).

Sun 02: Smokin' Spitfires @ The Cluny. 12:45pm.
Sun 02: 4B @ The Exchange, North Shields. 3:00pm.

Mon 03: Harmony Brass @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm.

Tue 04: Paul Skerritt @ The Rabbit Hole, Hallgarth St., Durham DH1 3AT. 7:00pm. Paul Skerritt's (solo) weekly residency.
Tue 04: Jam session @ Black Swan, Newcastle Arts Centre. 7:30pm. House trio: Bradley Johnston (guitar); Paul Grainger (double bass); Abbie Finn (drums).

Wed 05: Vieux Carré Jazzmen @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm.
Wed 05: Darlington Big Band @ Darlington & Simpson Rolling Mills Social Club, Darlington. 7:00pm. Rehearsal session (open to the public).
Wed 05: 4B @ The Exchange, North Shields. 7:00pm.
Wed 05: Take it to the Bridge @ The Globe, Newcastle. 7:30pm.

Thu 06: Vieux Carré Jazzmen @ The Holystone, Whitley Road, North Tyneside. 1:00pm. Free.
Thu 06: Thursday Night Prayer Meeting @ The Globe, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Donations. Feat. John Pope, Marie Shreer, John Garner.
Thu 06: Merlin Roxby @ Prohibtion Bar, Newcastle. 8:00pm. Ragtime piano. A 'Jar on the Bar' gig.
Thu 06: Darlington Big Band @ Dorman's Club, Middlesbrough. 8:30pm. Note earlier start time.

Fri 07: Classic Swing @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm.
Fri 07: New Orleans Preservation Jazz Band @ Oxbridge Hotel, Stockton. 1:00pm. £5.00.
Fri 07: Rendezvous Jazz @ The Monkseaton Arms, Monkseaton. 1:00pm.
Fri 07: Gaz Hughes Trio @ Saltburn Community Hall. 7:30pm.
Fri 07: Mark Toomey Quartet @ Traveller's Rest, Darlington. 8:00pm. £8.00.
Fri 07: Finntet + Zoë Gilby & Andy Champion @ Bobik's, Punch Bowl, Newcastle. 8:00pm. JNE.
Fri 07: TBA @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 8:00pm. A 'Jar on the Bar' gig. Blind Pig Blues Club.

Thursday, January 23, 2020

Air4ce @ The Quakerhouse, Darlington - Jan 22

(Review by Russell)

BSH couldn't get along to Tuesday's performance in Newcastle making this Darlington gig all the more eagerly anticipated. The Cluny's stage isn't the biggest but in comparison to the Quakerhouse in Darlington it is of arena dimensions. The pub in Mechanics' Yard can accommodate a quartet, maybe a quintet, and that makes it something of a squeeze. As Air4ce took to the stage the main man, Tom Atkinson, suggested a round of applause was due for cramming nine musicians onto its postage stamp stage!

Atkinson's kit was of super group Cream dimensions - two huge bass drums and toms taking up a large part of the postage stamp. To his right stood percussionist Martin Bell, in front of Bell sat Nigel Stawart playing Hammond (XK-3c variety), to Atkinson's left, bassist Nick Lawrence and guitarist Stu Dawson. How many is that? One, two...yeah, five. Out front, the horns - Sue Ferris and Paul Gowland and the evening's vocalists Lindsay Hannon and Bob Davidson. One, two, three...yeah, nine in total. This being a tribute to the late Ginger Baker the likelihood was it would be loud. Loud? What's that? Yeah, it was loud alright. Excellent!

Imagined ghosts...Graham Bond, Dick Heckstall-Smith, Jack Bruce - they were loving this. From Aiko Biaye to Sweet Wine (Cream - Live Cream Vol.1) to That's the Way God Planned It bandleader Atkinson gave a commanding display, no, make that awesome. Stawart was Bond, Ferris then Gowland were Heckstall-Smith. Those who know Ferris' work blowing with Gerry Richardson's Big Idea or back in the day with Voice of the North Jazz Orchestra will be able to hear in their heads the paint-stripping solo. Similarly, sharing alto and tenor parts, Gowland blew up a storm. 

Lindsay Hannon and Bob Davidson shared the vocals and it would be difficult to think of anyone better to handle the material. Atkinson made a good call engaging their services. And, what's more, Lindsay, Bob and the rest seemed to genuinely enjoy the experience. And 'experience' it was, one of those 'I was there' occasions. The Quakerhouse was rammed, cameras flashed, the high volume exhilarating. Leading a nine piece band from behind a huge kit couldn't have been easy yet Tom Atkinson made it seem like a breeze. Totally in command, great chops, this was a masterclass in powerhouse rock (with moments of finesse!) drumming. 

Deep into the second set Stu Dawson, guitar, and Sue Ferris on flute featured on Early in the Morning. To round off a memorable night Air4ce went out all guns blazing - horns, Hammond, vox and the mightily impressive Atkinson on Tell Me a Story (Toad).
Russell

Tom Atkinson drums); Martin Bell (percussion); Nick Lawrence (bass guitar); Stu Dawson (guitar); Nigel Stawart (keyboards); Sue Ferris (tenor sax, alto sax, flute); Paul Gowland (tenor sax, alto sax); Lindsay Hannon (vocals); Bob Davidson (vocals) 

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