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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 ...

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.

Fri 16: Sue Ferris Quintet @ Lit & Phil, Newcastle. 1:00pm. SOLD OUT!
Fri 16: Classic Swing @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm.
Fri 16: New Orleans Preservation Jazz Band @ Oxbridge Hotel, Stockton. 1:00pm. £5.00.
Fri 16: Rendezvous Jazz @ The Monkseaton Arms, Monkseaton. 1:00pm.
Fri 16: Stu Collingwood @ Baltic, Gateshead. 7:00pm. £15.75. A Let's Caper event featuring exhibitions, food, music etc.
Fri 16: Steve Beresford-Hannah Marshall-John Butcher @ Lit & Phil, Newcastle. 7:30pm. JNE promotion.
Fri 16: James Taylor Quartet @ Fire Station, Sunderland. 7:30pm.
Fri 16: Customs House Big Band @ Customs House, South Shields. 7:30pm.
Fri 16: Sue Ferris Quintet @ Traveller's Rest, Darlington. 8:00pm.
Fri 16: New Orleans Brass Band @ Billy Bootlegger's, Arch 2, Stepney Bank, Ouseburn, Newcastle. 8:00pm. Free. NOBB directed by Jason Holcomb.

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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