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Bebop Spoken There

Orrin Evans: “Now, getting a teaching spot is the new record deal”. (DownBeat, November, 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

17502 (and counting) posts since we started blogging 16 years ago. 776 of them this year alone and, so far, 14 this month (Nov. 5).

From This Moment On ...

November

Fri 08: Classic Swing @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 08: Rendezvous Jazz @ The Monkseaton Arms. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 08: New Orleans Preservation Jazz Band @ The Oxbridge Hotel, Stockton. 1:00pm. £5.00.
Fri 08: Joe Steels Trio @ The Pele, Corbridge. 7:00pm.
Fri 08: TC & the Groove Family + Swannek + Knats @ Cobalt Studios, Newcastle. 7:00pm.

Sat 09: Moscow Drug Club @ Hamsterley Village Hall, Co. Durham DL13 3QF. 7:30pm. £15.00.
Sat 09: Anth Purdy @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 8:00pm. Free. ‘Swing Jazz Guitar’. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig.

Sun 10: The New ’58 Jazz Collective @ Jackson’s Wharf, Hartlepool. 1:00pm. Free. A ‘second Sunday in the month’ residency.
Sun 10: Panharmonia @ Central Bar, Gateshead. 2:00pm. £6.00.
Sun 10: Am Jam @ The Globe, Newcastle. 2:00pm. Free.
Sun 10: 4B @ The Ticket Office, Whitley Bay. 3:00pm. Free.
Sun 10: Jude Murphy, Steve Chambers & Sid White @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 7:00pm. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig.
Sun 10: Moscow Drug Club @ Lesbury Village Hall, nr. Alnwick NE66 3PP. 7:30pm. £15.00.
Sun 10: SH#RP Collective @ The Globe, Newcastle. 8:00pm.

Mon 11: Harmony Brass @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Mon 11: Vieux Carré Jazzmen @ The Wheatsheaf, Benton Sq., Whitley Road, Palmersville NE12 9SU. Tel: 0191 266 8137. 1:00pm. Free.
Mon 11: Graham Hardy’s Eclectic Quartet @ The Black Bull, Blaydon. 8:00pm. £10.00.

Tue 12: Matthew Forster Quartet @ Newcastle House Hotel, Rothbury. 7:30pm.
Tue 12: Phil’s Elastic Band @ The Forum, Darlington. 7:30pm. Free, but ticketed, book online.

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: The Tannery Jam Session @ The Tannery, Gilesgate, Hexham. 7:00-9:00pm. Free. A ‘second Wednesday in the month’ jam session.
Wed 13: Take it to the Bridge @ The Globe, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free.
Wed 13: corto.alto @ Hoochie Coochie, Newcastle. 7:45pm (doors 7:00pm). £14.00. + bf.

Thu 14: Vieux Carré Jazzmen @ The Holystone, Whitley Road, North Tyneside. 1:00pm. Free.
Thu 14: Faye MacCalman & John Pope @ King’s Hall, Newcastle University. 1:15pm. Free.
Thu 14: Student Performances @ King’s Hall, Newcastle University. 4:00pm. Inc. Olly Styles (saxophone).
Thu 14: John Stowell & Tom Remon @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 8:00pm. Free. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig. Top class US/UK guitar duo!
Thu 14: Struggle Buggy + King Bees @ The Cumberland Arms, Byker, Newcastle. 8:00pm. Top class blues double bill!
Thu 14: Tees Hot Club @ Dorman’s Club, Middlesborough. 8:30pm. Free. Guests: Jeremy McMurray (keys); Kevin Eland (trumpet); Mark Toomey (alto sax); Adrian Beadnell (bass).

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, April 19, 2020

Josh talks and plays Louie - April 18/19

Six o'clock Saturday evening in Davenport, Iowa, midnight Saturday here in Newcastle. Josh Duffee in his home town of Davenport, your reviewer at home in Newcastle. Drummer Josh was about to conduct a seminar on his chosen subject for this week's live stream event, one Luigi Paulino Alfredo Francesco Antonio Balassoni. Luigi who? you ask. Try Louie Bellson.

Josh Duffee is known to Tyneside jazz fans thanks largely to his annual pilgrimage to the Village Hotel on North Tyneside to participate in the Classic Jazz Party. The event's primary focus is on the 'classic jazz' era which some would refer to as the 'Jazz Age' (essentially 1920s' jazz), its practitioners and the hotspots - New Orleans, Chicago, St Louis, New York and beyond. Last week Josh went in search of Bix Beiderbecke, a key figure during the period. This week Louie Bellson took centre stage. From Josh's home our live stream host would tell the story of one of his drum heroes. 

As with Bix last week, Josh's enthusiasm for his subject shone through. The two-bass drum kit sitting on the floor once belonged to Louie Bellson, now, thanks to his friendship with the legendary musician (Bellson died in 2009), Josh is the proud owner of this priceless artifact - bass drums, toms, snare, cymbals, drum stool, sticks, brushes, the lot! Our host explained that Bellson asked him to safeguard his legacy - a man who worked with Tommy Dorsey, Benny Goodman and others - and to make full use of the kit. Josh (as usual, dressed for the occasion replete with one of Louie Bellson's ties - that's a 'necktie' over in Iowa), was about to do just that.

Part drum clinic, part history lesson, Josh got behind the traps to show, in close-up, Bellson's double bass drum set-up, his array of cymbals, the works. Lovingly, excitedly, Josh drooled over 18" and 24" cymbals, ride cymbals this, hi-hat that, this was a kid in a sweet shop (candy store if you're in America). Come to think of it, this wasn't the kid in the candy store, this was the candy store owner in their shop! 

Josh demonstrated Bellson's style and various techniques by playing along to some of the great drummer's recordings. AmorosoCaxton Hall Swing (Josh revealed that not only did Bellson write the number to mark his wedding to Pearl Bailey in London, but he, Josh, some sixty years later, visited the site with a fellow jazz percussion nut, Mr Nick Ball!) and a Bellson side with none other than James Brown doing his thing on For Once in My Life.
                      
In addition to practical demos, Josh proudly showed off his collection of Bellson albums, books and memorabilia, including a treasured possesion - a signed photograph of Bellson dedicated to Josh. More drum talk - Papa Jo Jones, Big Sid Catlett, Bellson's 'jingle sticks', brush technique then into Brush Taps. To conclude his look at the life and work of Louis Bellson our genial host sat at the kit one more time to play an improvised solo, in the style, of course. Five plus minutes later Josh Duffee was done. 

Josh Duffee's Bix tour and this survey of the music of Louis Bellson share at least two things in common - our host's unbridled enthusiasm for his subject and attention to detail with regard to the presentation of his live stream event. Next Saturday (April 25), 6:00pm Iowa time, midnight our time, Josh Duffee presents 1920s' Percussion

In common with other musicians around the world Josh has lost income due to all gigs being cancelled until further notice. For those who wish to donate a sum however great or small Josh's PayPal account is: Paypal.me/joshuaduffee1. 
Russell

PS: Hopefully this link to the live stream works. If not go into Facebook and search Josh Duffee.

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