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Bebop Spoken There

Spasmo Brown: “Jazz is an ice cream sandwich! It's the Fourth of July! It's a girl with a waterbed!”. (Syncopated Times, July, 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

17444 (and counting) posts since we started blogging 16 years ago. 718 of them this year alone and, so far, 100 this month (Oct. 10).

From This Moment On ...

October

Tue 15: Jam session @ The Black Swan, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free. House trio: Alan Law (piano), Paul Grainger (double bass), Bailey Rudd (drums).

Wed 16: Vieux Carré Jazzmen @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Wed 16: Cath Stephens’ improvisation workshop @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 4:30-6:00pm. Collaborative group focusing on vocal improvisations.
Wed 16: Darlington Big Band @ Darlington & Simpson Rolling Mills Social Club, Darlington. 7:00pm. Free. Rehearsal session (open to the public).
Wed 16: Take it to the Bridge @ The Globe, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free.

Thu 17: Vieux Carré Jazzmen @ The Holystone, Whitley Road, North Tyneside. 1:00pm. Free.
Thu 17: Olivia Cuttill Quintet @ King’s Hall, Newcastle University. 1:15pm. Free.
Thu 17: Moonlight Serenade Orchestra UK: Glenn Miller & Big Band Spectacular @ Phoenix Theatre, Blyth. 7:30pm.
Thu 17: Merlin Roxby @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 8:00pm. Free. Ragtime piano. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig.
Thu 17: Niffi Osiyemi Trio @ The Harbour View, Sunderland. 8:00pm. Free.
Thu 17: Tees Hot Club @ Dorman’s Club, Middlesborough. Guests Jeremy McMurray (keys); Richie Emmerson (tenor sax); Mark Toomey (alto sax); Adrian Beadnell (bass). 8:30pm. Free.

Fri 18: Classic Swing @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 18: Rendezvous Jazz @ The Monkseaton Arms. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 18: New Orleans Preservation Jazz Band @ The Oxbridge Hotel, Stockton. 1:00pm. £5.00.
Fri 18: Hot Club du Nord @ St Cuthbert’s, Crook. 7:30pm.
Fri 18: Chet Set @ Seventeen Nineteen, Hendon, Sunderland. 7:30pm. Pete Tanton & co.
Fri 18: Michael Woods @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. Doors 7:30pm (upstairs). A Hoodoo Blues dance & social event. £10.00. class & social (£10.00., £7.50., £5.00. social only). Michael Woods (country blues guitar) on stage 9:00pm.
Fri 18: East Coast Swing Band @ Hexham Abbey. 7:30pm. £9.00.
Fri 18: Ben Crosland Quartet @ Traveller’s Rest, Darlington. 8:00pm. Opus 4 Jazz Club.
Fri 18: Durham University Jazz Society’s ‘High Standards’ @ Music Dept. Music Room, Divinity House, Palace Green, Durham University DH1 3RS. 8:009-30pm. Tel: 0191 334 1419. £7.00., £5.00.
Fri 18: Ray Stubbs R&B All Stars @ Blues Underground, Nelson St., Newcastle. 9:00pm. Free.

Sat 19: Sat 19: Paula Jackman’s Jazz Masters @ St Augustine’s Parish Centre, Darlington. 12:30pm. Darlington New Orleans Jazz Club.
Jeff Hewer Trio @ The Vault, Darlington. 7:00pm. Free.
Sat 19: Howlin’ Mat @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 8:00pm. Country blues guitar & vocals. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig.

Sun 20: Kamasi Washington @ The Glasshouse, Gateshead. 7:30pm. POSTPONED! New date Saturday 5 April 2025.
Sun 20: Tweed River Jazz Band @ Barrels Ale House, Berwick-upon-Tweed. 7:00pm. Free.
Sun 20: Magpies of Swing @ The Globe, Newcastle. 8:00pm.

Mon 21: Gideon Tazelaar Quartet @ Yamaha Music School, Blyth. 1:00pm. £9.00.
Mon 21: Harmony Brass @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Mon 21: Gideon Tazelaar Quartet @ The Black Bull, Blaydon. 8:00pm.

Tue 22: Bywater Call @ The Cluny, Newcastle. 7:30pm (doors). Americana/blues/soul excellence.

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, November 15, 2020

Yazz Ahmed: Polyhymnia live streaming from Sage Gateshead - Nov. 14

We were due to attend Yazz Ahmed's concert at Sage Gateshead - socially distanced, of course - only for Lockdown 2.0 to intervene. The music world's recently adopted default position, the live stream, once again stepped into the breach. It isn't ideal, but needs must. 

Sage One's large stage comfortably accommodated Ahmed's twelve-strong ensemble, set-up to perform in-the-round. Polyhymnia formed the basis of the one hour set. Ahmed's work, funded by Art Council England and Help Musicians UK, formed part of Sage Gateshead's 'Live 2020' concert series. Ahmed's project sought to celebrate the achievements of significant female figures. 

The suffragettes inspired tonight's opening number, Deeds Not Words. As multiple camera angles came into play a host of familiar figures on the British jazz scene came into view: alto sax ace Mr Nat Facey, on tenor and bass clarinet, Mr George Crowley, in the two-man trumpet section, Mr Noel Langley (pictured alongside Miguel Gorodi), vibes demon Mr Ralph Wyld, the in-demand Dudley Phillips on bass, and drummer Ms Sophie Alloway laying down an impeccable groove. 

Ms Ahmed (trumpet and flugelhorn) directed the ensemble with the minimum of fuss, content to let the experienced heads help realise her creation. Ruby Bridges saluted the American civil rights activist with Sophie Alloway (pictured) leading off on an apposite New Orleans' shuffle. An Arabic feel signalled Lahan al-Mansour, Ahmed's recognition of Saudi Arabia's first female feature film director Haifaa al-Mansour, a woman who, unsurprisingly, has endured varying degrees of hostility from regressive forces. The Polyhymnia ensemble, essentially an expanded version of Ahmed's Hafla septet, clearly enjoyed the occasion with many smiles and nods of appreciation for the soloists across the evening. 

Dudley Phillips' effects-laden bass playing on One Girl Among Many pointed to the courage of Malala Yousafzai in standing up to the brutality of a bunch of hoodlums with the ensemble, as one, reciting the words of Yousafzai. More inspirational women stepped up. 2857 referenced Rosa Parks' pivotal role in the Montgomery, Alabama bus boycott (2857 being the number of the infamous bus service) with George Crowley in suitably belligerent, explosive form. And to close,  Barbara, in homage to pioneering British modern jazz/fusion reeds virtuoso Barbara Thompson.  

Russell  

Yazz Ahmed (trumpet, flugelhorn); Nat Facey (alto sax); George Crowley (tenor sax, bass clarinet); Kate Ingram (baritone sax); Miguel Gorodi (trumpet); Noel Langley (trumpet); Owen Dawson (trombone); Ralph Wyld (vibes); Naadia Sheriff (piano, keyboards); Dudley Phillips (bass); Elizabeth Nott (percussion); Sophie Alloway (drums).

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