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Bebop Spoken There

Delfeayo Marsalis: "Slide Hampton once told me that it's not always the person that is playing the highest or playing the fastest that's making the greatest impact." - (DownBeat March 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

15229 (and counting) posts since we started blogging 15 years ago. 248 of them this year alone and, so far, 61 this month (March 20).

From This Moment On ...

March

Tue 21: Paul Skerritt @ The Rabbit Hole, Hallgarth St., Durham DH1 3AT. 7:00pm. Paul Skerritt's (solo) weekly residency.
Tue 21: Jam session @ Black Swan, Newcastle Arts Centre. 7:30pm. House trio: Jacob Egglestone (guitar); Jamie Watkins (bass guitar); Bailey Rudd (drums).

Wed 22: Vieux Carré Jazzmen @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm.
Wed 22: Darlington Big Band @ Traveller's Rest, Cockerton. 7:00pm. Rehearsal session (open to the public). Note change of venue - this week only.
Wed 22: 4B @ The Exchange, North Shields. 7:00pm.
Wed 22: Take it to the Bridge @ The Globe, Newcastle. 7:30pm.

Thu 23: Vieux Carré Jazzmen @ The Holystone, Whitley Road, North Tyneside. 4:00-6:00pm. Free.
Thu 23: NUJO Jazz Jam @ Bar Loco, Newcasatle. From 6:30pm 'til late. Free. Newcastle University Jazz Orchestra jam session. All welcome (students & non-students).
Thu 23: Kerrin Tatman + John Garner & John Pope @ Cobalt Studios, Newcastle. 7:00pm.
Thu 23: Sunna Gunnlaugs & Julia Hülsmann @ Sage Gateshead. 8:00pm. A two-piano gig. A Sage Gateshead-JNE promotion.
Thu 23: Merlin Roxby @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 8:00pm. Ragtime piano.
Thu 23: Sleep Suppressor @ The Globe, Newcastle. 8:00pm. £10.00., £8.00. adv. Upstairs.
Thu 23: Tees Hot Club @ Dorman's Club, Middlesbrough. 9:00pm.

Fri 24: Classic Swing @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm.
Fri 24: New Orleans Preservation Jazz Band @ Oxbridge Hotel, Stockton. 1:00pm. £5.00.
Fri 24: Rendezvous Jazz @ The Monkseaton Arms, Monkseaton. 1:00pm.
Fri 24: FILM: Mo' Better Blues @ Forum Cinema, Hexham. 7:00pm.
Fri 24: Ian Millar & Dominic Spencer @ Scarth Hall, Staindrop, Co. Durham. 8:00pm. £10.00.
Fri 24: Archipelago + Bulbils @ Cobalt Studios, Newcastle. 7:00pm.

Sat 25: Vermont Big Band @ Walker Community Centre, Walker, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Fundraiser for Benfield Juniours Football Club. Hot food available, BYOB.
Sat 25: John Logan & Friends @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 8:00pm. Rat Pack, Motown etc. 8:00pm. Free (donations).

Sun 26: Musicians Unlimited @ Park Inn, Hartlepool. 1:00pm.
Sun 26: More Jam @ The Globe, Newcastle. 3:00pm. Free.
Sun 26: 4B @ The Exchange, North Shields. 3:00pm.
Sun 26: Outlines @ The Globe, Newcastle. 8:00pm. JNE promotion (upstairs).

Mon 27: Harmony Brass @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm.

Wednesday, November 18, 2020

Album playback: Money Jungle @ Kansas Smitty's - Nov. 18

Joe Webb (piano); Will Sach (bass); Jas Kayser (drums)

A great session  tempered not just with a note of sadness but with a ten fingered chord of sadness. The sadness being that Kansas Smitty's legendary bar in Broadway Market will not reopen - the pandemic has made it no longer viable to reopen if and when anybody is allowed to reopen. Smitty's, I fear, is only the tip of the coolberg.

A brave face was put on when they announced this development, stressing that the live streams would continue 5 nights a week. This is of course good news in one sense but apart from when rain stops play - and it has to be practically a monsoon to stop your dedicated jazzer getting to a gig - there's nothing that compares with sitting/standing in a club, digging the music, nursing a glass or a bottle and making new friends.

I know that on YouTube and Facebook you can have chats, post emojis, buy your booze from the supermarket or boil the kettle but that isn't the jazz life.

This has been particularly sad for me. Smitty's has long been on my bucket list for when I next visit London but - which venue will be next?

Sorry, I've rambled on a bit without mentioning the music!

Money Jungle was possibly one of the most adventurous recordings of Duke's career. Pairing him with Max Roach and Charles Mingus on paper seemed like putting two dogs and a cat - or vice-versa - in the one room and, as such, divided the jazz community at the time (1962). Miles famously said, "Duke couldn't play with Max and Mingus and they couldn't play with him!" Even Hughie Aitchison who was an out and out Ellington completest hesitated before buying this one.

And it's true that Ellington was pushed far beyond where he'd ever been but, unlike BG when he tried to play bop, Duke came through with flying colours - as did tonight's trio.

Joe Webb's versatility is amazing for such a young player he seems to be able to cover most styles. They couldn't have press-ganged anyone better. Sachs had the easy job - he just had to cover Mingus' role. No pressure there then! Jay Kayser is a relatively new name to me, in fact I've only just picked up on her over the last few weeks - what a star!

An evening to remember for all the right and the wrong reasons.

Lance

Fleurette Africaine; Very Special; Warm Valley; Wig Wise; Caravan; Solitude; Switchblade; ? - Jas didn't announce the last number hence the question mark.

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