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Bebop Spoken There

Kelly Sill: "Just because everyone is playing through the changes in the same time doesn't mean they're actually playing together" - (JazzTimes March/April 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

15260 (and counting) posts since we started blogging 15 years ago. 279 of them this year alone and, so far, 92 this month (March 29).

From This Moment On ...

April

Sun 02: Smokin' Spitfires @ The Cluny. 12:45pm.
Sun 02: 4B @ The Exchange, North Shields. 3:00pm.

Mon 03: Harmony Brass @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm.

Tue 04: Paul Skerritt @ The Rabbit Hole, Hallgarth St., Durham DH1 3AT. 7:00pm. Paul Skerritt's (solo) weekly residency.
Tue 04: Jam session @ Black Swan, Newcastle Arts Centre. 7:30pm. House trio: Bradley Johnston (guitar); Paul Grainger (double bass); Abbie Finn (drums).

Wed 05: Vieux Carré Jazzmen @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm.
Wed 05: Darlington Big Band @ Darlington & Simpson Rolling Mills Social Club, Darlington. 7:00pm. Rehearsal session (open to the public).
Wed 05: 4B @ The Exchange, North Shields. 7:00pm.
Wed 05: Take it to the Bridge @ The Globe, Newcastle. 7:30pm.

Thu 06: Vieux Carré Jazzmen @ The Holystone, Whitley Road, North Tyneside. 1:00pm. Free.
Thu 06: Thursday Night Prayer Meeting @ The Globe, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Donations. Feat. John Pope, Marie Shreer, John Garner.
Thu 06: Merlin Roxby @ Prohibtion Bar, Newcastle. 8:00pm. Ragtime piano. A 'Jar on the Bar' gig.
Thu 06: Darlington Big Band @ Dorman's Club, Middlesbrough. 8:30pm. Note earlier start time.

Fri 07: Classic Swing @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm.
Fri 07: New Orleans Preservation Jazz Band @ Oxbridge Hotel, Stockton. 1:00pm. £5.00.
Fri 07: Rendezvous Jazz @ The Monkseaton Arms, Monkseaton. 1:00pm.
Fri 07: Gaz Hughes Trio @ Saltburn Community Hall. 7:30pm.
Fri 07: Mark Toomey Quartet @ Traveller's Rest, Darlington. 8:00pm. £8.00.
Fri 07: Finntet + Zoë Gilby & Andy Champion @ Bobik's, Punch Bowl, Newcastle. 8:00pm. JNE.
Fri 07: TBA @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 8:00pm. A 'Jar on the Bar' gig. Blind Pig Blues Club.

Sat 08: Me Lost Me + Ceitidh Mac + Heather Ferrier @ Bobik's, Punch Bowl, Newcastle. 7:30pm. JNE.
Sat 08: Joseph Carville Trio @ The Vault, Darlington Covered Market, Darlington DL1 5PN. 6:00pm. New venue, live jazz!
Sat 08: Rendezvous Jazz @ Red Lion, Earsdon. 8:00pm. £3.00. RESCHEDULED from last week (Sat 01).
Sat 08: Robbie Reay @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 8:00pm. Acoustic blues. A 'Jar on the Bar' gig.
Sat 08: Anth Purdy @ Mr Tighe's, Bebside, Northumberland. 8:30pm.

Sunday, May 10, 2020

RIP Betty Wright (1953 - 2020)


On Sunday May 10, Betty Wright’s niece announced Miami-born Betty’s passing with no cause of death declared. At the end of last week Chaka Kahn had posted on Twitter asking fans to pray for her “sister” Betty Wright.

Betty started singing at the age of two with her siblings in family gospel group The Echoes of Joy which broke up when Betty was 11.  She released her first solo album at age 16 and her biggest hit, Clean Up Woman reached number 6 in the US charts (#2 R&B) in 1971 at the tender age of 18. Other hits followed including Babysitter in 1972 reaching #46 in the US.


Betty hopped on board the disco boom in 1974 with Shoorah! Shoorah! which reached number 27 in the UK and followed up with her biggest hit here Where is the Love which reached number 25 in 1975. By the end of the 1970s the hits had dried up and Henry Stone’s TK label was in trouble. Betty moved to Epic Records before forming her own label Miss B Records in 1986.

In addition to her own solo career Betty had also been instrumental in discovering George and Gwen McCrae and taking them to Henry Stone’s Alston Records, part of the Miami-based TK set up.  Betty was also cited as a massive influence on Mary J Blige and in 2003 Betty co-produced Joss Stone’s debut smash hit album The Soul Sessions, bringing along musicians Timmy Thomas, Benny Latimore and Little Beaver with Betty herself providing background vocals.

Over a close to 50 year recording career Betty Wright released 20 solo albums, contributed to the work of a great many artists and was a leading light amongst 1970s/80s female soul vocalists.

Betty died at the age of 66, Rest In Peace.
John Charles

1 comment :

Steve T said...

If you only play one great Betty Wright record today - and there are many - make it One Bad Habit, but don't give up on it; the climax is a thing of real beauty and good luck trying to keep it together on a very sad day for anyone who appreciates great soul music.

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