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Bebop Spoken There

Béla Fleck: “ And that's the great thing about live performances, you take people on a journey. It doesn't have to be like something else they've heard. It's not supposed to be". DownBeat, April, 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

Thu 28: Vieux Carré Jazzmen @ The Holystone, Whitley Road, North Tyneside. 1:00pm. Free.
Thu 28: Gateshead Jazz Appreciation Society @ Gateshead Central Library, Gateshead. 2:30pm.
Thu 28: Richard Herdman Quartet @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 8:00pm. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig.
Thu 28: Tees Hot Club @ Dorman’s Club, Middlesbrough. 8:30pm. Guests: Josh Bentham (alto sax); Alan Marshall (tenor sax); Neil Brodie (trumpet); Adrian Beadnell (bass); Graham Thompson (keys); Steve Hunter (drums).

Fri 29: FILM: Soul @ The Forum Cinema, Hexham. 12:30pm. Jazz-themed film animation.
Fri 29: Classic Swing @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 29: Rendezvous Jazz @ The Monkseaton Arms. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 29: New Orleans Preservation Jazz Band @ The Oxbridge Hotel, Stockton. 1:00pm. £5.00.
Fri 29: Abbie Finn Trio @ The Vault, Darlington. 6:00pm. Free. POSTPONED!
Fri 29: Thundercat @ Newcastle City Hall.
Fri 29: John Logan @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 8:00pm. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig.

Sat 30: Papa G’s Troves @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 8:00pm. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig.
Sat 30: Pete Tanton’s Cuba Libre @ Whitley Bay Library, York Road, Whitley Bay. 8:00pm.

Sun 31: 4B @ The Ticket Office, Whitley Bay Metro Station. 3:00pm. Free.
Sun 31: Ruth Lambert Trio @ Juke Shed, Union Quay, North Shields NE30 1HJ. 3:00pm. Free. Lambert, Alan Law & Paul Grainger.
Sun 31: Sid Jacobs & Tom Remon @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 7:00pm. Free. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig. USA/London jazz guitar duo.
Sun 31: Bellavana @ The Globe, Newcastle. 8:00pm.

April
Mon 01: Harmony Brass @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Mon 01: Ray Stubbs R&B All Stars @ Billy Bootlegger’s, Ouseburn, Newcastle. 3:00pm. Free.

Tue 02: Jam session @ The Black Swan, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free. House trio: Dean Stockdale, Paul Grainger, Abbie Finn.

Wed 03: Vieux Carré Jazzmen @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Wed 03: Darlington Big Band @ Darlington & Simpson Rolling Mills Social Club, Darlington. 7:00pm. Free. Rehearsal session (open to the public).
Wed 03: Take it to the Bridge @ The Globe, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free.

Friday, January 31, 2020

Strictly Smokin' Big Band @ The Bridge Hotel, Newcastle - Jan 30

(Review by Russell)

A first public rehearsal/concert performance of 2020 by the mighty Strictly Smokin' Big Band. All reported for duty with the exception of long serving baritone saxophonist Laurie Rangecroft who was, perhaps, on a mid-winter sunshine break and his dep on the big beast of the reeds stepped out of the Newcastle University Jazz Orchestra, a more than able sub, welcome Brian Wicks.

Your correspondent's first scribbled note...BANG! Straight out of the (Buddy Rich) traps with Big Swing Face. This evening Michael Lamb's outfit certainly lived up to its name...Smokin'! No time to lose on a session like this, welcome back Alice Grace to sing All the Things You Are

Killer trumpets on the Lennie Niehaus arrangement of Cole Porter's I Love Paris for the Kenton band - once again...Smokin'! In six weeks or so the SSBB will be linking up with NYC's Danny Jonokuchi for a one off gig at Flat Caps Coffee and in advance of the occasion the band and Alice Grace took another look at the New Yorker's arrangement of The One I Love Belongs to Somebody Else. If this one is in the set list in March just imagine Jonokuchi's reaction as Alice and the boys take it apart! The prospect of it being an 'I was there' occasion? You bet! Book your tickets now at www.strictly-smokin.co.uk

One or two musos in tonight's audience were on a busman's holiday there to enjoy themselves with a pint or two listening to a fantastic outfit. The Bridge Hotel's beers this evening included a new favourite - the Bad Seed Brewery's Light Cluster (4.3%), unfined, unfiltered. 

Earlier Buddy Rich blew the place apart and to start the second set who better to do the same than Gordon Goodwin? Count Bubba tore it up with feature solos from Jamie Toms, Pete Tanton and Dave Kerridge. Alice took a trip on Route 66 going here, there and everywhere. Our star vocalist stayed on to sing You Turned the Tables on Me (arr. D. Jonokuchi). 

It was just about time to go but not before Alice and Jamie Toms sang and blew tenor respectively on Mean to Me and MD Michael Lamb had a blast on Alice's final number of the evening I've Got My Love to Keep Me Warm

The SSBB's 2020 events include not only the visit of Danny Jonokuchi but an eagerly anticipated concert at Sage Gateshead with Mike Lovatt (it's looking like a sell out on Feb 29 - book now!). The trumpeter boasts an impressive CV - John Wilson Orchestra, BBC Big Band and countless film and television sessions including the rather popular Bond movies. Nice work if you (are good enough and) can get it and Mike Lovatt is just that. Later in the year there is the second edition of the recently resurrected Newcastle Jazz Festival to look forward to but, between now and then, you can hear the band at the Bridge, Hoochie Coochie and elsewhere. Details as and when right here on BSH.  
   
Strictly Smokin' Big Band: Michael Lamb MD, Pete Tanton, Gordon Marshall, Dick Stacey (trumpets); Mark Ferris, Kieran Parnaby, Chris Kurgi-Smith, John Flood (trombones), Jamie Toms, Dave Kerridge, Keith Robinson, Steve Summers, Brian Wicks (reeds); Pawel Jedrzejewski (guitar); Graham Don (piano); Michael Whent (bass guitar); Guy Swinton (drums); Alice Grace (vocals)
 Russell

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