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Bebop Spoken There

Abbie Finn: "Even though there's a lot of great work being done to promote women in jazz, I still come up against some attitudes! I pulled up at a recording session with my drums in the car and the studio owner said, 'I'm sorry, this space is reserved for the drummer!'" - (Jazzwise 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
Sat 01: The Big Easy @ St Augustine's Parish Centre, Darlington. 12:30pm.
Sat 01: Play Jazz! workshop @ The Globe, Newcastle. 1:30pm. Tutor: Steve Glendinning - In a Minor Key. £25.00. Enrol at: www.jazz.coop.
Sat 01: Abbie Finn Trio @ The Vault, Darlington Covered Market, Darlington DL1 5PN. 6:00pm. New venue, live jazz!
Sat 01: Jambone @ Sage Gateshead. 7:00pm. Free (book online). A YMP! event in the Northern Rock Foundation Hall.
Sat 01: Jude Murphy & Dan Stanley @ Prohibtion Bar, Newcastle. 8:00pm. A 'Jar on the Bar' gig.
Sat 01: Boys of Brass @ Stack, Seaburn. 7:00-9:00pm.
Sat 01: Hot Club du Nord @ Pleased to Meet You, Bridge St., Morpeth. 8:00pm. £79.00. A charity fundraising event.
Sat 01: Rendezvous Jazz @ Red Lion, Earsdon. 8:00pm. £3.00. RESCHEDULED to next week (Sat 08).

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.

Wednesday, June 17, 2020

Preview: Steve Walker on Coastal Sound (Skegness community radio broadcasting to the world) - Wednesday

At eight o'clock tonight online radio station Coastal Sound presents Steve Walker's Big Band Bash. Trumpeter Steve has worked with just about everyone who is anyone in the music business. Now, in addition to performing and teaching, presenting the best in big band music has become a weekly (Wednesday evening) affair for the man originally from Middlesbrough.

Steve kindly emailed BSH details of the occasion when he took part in the BBC's National Big Band Competition. In 1985 Steve found himself playing in the trumpet section of the Durham Youth Jazz Orchestra. The material makes for fascinating reading. This was the era of Sheila Tracy hosting BBC Radio 2's big band broadcasts. Standing alongside Steve in the trumpet section was one Gordon Marshall. Whatever became of him? The answer: First call trumpet for Ray Chester's award-winning big band, the Customs House Big Band, the Strictly Smokin' Big Band, Gerry Richardson's Big Idea and a whole lot more! 

The saxophones included Peter 'Pepe' Greenaway and David (Dave) Black; in the 'bones, David Barnes (heard many a time with the Strictly Smokin') and the rhythm section boasted Stuart Haikney, a busy working drummer to this day, alongside Marcus Brown. Pianist Marcus went on to do it all...working with Madonna, Hollywood film scores, the lot, more recently taking on the job of adjudicator alongside Mick Donnelly at the annual Great North Big Band Jazz Festival. Clearly 1985 was a very good year for the  DYJO!

The Guildhall Jazz Band took part in '85. Pete Whyman on lead alto and the great Mornington Lockett on tenor in the saxophone gives an idea of the standard of the then young guns, now established figures on the scene. And in the trumpet section, Noel 'Loose Tubes' Langley! 

Imagine...tough competitive action, radio airplay, Sheila Tracy presiding, Bobby Lamb presenting the Marty Paich Trophy to Adrian Drover (trombone, Guildhall Jazz Band) and Iain Ballamy shaking hands with Henry Lowther as he picked up the John Dankworth Most Promising Musician Trophy award. Yes, fascinating reading, thanks to Steve for sharing the memories. Catch Steve's Big Band Bash tonight (8:00pm) at: www.coastalsound.co.uk.
Russell

2 comments :

Betty Brett (on F/b) said...

This was an amazing gig playing Baritone sax in DYJO. Thoroughly enjoyed the rehearsals and the recording of course. Also met up again briefly with a college friend Pete Murray who was playing keys with the the Guildhall big band.

Lance said...

I wonder if Steve is familiar with the work of the late Ken Rattenbury a trumpet player, pianist, composer and arranger who was born in Spilsby, Lincolnshire, and died in 2001.

He was one of best musicians in his chosen fields and yet is rarely remembered these days. Although not an out and out big band man I feel his name should not go unrecognised in Lincolnshire Jazz circles.

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