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Bebop Spoken There

Branford Marsalis: "As ignorance often forces us to do, you make a generalisation about a musician based on one specific record or one moment in time." - (Jazzwise June 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

15491 (and counting) posts since we started blogging 15 years ago. 512 of them this year alone and, so far, 133 this month (May 31).

From This Moment On ...

June

Sun 04: Smokin' Spitfires @ The Cluny, Newcastle. 12:45pm.
Sun 04: Central Bar Quintet @ Central Bar, Gateshead. 2:00-4:00pm. £5.00. The Central Bar Quintet plays Sonny Rollins' Saxophone Colossus. Featuring Lewis Watson.
Sun 04: 4B @ The Exchange, North Shields. 3:00pm.
Sun 04: Struggle Buggy + Michael Littlefield @ Tyne Bar, Newcastle. 4:00pm. Free. Acoustic blues.
Sun 04: Swinging at the Cotton Club: Harry Strutters' Hot Rhythm Orchestra @ The Fire Station, Sunderland. 7:30pm.
Sun 04: Richard Jones Trio @ The Globe, Newcastle. 8:00pm.
Sun 04: Jam No. 18 @ Fabio's Bar, Saddler Street, Durham. 8:00pm. Free. All welcome. A Durham University Jazz Society event.

Mon 05: Harmony Brass @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm.

Tue 06: Paul Skerritt @ The Rabbit Hole, Hallgarth St., Durham DH1 3AT. 7:00pm. Paul Skerritt's (solo) weekly residency.
Tue 06: Jam session @ Black Swan, Newcastle Arts Centre. 7:30pm. House trio: Stu Collingwood (piano); Paul Grainger (double bass); Sid White (drums).

Wed 07: Vieux Carré Jazzmen @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm.
Wed 07: Darlington Big Band @ Darlington & Simpson Rolling Mills Social Club, Darlington. 7:00pm. Rehearsal session (open to the public).
Wed 07: 4B @ The Exchange, North Shields. 7:00pm.
Wed 07: Take it to the Bridge @ The Globe, Newcastle. 7:30pm.

Thu 08: Vieux Carré Jazzmen @ The Holystone, Whitley Road, North Tyneside. 1:00pm. Free. CANCELLED! BACK ON JUNE 15.
Thu 08: Easington Colliery Brass Band @ The Lubetkin Theatre, Peterlee. 7:00pm. £10.00.
Thu 08: Faye MacCalman + Blue Dust Archive @ Cobalt Studios, Newcastle. 7:00pm.
Thu 08: Dilutey Juice + Ceramic @ The Ampitheatre, Sea Road, South Shields. 7:00pm. Free. A South Tyneside Festival event.
Thu 08: Lara Jones w. Vigilance State @ Lubber Fiend, Blandford Square, Newcastle. 7:00pm.
Thu 08: Michael Littlefield @ the Harbour View, Roker, Sunderland. 8:00pm. Free. Country blues.
Thu 08: Tees Hot Club @ Dorman's Club, Middlesbrough. 9:00pm.

Fri 09: Classic Swing @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm.
Fri 09: New Orleans Preservation Jazz Band @ Oxbridge Hotel, Stockton. 1:00pm. £5.00.
Fri 09: Rendezvous Jazz @ The Monkseaton Arms, Monkseaton. 1:00pm.
Fri 09: Castillo Nuevo @ Revolución de Cuba, Newcastle. 5:30-8:30pm.
Fri 09: Emma Rawicz @ Sage Gateshead. 8:00pm.

Sat 10: Front Porch Three @ The Globe, Newcastle. 7:00pm. Free. Americana, blues, jazz etc.
Sat 10: Merlin Roxby @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 8:00pm. A 'Jar on the Bar' gig.

Wednesday, January 29, 2020

Jam Session @ the Black Swan - January 28

(Review by Lance/Photo link ).

Descending into the depths of the Black Swan's Jazz Café is rather like entering the Parisian jazz club La Caveau de la Huchette. I was reminded of the film Paris Blues and, although we didn't have Joanne Woodward or Diahann Carroll, we did have Debra and Minnie. Wild Man Moore arrived later.

To call last night's event a jam session is like calling Beethoven's Fifth a symphony. This was the jam session to end all jam sessions!

It began all peaceful and serene with some tasteful playing from the house trio although, had the occasion demanded it, Mark could easily have adopted the role of Wild Man. Along Came Betty followed by Could it Be You? then, along came Harry - Keeble that is.

The young tenor ace sight read the head to Wayne Shorter's Fee Fi Fo Fum before heading off into the mystical world of chord progressions. The evening was warming up! 

To get up and blow with three of the area's best backing you and countless more of them sitting in the audience is a daunting task for any one - for a 14 year old first timer it must have been like being thrown in at the deep end. Well, I don't know what Ferg Kilsby is like as a swimmer but, as a trumpet player, he'll never drown.

Sure he was nervous, and so were we, but our fears were unfounded he kept his cool - think early Miles or Chet. If I Should Lose You was quite beautiful, no bravura runs that didn't come off or misguided pyrotechnics that stumbled at the last hurdle just a well thought out solo that worked. This young man will go far.

However, bedtime and school the next day precluded him hanging around for the grand finale so the grand finale was brought forward to suit.

Joining Ferg was Neville Hartley, Graham Easthope, Edgar Bell, Joel Brown and the first of the brothers Harrison (Laurence) for a blast on Caravan and Moanin'. Solos all round and our young debutant wasn't shot out of the back but kept pace with le peloton. See you next time Ferg.

Song For my Father sang Debra Milne aided and abetted by another one of the Harrison brothers (Charles), Mike Mather, Steve Summers (on tenor) and another newcomer - Ramtin Mehkaram - who plays piano when he's not doing neuroscience at which he's seemingly pretty good according to my research. He's not bad on the keyboard either able to adapt his style to suit the occasion.

In the old days a jam wasn't a jam without How High the Moon and tonight the tradition continued with Harry Keeble and Jordan Alfonso on tenor and alto respectively as well as Neville Hartley and the wild man himself - David "Showtime" Gray - on trombones.

Things couldn't get any hotter than this - or could they?

They could!

Alan Law joined the party for Bernie's Tune - the exchange of fours twixt Alan and Michael on drums, for once, made that usually pointless exercise worthwhile. 

The Jody Grind was another belter with Showtime at his wildest with some machine gun staccato blasts the like of which have never been heard since a certain St. Valentine's Day in a Chicago garage.

Sanity prevailed, for a while - as Minnie took the A Train before demanding that we Love her or Leave her. We loved her even if the words did leave her at one point. It didn't matter, her multi-coloured top made up for it.

On an evening when grand finales were the norm the grand finale had to be something special and it was. In fact it was so special I can't remember the tune - come back Minnie all is forgiven!

Trombones x 2, saxes x 2, full rhythm section, a fitting climax to a memorable night - a proper jam session and all because Ferg had to go to school the next day!
Lance

Paul Grainger (bass); Mark Williams (guitar); Abbie Finn (drums) + Harry Keeble, Graham Easthope (tenor sax); Steve Summers (tenor/soprano saxes); Jordan Alfonso (alto sax); Ferg Kilsby (trumpet); Edgar Bell (cornet); David Gray, Neville Hartley (trombone); Charles Harrison, Laurence Harrison (guitar); Joel Brown, Alan Law, Ramtin Mehraram (keys); Michael Mather (drums); Debra Milne, Minnie Fraser (vocals).

5 comments :

Anonymous said...

Great review of a great night Lance. It could not get any better than that as they say!
The young trumpeter is going to go place without question. Very Impressive playing by a 14 year old . 14 years old ??????? Wow
We are privledged in the north east to have such talent.

Ron Ainsborough

Russell said...

That was some jam session debut by Ferg. The 'old guard' - Abbie, Harry, Joel et al - had better watch out!

Brian shine said...


A marvellous night made special by a 14 year old trumpet player called Ferg Kilsby whom on this evidence has a great future along with the future of north east jazz.

BRIAN SHINE

Patti said...

Yes indeed! Ferg was amazing - such a sweet tone, and some neat ideas. Very mature in style for a young lad. He did so well, and should feel really good about his first sit in.

Lance said...

Names are now added to all 22 photos of the gig. Click on the photo link in the main post for all of my photographic memories of a great gig.

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