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Bebop Spoken There

Branford Marsalis: "As ignorance often forces us to do, you make a generalisation about a musician based on one specific record or one moment in time." - (Jazzwise June 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

15478 (and counting) posts since we started blogging 15 years ago. 499 of them this year alone and, so far, 120 this month (May 27).

From This Moment On ...

May 2023

Wed 31: Vieux Carré Jazzmen @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm.
Wed 31: Darlington Big Band @ Darlington & Simpson Rolling Mills Social Club, Darlington. 7:00pm. Rehearsal session (open to the public).
Wed 31: 4B @ The Exchange, North Shields. 7:00pm.
Wed 31: Take it to the Bridge @ The Globe, Newcastle. 7:30pm.

June
Thu 01: Vieux Carré Jazzmen @ The Holystone, Whitley Road, North Tyneside. 1:00pm. Free.
Thu 01: Thursday Night Prayer Meeting @ The Globe, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Donations.
Thu 01: Merlin Roxby @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 8:00pm. Ragtime piano. A 'Jar on the Bar' gig.
Thu 01: Jake Leg Jug Band @ The Globe, Newcastle. 8:00pm.
Thu 01: Tees Hot Club @ Dorman's Club, Middlesbrough. 9:00pm.

Fri 02: Classic Swing @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm.
Fri 02: New Orleans Preservation Jazz Band @ Oxbridge Hotel, Stockton. 1:00pm. £5.00.
Fri 02: Rendezvous Jazz @ The Monkseaton Arms, Monkseaton. 1:00pm.
Fri 02: Joseph Carville Trio @ Saltburn Community Hall. 7:30pm.
Fri 02: Claire Martin & Her Trio @ The Witham, Barnard Castle. 7:30pm. £25.00., £20.00. Feat. Jim Mullen, Alex Garnett & Jeremy Brown.
Fri 02: Guy Davis + Michael Littlefield & Scott Taylor @ Cluny 2, Newcastle. Doors 7:30pm. Blues double bill.
Fri 02: Anders Ingram @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 8:00pm. Blind Pig Blues Club. Country blues. A 'Jar on the Bar' gig.

Sat 03: Newcastle Record Fair @ Northumbria University, Newcastle NE8 8SB. 10:00am-3:00pm. Admission: £2.00.
Sat 03: Pedigree Jazz Band @ St Augustine's Parish Centre, Darlington. 12:30pm.
Sat 03: Play Jazz! workshop @ The Globe, Newcastle. 1:30pm. Tutor: Sue Ferris. £25.00. Enrol at: www.jazz.coop.
Sat 03: Abbie Finn Trio @ The Vault, Darlington. 6:00pm. Free.
Sat 03: Rendezvous Jazz @ Red Lion, Earsdon. 8:00pm. £3.00.
Sat 03: Papa G's Troves @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 8:00pm. A 'Jar on the Bar' gig.

Sun 04: Smokin' Spitfires @ The Cluny, Newcastle. 12:45pm.
Sun 04: Central Bar Quintet @ Central Bar, Gateshead. 2:00-4:00pm. £5.00. The Central Bar Quintet plays Sonny Rollins' Saxophone Colossus. Featuring Lewis Watson.
Sun 04: 4B @ The Exchange, North Shields. 3:00pm.
Sun 04: Struggle Buggy + Michael Littlefield @ Tyne Bar, Newcastle. 4:00pm. Free. Acoustic blues.
Sun 04: Swinging at the Cotton Club: Harry Strutters' Hot Rhythm Orchestra @ The Fire Station, Sunderland. 7:30pm.
Sun 04: Richard Jones Trio @ The Globe, Newcastle. 8:00pm.

Mon 05: Harmony Brass @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm.

Tue 06: Paul Skerritt @ The Rabbit Hole, Hallgarth St., Durham DH1 3AT. 7:00pm. Paul Skerritt's (solo) weekly residency.
Tue 06: Jam session @ Black Swan, Newcastle Arts Centre. 7:30pm. House trio: Stu Collingwood (piano); Paul Grainger (double bass); Sid White (drums).

Saturday, December 19, 2020

SSBB live streaming from Gosforth Civic Theatre - Dec. 19

Instead of being at GCT for SSBB's annual Xmas bash I'm at home although still having a ball imagining I am there with the rest of the BSH team - it could have been our Xmas Party!

First up is Joy to the World followed by Hark the Herald Angels Sing with trumpet ace Pete Tanton doing the heralding if not the singing.

"That's got Christmas out of the way, at least for the time being" says bandleader Michael Lamb as the band swings into Basieland with Way Out Basie featuring solos by Graham Don (piano), Keith Robinson (alto sax) and leader Mike himself on trumpet.

Social Call (arranged by Danny Jonokuchi) features Alice who looks absolutely stunning in a figure-hugging, low-cut creation (tantalisingly hinted at in Russell's photo!) and sounds equally good. The solos by Jamie Toms (tenor sax) and Kieran Parnaby (trombone) have the same audio - if not the video - effect. I love a song that tells a story and this is one of the best.

Fast Cars and Crazy Women - my kind of a tune title - Steve Summers blows alto like he was in the driving seat of one of the former or in the backseat with one of the latter. Guy Swinton also puts his foot on the accelerator .

Alice returns for Avalon. First time I heard this song was on an Al Jolson record - Alice does it better. Jamie Toms on tenor.

The first set concludes with a moody piece - Winter Games - enlivened by a tenor solo from super-sub Matt Forster.

Time to raid the cupboard for a croissant, a can of Abbott Ale and a packet of Dreamies (for Daphne).

We're now good to go once more as Alice waxes eloquently about This Christmas before explaining the problems you face Comes Love.

Into the home straight and Bethlehem's in sight. Pete's playing It Came Upon a Midnight Clear (sometimes known as It Came Upon the Midnight Clear) it's a melodic gem. We Three Kings has some spirited blowing by Jamie Toms before it descends into a bit of a free-for-all. Gold, incense and myrr has that effect on people.

American trombonist Seth Weaver contributed Frost to the library it's as cool as the title suggests but maybe needs to thaw a little.

Alice returns to take us out with The Christmas Song and a great arrangement of Santa Baby - tenor by Matt.

Whilst not quite the real thing, it has still been a memorable concert - same time next year?

Lance

Steve Summers, Keith Robinson (alto saxes); Jamie Toms, Matt Forster (tenor saxes); Laurie Rangecroft (bari sax); Dick Stacey, Michael Lamb (MD), Pete Tanton, Billy Bradshaw (trumpets); Kieran Parnaby, Mark Ferris, Chris Gray, John Flood (trombones); Graham Don (piano); Pawel Jedrezewski (guitar); Michael Whent (bass guitar); Guy Swinton (drums); Alice Grace (vocals).

4 comments :

NeilC said...

Thoroughly enjoyed the gig , loved the Basie number especially and Winter Games . The interpretation and arrangements of the traditional Christmas songs offered a really enjoyable perspective on those all too familiar songs . I am not sure how much practice the band were afforded, given the restrictions we all live under at present, but they are such accomplished musicians that did not appear to have impinged on their collective ability and in no way did it detract from the shear quality of the music they produced this evening . Thank you so much for a really enjoyable evening.

Anonymous said...

Thanks for the detail about what Alice was wearing, but you didn't describe anyone else's clothing and how it fit them.

Lance said...

See the band photo.

Anonymous said...

Have to agree with both comments.

The band sounded incredible: thanks so much...

And I came here for the jazz, not the fashion critique!

Merry Christmas.

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