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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

17586 (and counting) posts since we started blogging 16 years ago. 860 of them this year alone and, so far, 5 this month (Dec. 2).

From This Moment On ...

December

Wed 11: Vieux Carré Jazzmen @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Wed 11: Cath Stephens’ improvisation workshop @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 4:30-6:00pm. Collaborative group focusing on vocal improvisations.
Wed 11: Darlington Big Band @ Darlington & Simpson Rolling Mills Social Club, Darlington. 7:00pm. Free. Rehearsal session (open to the public).
Wed 11: The Tannery Jam Session @ The Tannery, Gilesgate, Hexham. 7:00-9:00pm. Free. Second Wednesday in the month.
Wed 11: Take it to the Bridge @ The Globe, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free.

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.

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

Friday, March 20, 2020

More thoughts

(By Nathan Allonby)

The Coronavirus has closed all venues, and could continue indefinitely. Not only that, most music pupils have cancelled their lessons, again, indefinitely - thus closing musicians' other alternative stream of income.


That's not all: -

  • venues could close, never to reopen
    • when the crisis ends, there may be far fewer venues left to employ musicians -
    • the combined potential income of all musicians is roughly in proportion to the number of venues
  • the public could "lose the habit" of going to live gigs
Something has to be done. We cannot expect anyone to do anything other than ourselves.



Let's discuss options. This is "brainstorming" - put options out, maybe they could lead to better ideas.

  • Start a YouTube channel, showcasing local musicians, advertised on Bebop Spoken Here
    • maybe have a subscription channel
    • a donation line
  • House parties - if the venues are closed, that doesn't mean everyone has to stay home
    • if it's private, it's not regulated
    • younger, healthy people do not face a lot of risk
    • a lot of people are going to need this, so they don't go "stir crazy"
  • when the lock-down ends, that "party scene" could launch regular gigs, even new venues
Let's look at the positives - at the end of this curfew, everybody is going to go mad, just to be free again. If musicians have their act together, ready to go, there could be a lot of gigs available.


Regarding music lessons, many other subjects (e.g. languages) are being taught by Skype. It's not ideal for teaching music, but it's better that than lose the relationship with pupils. Also, locked at home, the pupils may value their lessons more than ever - they might spend a lot of time practicing. (Have a friend in Italy, teaching English, near Milan - during the lock-down / curfew, she has moved to teaching via Skype. Not only has this kept her business going, but her pupils desperately appreciate it, starved of all other social contact.)
There's another great idea

  • the YouTube channel showcasing local talent could also include "master-class" sessions, giving a link / email to the teacher, to ask for Skype lessons

These are just initial suggestions - just to get the ball rolling. More heads the better!
Nathan

4 comments :

Lance said...

A lot of good and valid points Nathan although many people might disagree about the unregulated house party. Does that make it any less open to spreading the virus? Also, let's face it a jazz house party is more likely to attract an older crowd rather than the less vulnerable young folk.

Further opinions please.

Brian Bennett said...

‘Less vulnerable young folk’ is a complete fallacy, Lance.
Hospitals in Italy are seeing people in their 20s and 30s admitted to intensive care with severe cases of coronavirus.

David Gray said...

Yeah it would be very risky at this stage to have larger gatherings in such confined spaces. It could be a safer idea after a few weeks/a month have gone by, wherein we'd hopefully not be on the wrong end of an infection curve.

Given that we've already seen the keenest musicians stream their own performances and that Paul's been reviewed, it's a very encouraging sign that these efforts will be taken seriously. Curating this process and giving those who are able a digital platform is exactly what's needed right now. My own combo might even have its first gigs online!

Streaming with various donation/payment options wouldn't be too far removed from playing at venues with pay-as-you-feel admission or tip jars, so this would be a very useful and fun idea going forward. Having the added bonus of reaching a global crowd would be fantastic side-effect of this for local artists.

I look forward to seeing how these ideas and a digital landscape develop. Hopefully, many of us will be able to make use of the situation to scrape by in some way and I think the jazz scene in particular would be generous enough to help where they can.

Anonymous said...

SOME FOOD FOR THOUGHT

We could still have live jazz Giggs,people go shopping for food, live Giggs could take place inside Eldon Square, there is plenty of space, northumberland streets another area where music takes place, you have also got the parks, there is a big one by st James park, you can't stop people walking in the street or in parks, so there is hope yet.
What about. Sunday In the Jazz park, just an idea, the summer is not far off, a nice cold beer, Jazz in some park, take your dog if you want, well you jazzers how about it!

Keep Well

Brian Shine

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