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Bebop Spoken There

Billy Boy Arnold: “As long as you don't think old you're good.” - DownBeat, December, 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!"

Simon Spillett: A lovely review from the dean of jazz bloggers, Lance Liddle...

Postage

16051 (and counting) posts since we started blogging 15 years ago. 1058 of them this year alone and, so far, 12 this month (Dec. 6).

From This Moment On ...

December

Fri 08: Classic Swing @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm.
Fri 08: New Orleans Preservation Jazz Band @ Oxbridge Hotel, Stockton. 1:00pm. £5.00.
Fri 08: Rendezvous Jazz @ The Monkseaton Arms, Monkseaton. 1:00pm.
Fri 08: Giles Strong Quartet @ The Old Library, Auckland Castle. 1:00pm. £7.00.
Fri 08: Hayley's Little Big Band @ Woodland Village Hall, Bishop Auckland. 7:00pm. £12.00.
Fri 08: Sleep Suppressor + Redwell @ Head of Steam, Neville St., Newcastle. 8:00pm. £10.00. (£8.00. adv); £5.00. student.
Fri 08: Hot Club du Nord @ St Cuthbert's Church, Shadforth, Co. Durham.
Fri 08: Têtes de Pois + Nauta @ Cobalt Studios, Newcastle. 8:00pm. £12.00., £8.00.

Sat 09: Prudhoe Community Band @ Central Station, Newcastle. 10:00am - 12 noon. Charity fundraiser.
Sat 09: Durham Alumni Big Band @ Number One Bar, Skinnergate, Darlington. 1:00pm.
Sat 09: Castillo Nuevo Trio @ Revoluçion de Cuba, Newcastle. 5:30pm. Free.
Sat 09: Hayley's Little Big Band @ Middleton & Todridge Village Hall, Morpeth. 7:30pm. £12.00., £6.00.
Sat 09: Paul Skerritt @ Slaley Hall, Hexham NE47 0BX. 7:30pm. From £42.00.

Sun 10: Musicians Unlimited’s Xmas Party with Zoë Gilby Quartet @ Park Inn, Hartlepool. MU 1:00-3:00pm; Zoë Gilby Quartet 4:00-6:00pm. Tickets: £7.50.
Sun 10: Alan Law, Paul Grainger & Abbie Finn @ Darlington Market, Market Square, Darlington. 1:00pm. Free. A ‘Christmas Market’ outdoor gig. Wrap up warm!
Sun 10: Am Jam @ The Globe, Newcastle. 2:00-4:00pm. Free.
Sun 10: Funk Soul Sista @ Stack, Seaburn. 5:00-7:00pm. Free.
Sun 10: Beth Clarke @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 7:00pm. Free. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig.
Sun 10: Hayley's Little Big Band @ Whittingham Memorial Institute, Alnwick. 7:30pm. £12.00., £10.00.
Sun 10: Tele-Port @ The Globe, Newcastle. 8:00pm. Line-up inc. Zhenya Strigalev.

Mon 11: Harmony Brass @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Mon 11: Interim Final Recitals @ Newcastle University. Details TBC.

Tue 12: Stu Collingwood Organ Trio @ Forum Music Centre, Darlington. 7:00pm. £10.00.

Wed 13: Vieux Carré Jazzmen @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Wed 13: Darlington Big Band @ Darlington & Simpson Rolling Mills Social Club, Darlington. 7:00pm. Free. Rehearsal session (open to the public).
Wed 13: Take it to the Bridge @ The Globe, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free.
Wed 13: Bold Big Band @ Cluny 2, Newcastle. 7:30pm.
Wed 13: Giles Strong Quartet @ Alphabetti Theatre, Newcastle. 7:30pm.

Thu 14: Vieux Carré Jazzmen @ The Holystone, Whitley Road, North Tyneside. 1:00pm. Free.
Thu 14: Hot Fingers @ The Lubetkin Theatre, Peterlee. 7:00pm. £10.00.
Thu 14: After Hours Student Jazz Jam @ The Globe, Newcastle. 8:00pm. Free.
Thu 14: Merlin Roxby @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 8:00pm. . Free. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig.
Thu 14: Niffi Osiyemi Trio @ Harbour View, Sunderland. 8:00pm. Free.
Thu 14: Mo Scott ‘Little Mo’s Festive Appearance’ @ The Schooner, Gateshead. 8:00pm. Free.
Thu 14: Tees Hot Club w. Kevin Eland, Josh Bentham, Garry Hadfield, Adrian Beadnell @ Dorman’s Club, Middlesbrough. 9:00pm.

Wednesday, March 11, 2020

Celebrated London Pianist to Close Popular Jazz Programme at Middlesbrough Town Hall

(Press release)

Sunday Jazz is returning to Middlesbrough Town Hall for its final instalment of critically acclaimed live music which, since launching in September, has brought some of the UK’s leading jazz musicians to Teesside.

Closing the popular 6-month programme is award winning pianist and band leader Nikki Iles, who will be performing alongside her recently formed 18-piece jazz orchestra on Sunday 29th March for one of the first times in the UK.

Described by The Guardian as “formidably creative”, Nikki Iles has established herself as a leading voice in the national jazz scene, earning numerous nominations for the Parliamentary Jazz Awards and winning Best Pianist in the 2017 British Jazz Awards.

For her latest project, Iles brings together some of the UK’s finest musicians to produce a concert that ties together her long and distinguished career, drawing on her vast back catalogue of compositions along with a number of new works.
Commenting on the forthcoming concert, Iles said: “Playing original music for the first time is such a special experience and one I can’t wait to share with our audience in Middlesbrough.

“The music ranges from gentle swing pieces - very much influenced by the big bands I listened to in my youth, through to exciting funk grooves inspired by more contemporary music.

“First and foremost, my band want to create a friendly, relaxed and approachable concert, so it really is for everyone; of any age, background or experience of concert going.

“It is unusual to see so many jazz musicians together, so if you are unsure, give it a go. It is exhilarating hearing the contrast between the beautiful sound of the muted brass and woodwind against the electrifying sound of the band in full flow!”

This is not the first time Iles has performed on Teesside. Speaking of her last concert in Middlesbrough as part of the Town Hall’s Jazz Weekender Festival in 2018, Iles commented:

“The Jazz Weekender was a wonderful event and Middlesbrough Town Hall is such a great venue. It’s the perfect place for a Sunday afternoon of live music to bring the family together”

Support comes from Manchester-based rising star Nishla Smith whose live sets are noted for their incredible variety, including breath-taking originals, dark jazz standards and dreamy ballads.

This special performance will also involve Teesside’s young musicians, giving members of Tees Valley Youth Jazz Ensemble the opportunity to take part in a workshop led by Nikki Iles and the Head of Jazz at The Royal Academy of Music, Nick Smart.

The concert will see the youth ensemble perform alongside Iles’ professional orchestra, playing a piece of music rehearsed during the workshop.

Iles commented: “Nick Smart and I are sending some new charts up to the Tees Valley Youth Ensemble and we will be working with them on improvisation and ensemble playing.

“Some of the guys and girls from my Orchestra will be joining them for a performance to kick off the event - we can’t wait to hear how it sounds!”

The youth band is led by music educator Justin Down for Tees Valley Music Service and formed as a result of the Town Hall’s 2018 Jazz Weekender Festival, where the young musicians performed alongside the National Youth Jazz Orchestra.

Lead programmer of the Sunday Jazz concert series, Ros Rigby commented:

“The March 29th Sunday Jazz will give the audience a chance to see some of the finest players in UK jazz today.

“Amongst the star-studded line-up are guitarist Mike Walker, saxophonists Julian Siegel, Tori Freestone and Karen Sharp, trumpeters Henry Lowther and Nick Smart, trombonists Richard Henry and Ollie Martin, and of course the wonderful Nikki Iles herself on piano.

“When they are joined by the Tees Valley Youth Jazz Collective the numbers on stage will swell to nearly 40 which will be quite a sight to behold in the intimate surroundings of the Crypt.

“This concert is particularly special as it is the last in this series of Sunday Jazz, so we want to go out on a high!”

Sunday Jazz ft. Nikki Iles Jazz Orchestra and Nishla Smith will take place at Middlesbrough Town Hall on the 29th March 2020.

Tickets can be purchased for £12 (+bf) via the Town Hall website or by calling the box office on 01642 729 729.

For tickets and more information about Sunday Jazz visit:

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