Total Pageviews

Bebop Spoken There

Kurt Elling: ''There's something to learn from every musician you play with''. (DownBeat, December 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

17602 (and counting) posts since we started blogging 16 years ago. 876 of them this year alone and, so far, 21 this month (Dec. 11).

From This Moment On ...

December

Thu 12: Vieux Carré Hot 4 @ Spanish City, Whitley Bay. 12 noon. £27.00. (inc. three -course meal).
Thu 12: Jason Isaacs @ St. James’ STACK, Newcastle. 5:00-6:45pm. Free. Vocalist Isaacs working with backing tapes.
Thu 12: Stuart Turner @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 8:00pm. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig.
Thu 12: Tees Hot Club @ Dorman’s Club, Middlesborough. 8:30pm. Free. Guests: Jeremy McMurray (keys); Mark Toomey (alto sax); Donna Hewitt (tenor sax); Kevin Eland (trumpet); Ron Smith (bass).

Fri 13: Dean Stockdale Trio @ Auckland Castle, Bishop Auckland. 1:00pm. £8.00.
Fri 13: Classic Swing @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 13: Rendezvous Jazz @ The Monkseaton Arms. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 13: New Orleans Preservation Jazz Band @ The Oxbridge Hotel, Stockton. 1:00pm. £5.00.
Fri 13: Bellavana @ Revoluçion de Cuba, Newcastle. 3:00-5:00pm. Free.
Fri 13: Joe Steels Trio @ The Pele, Corbridge. 7:00pm. Free.
Fri 13: Customs House Big Band @ Stocksfield Community Association. 7:00pm. Featuring Ruth Lambert.
Fri 13: Paul Edis & Friends: A Jazzy Xmas @ St Cuthbert’s Centre, Crook. 7:30pm. £15.00.
Fri 13: Strictly Smokin’ Big Band @ Gosforth Civic Theatre, Newcastle. 7:30pm. £19.00. + bf. First night of two.
Fri 13: Ransom Van @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 8:00pm. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig.
Fri 13: Boys of Brass @ Hoochie Coochie, Newcastle. 9:00pm. £10.00.

Sat 14: Jambone @ The Glasshouse, Gateshead. 6:15pm. Free but ticketed.
Sat 14: Abbie Finn Trio @ The Vault, Darlington. 7:00pm.
Sat 14: Red Kites Jazz @ Staiths Café, Autumn Dr., Gateshead. 7:00pm. Free.
Sat 14 Lapwing Jazz Trio @ Three Sheets to the Wind, Alnwick. 7:00pm. Free.
Sat 14: Strictly Smokin’ Big Band @ Gosforth Civic Theatre, Newcastle. 7:30pm. £19.00. + bf. Second night of two.
Sat 14: Papa G’s Troves @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 8:00pm. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig.

Sun 15: Musicians Unlimited @ Jackson’s Wharf, Hartlepool. 12 noon. £8.50. Xmas party feat. Musicians Unlimited + Customs House Big Band. SOLD OUT!
Sun 15: Paul Edis & Friends: A Jazzy Xmas @ The Glasshouse, Gateshead. 2:00pm.
Sun 15: 4B @ The Ticket Office, Whitley Bay. 3:00pm. Free.
Sun 15: Mitch Laddie Band @ Tyne Bar, Ouseburn, Newcastle. 4:00pm. Free. Superb blues power trio.
Sun 15: Leeway @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 7:00pm. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig.
Sun 15: Tweed River Jazz Band @ Barrels Ale House, Berwick. 7:00pm. Free.
Sun 15: Paul Edis & Friends: A Jazzy Xmas @ The Glasshouse, Gateshead. 8:00pm.
Sun 15: Alligator Gumbo @ The Globe, Newcastle. 8:00pm.

Mon 16: Harmony Brass @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Mon 16: Vieux Carré Jazzmen @ The Wheatsheaf, Benton Sq., Whitley Road, Palmersville NE12 9SU. Tel: 0191 266 8137. 12 noon. £9.95. ‘Festive Turkey Dinner’. Book now: 0191 266 8137.
Mon 16: Paul Edis & Friends: A Jazzy Xmas @ The Fire Station, Sunderland. 7:30pm.

Tue 17: Paul Edis & Friends: A Jazzy Xmas @ Queen’s Hall, Hexham. 7:30pm.
Tue 17: BBC Big Band @ The Glasshouse, Gateshead. 7:30pm. ‘A Swinging Xmas’.
Tue 17: Jam session @ The Black Swan, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free. House trio: Alan Law, Paul Grainger, Abbie Finn.
Tue 17: Bellavana @ Revoluçion de Cuba, Newcastle. 7:45-9:35pm. Free.

Wed 18: Vieux Carré Jazzmen @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Wed 18: Darlington Big Band @ Darlington & Simpson Rolling Mills Social Club, Darlington. 7:00pm. Free. Rehearsal session (open to the public).
Wed 18: Take it to the Bridge @ The Globe, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free.
Wed 18: Hot Club of Heaton @ Elder Beer, Heaton, Newcastle. 8:00pm. A ‘third Wednesday in the month’ session.

Reviewers wanted

Whilst BSH attempts to cover as many gigs, festivals and albums as possible, to make the site even more comprehensive we need more 'boots on the ground' to cover the albums seeking review - a large percentage of which never get heard - report on gigs or just to air your views on anything jazz related. Interested? then please get in touch. Contact details are on the blog. Look forward to hearing from you. Lance

Sunday, February 09, 2020

Musicians Unlimited @ The Park Inn, Hartlepool - Feb 9

(Review by Russell)
It was an auspicious occasion. The Park Inn's landlord is soon to retire and Musicians Unlimited pulled out all the stops to thank Mine Host Rick for giving the band a warm welcome every Sunday lunchtime for the past eight and a half years. Storm Ciara's threatened destruction of everything that stood in its path came to nought and had the hoolie materialised it wouldn't have made any difference - the joint was jumping, no one was going to miss this one!


In the Mood for starters. Hey, this was a great version, honest guv'nor! Mark Toomey, alto, and Sue Ferris on tenor traded before passing the baton to trumpeters Bill Watson and Kevin Eland to knock spots off one another. Soloists and band won huge applause and, to add to the party atmosphere, friend of BSH George from Hartlepool tripped the light fantastic from the get go.

Jerome Richardson's Groove Merchant featured excellent section work from the saxophones (Mark Toomey on soprano) and a classy solo from Bill Watson (trumpet). Doxy is always a blast and Kieran Parnaby didn't pass up the opportunity to have a blow on Sonny Rollins' classic number. Parnaby again on the set closer Basically Blues (Phil Wilson for the Buddy Rich band) shared the soloist's spotlight with Sue Ferris (tough tenor) and Jeremy McMurray sitting-in on piano.     

Intervals come and go but today's intermission proved to be a little bit special. Our man George had brought along a freshly baked corned beef and potato pie (baked by his talented daughter) especially for the occasion (see photo). George did the honours, your correspondent  sampled a slice - delicious! And there was more...MU's regular supporters arrived with mountains of sandwiches, saugage rolls, crisps, the works. All washed down with a pint of the house beer Marston's 61 Deep. 

Band vocalist Jan Spencelayh joined the orchestra on a couple of numbers - What a Diff'rence a Day Makes! and Cheek to Cheek - during the first set and would return later in the afternoon. 

To the second set. Lullaby of Birdland, Basie's Jive at Five (guitarist Edd Maughan soloing), C Jam Blues (arr. Dave Wolpe) is always a winner on a session like this not least as it was a request by long-time supporter Frank celebrating his 89th birthday this very day! And the other name synonymous with a big band firing on all cylinders is California's Gordon Goodwin. MD Mick Donnelly quipped that each member of the trumpet section prepared for Goodwin's High Maintenance by dipping their lips in ice! And to show that MU meant business Mick Shoulder switched to electric bass for the rollercoaster ride. 

Jan Spencelayh has been singing with Musicians Unlimited for awhile and it showed - assured, confident, listening to the band, singing to the room. Earlier in the set All the Things You Are sounded just fine and Spencelayh's final contribution of the afternoon - Fever - proved to be a highlight. To conclude Musicians Unlimited's first eight and a half years at the Park Inn Tito Puente's Oye Como Va featured a stupendous flute solo from Sue Ferris. What a way to go out! And they'll be back as soon as a planned refurbishment of the Park Road hostelry is finished. It could be four or five weeks - watch this space for updates.        
            
Musicians Unlimited: Mick Donnelly MD; Kevin Eland, Bill Watson, Bob Temple, Alan Catherall (trumpets); ?, Kieran Parnaby, Helen Grainger, Peter Morgan (trombones); Norman ?, Kim Skerritt, Mark Toomey, Sue Ferris, Barbara Fagan (reeds); Edd Maughan (guitar); Gary Hadley (keyboards); Mick Shoulder (double bass, electric bass); John Bradford (drums); Ernie Jackson (percussion); Jan Spencelayh (vocals) + Jeremy McMurray (keyboards); Dave Harrison (trumpet).
Russell   

No comments :

Blog Archive