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Bebop Spoken There

James Brandon Lewis: "Sometimes I'm not thinking about anything other than blowing the paint off the walls, and other times I'm narrating a story about my life." - (DownBeat 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

15516 (and counting) posts since we started blogging 15 years ago. 536 of them this year alone and, so far, 25 this month (June 7).

From This Moment On ...

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: Miners' Picnic @ Woodhorn, Ashington. Music inc. Northern Monkey Brass Band (3:00-3:50pm); New York Brass Band (4:00-4:55pm).
Sat 10: Jeffrey Hewer @ The Vault, Darlington Covered Market, Darlington. 6:00-8:00pm. Free.
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.

Sun 11: WORKSHOP: Tim Richards' Jazz Piano Workshop @ JG Windows, Newcastle. Time TBC. Further details tel. 0191 232 1356.
Sun 11: Jeremy McMurray's Pocket Jazz Orchestra @ Ropner Park, Stockton TS18 4EF. 2:00-4:00pm. Free.
Sun 11: Am Jam @ The Globe, Newcastle. 2:30pm. Free.
Sun 11: 4B @ The Exchange, North Shields. 3:00pm.
Sun 11: Groovetrain @ Innisfree Sports & Social Club, Longbenton NE12 8TY. Doors 6:30pm. £15.00 (£7.00. under 16).
Sun 11: Jeffrey Hewer Collective @ The Globe, Newcastle. 8:00pm.
Sun 11: Jam No. 19 @ Fabio's Bar, Saddler Street, Durham. 8:00pm. Free. All welcome. A Durham University Jazz Society event.

Mon 12: Harmony Brass @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm.

Tue 13: Paul Skerritt @ The Rabbit Hole, Hallgarth St., Durham DH1 3AT. 7:00pm. Paul Skerritt's (solo) weekly residency.
Tue 13: Infusion Trio @ Forum Music Centre, Darlington. 7:30pm.
Tue 13: Alice Grace & Pawel Jedrzejewski @ Black Swan, Newcastle Arts Centre. 8:00pm. £12.00 (£10.00. adv.).

Wed 14: Vieux Carré Jazzmen @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm.
Wed 14: NUJO Final Jazz Jam @ Bar Loco, Newcastle. 6:30pm. Free. Newcastle University Jazz Orchestra's final jam session of the academic year. All welcome.
Wed 14: Darlington Big Band @ Darlington & Simpson Rolling Mills Social Club, Darlington. Rehearsal session (open to the public).
Wed 14: 4B @ The Exchange, North Shields. 7:00pm.
Wed 14: Take it to the Bridge @ The Globe, Newcastle. 7:30pm.

Thu 15: Vieux Carré Jazzmen @ The Holystone, Whitley Road, North Tyneside. 1:00pm. Free.
Thu 15: Gateshead Jazz Appreciation Society @ Gateshead Central Library. 2:30-4:30pm. £2.00. All welcome.
Thu 15: Castillo Nuevo @ Revolución de Cuba, Newcastle. 5:30-8:30pm.
Thu 15: Alexander Ord Trio @ Tynedale Beer & Cider Festival, Tynedale Rugby Club, Corbridge. Evening, time TBC.
Thu 15: Têtes de Pois + Nauta @ Cobalt Studios, Newcastle. Time TBC.
Thu 15: Indigo Jazz Voices @ The Globe, Newcastle. 7:45pm. £5.00.

Friday, January 17, 2020

Mike Farris @ Live Theatre, Newcastle - Jan 16

Mike Farris (vocals, guitar); Mike Outram (guitar, vocals); Steve ? (organ, vocals); ? (bass guitar, vocals); Ron Johnson ? (drums).
(Review by Russell)

Mike Farris is in the middle of a sold out British tour and Live Theatre, just off Newcastle Quayside, greeted the man from Tennessee as if a returning hero. And, in some ways, that is what the American was having previously performed in Ashington in Northumberland. A contingent of avid fans led the cheerleading and from first note to last Farris held the sold out audience in the palm of his hand.

Farris' band on this Newcastle date included ace jazz guitarist Mike Outram in blues-soul mode and a short notice dep drummer who slotted in as if a long-time sideman. Cuts from Farris' new album Silver & Stone and a selection from an extensive back catalogue together with one or two surprise choices were delivered in a more hard-hitting style than anticipated. A lack of horns and dedicated backing vocalists perhaps dictated affairs; the gospel-infused vocals were in evidence but a rockier vibe hit the audience for six. 

The intro to Snap Your Fingers received raptuorus applause (the band providing the backing vocals), Tom Petty's Swingin' found favour with the Newcastle audience and Let Me Love You Baby found favour with your reviewer - 24 carat Tennessee soul! Smokin' Hammond-like licks, funking bass lines and killer drumming freed Farris to bound across the stage variously singing a sweet soul lyric, a hollerin' blues and an uplifting gospel number. A particular highlight of a memorable performance found Farris singing Mary Gauthier's Mercy Now. Mercy, yes indeed!

The engaging Farris talked about his current travels; Guildford, Wales, discovering Andy Fairweather Low (Live Theatre's audience sang him a few lines from Wide Eyed and Legless) and being amazed by Rod Argent's songwriting abilities (She's Not There). Farris signed-off with Ann Peebles' I Can't Stand the Rain. A standing ovation suggested our American visitor will be back before long.         

Earlier Chris James (guitar, vocals) and Martin Fletcher (harmonica, vocals) entertained for forty five minutes or so. An attraction in their own right, James and Fletcher are no strangers to the Jumpin' Hot Club audience and, sure enough, good natured banter in the form of withering insults flew to and fro between the duo. Much of the set featured Chris James' material (Angel in the Mirror impressing) alongside one or two classic blues numbers by the likes of Robert Johnson and Jimmy Yancey.   

At the end of the evening Mike Farris graciously took time to talk to a long line of fans waiting patiently to purchase a signed copy of a CD or t-shirt. Mike Farris is the real deal.
Russell

1 comment :

Lance said...

Wide Eyed and Legless - a great tune and She's Not There an even better one! The Zombies were a great group and harmonically way ahead of the other pop groups of the sixties - much jazzier.

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