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Bebop Spoken There

Abbie Finn: "Even though there's a lot of great work being done to promote women in jazz, I still come up against some attitudes! I pulled up at a recording session with my drums in the car and the studio owner said, 'I'm sorry, this space is reserved for the drummer!'" - (Jazzwise 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

15245 (and counting) posts since we started blogging 15 years ago. 264 of them this year alone and, so far, 77 this month (March 25).

From This Moment On ...

March

Tue 28: Paul Skerritt @ The Rabbit Hole, Hallgarth St., Durham DH1 3AT. 7:00pm. Paul Skerritt's (solo) weekly residency.
Tue 28: Sanaz Lavasani Trio + Abbie Finn @ Black Swan, Newcastle Arts Centre. 8:00pm. £12.00 (£10.00. adv).

Wed 29: Vieux Carré Jazzmen @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm.
Wed 29: Darlington Big Band @ Darlington & Simpson Rolling Mills Social Club, Darlington. 7:00pm. Rehearsal session (open to the public).
Wed 29: 4B @ The Exchange, North Shields. 7:00pm.
Wed 29: Take it to the Bridge @ The Globe, Newcastle. 7:30pm.

Thu 30: Gateshead Jazz Appreciation Society @ Gateshead Central Library. 2:30-4:30pm. £2.00. All welcome.
Thu 30: Vieux Carré Jazzmen @ The Holystone, Whitley Road, North Tyneside. Back to 1:00pm stomp off. Free.
Thu 30: Castillo Nuevo @ Revolución de Cuba, Newcastle. 5:30-8:30pm.
Thu 30: '58 Jazz Collective @ Hops & Cheese, Hartlepool. 7:30pm. Free.
Thu 30: Lindsay Hannon: Tom Waits for No Man @ Harbour View, Sunderland. 8:00pm.
Thu 30: Tees Hot Club @ Dorman's Club, Middlesbrough. 9:00pm.

Fri 31: Lewis Watson Quartet @ Bishop Auckland Town Hall. 1:00pm. SOLD OUT!
Fri 31: Classic Swing @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm.
Fri 31: New Orleans Preservation Jazz Band @ Oxbridge Hotel, Stockton. 1:00pm. £5.00.
Fri 31: Rendezvous Jazz @ The Monkseaton Arms, Monkseaton. 1:00pm. CANCELLED! Back next week (April 7).
Fri 31: Castillo Nuevo @ Revolución de Cuba, Newcastle. 5:30-8:30pm.
Fri 31: Jasmine Myra + Waclaw Zimpel @ Cobalt Studios, Newcastle. 7:00pm.
Fri 31: The Revolutionaires @ The Shack, Boldon Colliery. 7:30pm. £10.00. The Revolutionaires' big band (horn section) line-up.
Fri 31: Andrew McCormack @ Maltings, Berwick. 8:00pm. £20.00.

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: 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.

Sunday, February 09, 2020

Frog and Henry @ Darlington New Orleans Jazz Club - February 8

(Review by Russell)

Darlington New Orleans Jazz Club's second concert promotion in eight days drew a huge crowd and little wonder given that the band on stage was making a popular return visit all the way from the Crescent City. Drawing upon the vast reserve of material from the early or 'classic jazz' years of the music Frog and Henry entertained an expectant, attentive audience. 

Charlie Johnson, Armand J Piron, Jelly Roll Morton and other legendary names from the Roaring Twenties provided the inspiration and source material for a superb five piece outfit roaring into the twenties - twenty first century style. Ewan Bleach from Oxfordshire fronted the band - perhaps the Stateside guys thought his English accent would be easier for the Brits to understand! 

A blues for openers followed by a blues followed by, yes, a blues, by accident or design, a series of blues numbers introduced the Frog and Henry guys although, truthfully, there was little need for introductions, the Darlington crowd  doesn't forget musicians of this calibre! Hot Tempered BluesWabash Blues (Ryan Baer's vocals), Bright Star Blues (the first mention of Armand J Piron), Careless Love (Careless Love Blues said Bleach) - this was small group ensemble playing at its best. Jazz Me Blues and on to a two-clarinet intro to Crying for the Carolines with Bleach taking the vocal part. 

Bleach thought it was time for a rag - Joplin's Palm Leaf Rag - and our man from Oxfordshire duly laid down a measured bottom end baritone foundation. Guitarist Baer, typically hidden away in the engine room alongside tuba machine specialist Dave Neigh, sang My Gal Sal with North American (RB is Canadian) authenticity. Numbers came thick and fast with Bleach making the introductions; to his left, the man from Tennessee, Kerman Arken playing superb back country, old timey fiddle, to his right, Laurin Hebart contributing never-less-than spot-on alto sax, tenor sax and clarinet (a renowned Tyneside based reedsman sitting in the audience surely appreciated the German's playing, perhaps making mental notes along the way).

Second set - more Charlie Johnson, more Armand J Piron. The Thriller Rag from way back in 1909, some Luis Russell, Ryan Baer singing In My Little Red Book a highlight, Chicago's Cookie's Gingersnaps' Love Found You for Me (1926, Jimmie Noone) an excellent choice. The packed hall could have listened into the night but the Frog and Henry boys faced a three hour drive to an evening gig in Lincolnshire. Time to go out on Bouncing Around. They'll be back this time next year, don't miss them!        
         
Frog and Henry: Ewan Bleach (sporano sax, baritone sax, alto sax, vocals); Laurin Hebart (alto sax, tenor sax, clarinet, vocals); Ryan Baer (guitar, vocals); Kerman Arken (violin, vocals); Dave Neigh (tuba machine, banjo, violin) 
Russell

1 comment :

Ray Sams said...

We look forward to having Frog and Henry back next February with a ten piece ensemble, Watch this space and thanks to all our loyal supporters
Ray . Darlington New Orleans Jazz

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