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Bebop Spoken There

Raymond Chandler: “ I was walking the floor and listening to Khatchaturian working in a tractor factory. He called it a violin concerto. I called it a loose fan belt and the hell with it ". The Long Goodbye, Penguin 1959.

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

16350 (and counting) posts since we started blogging 16 years ago. 230 of them this year alone and, so far, 27 this month (April 11).

From This Moment On ...

April

Thu 18: Vieux Carré Jazzmen @ The Holystone, Whitley Road, North Tyneside. 1:00pm. Free.
Thu 18: NONUNONU @ Elder Beer Café, Chillingham Road, Newcastle. 7:30pm.
Thu 18: Knats @ Hoochie Coochie, Newcastle. 8:00pm (doors 7:30pm). £8.00. + bf. Support act TBC.
Thu 18: Merlin Roxby @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 8:00pm. Free. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig. Ragtime piano.
Thu 18: Tees Hot Club @ Dorman’s Club, Middlesbrough. 8:30pm. Guest band night with Just Friends: Ian Bosworth (guitar); Donna Hewitt (sax); Dave Archbold (keys); Ron Smith (bass); Mark Hawkins (drums).

Fri 19: Cia Tomasso @ The Lit & Phil, Newcastle. 1:00pm. ‘Cia Tomasso sings Billie Holiday’. SOLD OUT!
Fri 19: Classic Swing @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 19: Rendezvous Jazz @ The Monkseaton Arms. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 19: New Orleans Preservation Jazz Band @ The Oxbridge Hotel, Stockton. 1:00pm. £5.00.
Fri 19: Tweed River Jazz Band @ The Radio Rooms, Berwick. 7:00pm (doors). £5.00.
Fri 19: Lindsay Hannon: Tom Waits for No Man @ Seventeen Nineteen, Hendon, Sunderland. 7:30pm.
Fri 19: Levitation Orchestra + Nauta @ Cluny 2, Newcastle. 7:30pm (doors). £11.00.
Fri 19: Strictly Smokin’ Big Band @ The Witham, Barnard Castle. 8:00pm. ‘Ella & Ellington’.

Sat 20: Record Store Day…at a store near you!
Sat 20: Bright Street Band @ Washington Arts Centre. 6:30pm. Swing dance taster session (6:30pm) followed by Bright Street Big Band (7:30pm). £12.00.
Sat 20: Michael Woods @ Victoria Tunnel, Ouseburn, Newcastle. 7:00pm. Acoustic blues.
Sat 20: Rendezvous Jazz @ St Andrew’s Church, Monkseaton. 7:30pm. £10.00. (inc. a drink on arrival).

Sun 21: Jamie Toms Quartet @ Queen’s Hall, Hexham. 3:00pm.
Sun 21: 4B @ The Ticket Office, Whitley Bay Metro Station. 3:00pm. Free.
Sun 21: Lindsay Hannon: Tom Waits for No Man @ Holy Grale, Durham. 5:00pm.
Sun 21: The Jazz Defenders @ Cluny 2. Doors 6:00pm. £15.00.
Sun 21: Edgar Rubenis @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 7:00pm. Free. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig. Blues & ragtime guitar.
Sun 21: Tweed River Jazz Band @ Barrels Ale House, Berwick. 7:00pm. Free.
Sun 21: Art Themen with the Dean Stockdale Trio @ The Globe, Newcastle. 8:00pm. £10.00. +bf. JNE. SOLD OUT!

Mon 22: Harmony Brass @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.

Tue 23: Vieux Carre Hot 4 @ Victoria & Albert Inn, Seaton Delaval. 12:30-3:30pm. £12.00. ‘St George’s Day Afternoon Tea’. Gig with ‘Lashings of Victoria Sponge Cake, along with sandwiches & scones’.
Tue 23: Jalen Ngonda @ Newcastle University Students’ Union. POSTPONED!

Wed 24: Vieux Carré Jazzmen @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Wed 24: Darlington Big Band @ Darlington & Simpson Rolling Mills Social Club, Darlington. 7:00pm. Free. Rehearsal session (open to the public).
Wed 24: Sinatra: Raw @ Darlington Hippodrome. 7:30pm. Richard Shelton.
Wed 24: Take it to the Bridge @ The Globe, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free.
Wed 24: Death Trap @ Theatre Royal, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Rambert Dance Co. Two pieces inc. Goat (inspired by the music of Nina Simone) with on-stage musicians.

Tuesday, January 19, 2021

R.I.P. Alan Smith (trumpet)

Just had more sad news. Trumpet ace Alan Smith died this morning. He hadn't been in the best of health for some time. Will post again after more information is received. In the photo Alan can be seen on trumpet playing with the Maine St. Jazzmen at Hebburn's Iona Club in 2008.

Sadly missed.

Lance 

33 comments :

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

Really very sorry to hear this.

Chris Kaberry (on F/b) said...

Oh no.... this is really really sad news....

Patti Durham (on F/b) said...

Yes, this is really sad, for Alan's family and friends of course - but the whole local jazz community. I see Derek Fleck was on reeds for this gig - he's another good jazzer that we had to say goodbye to, a couple of years ago.

Roly Veitch said...

Very sorry to hear this sad news.

Mia Webb (on F/b) said...

Condolences to Alan's family at this very sad time. I loved working with Alan, he was such a gentleman and a truly professional musician. Sadly missed 😪

Unknown said...

This is very sad news miss him lots FromDavid Raine (New Horisons)

Alan Marshall (on F/b) said...

Very sorry to hear of this Alan was lovely man and a great player.

Linda Hampton (on F/b) said...

Really sorry to hear this sad news! Such a lovely man and fine musician. Will miss him. Xx

Colin Haikney (on F/b) said...

Worked with him in many different bands. Lovely man. R I P. Alan

Elaine Francis (on F/b) said...

Such sad news 😢

James Harrison (on F/b) said...

Damn. Really sad! 😢 Alan was always very supportive and encouraging of us “youngsters”!

Bob Stephenson (on F/b) said...

Sorry to hear. R I P Alan.

Steve Doyle (on F/b) said...

Sorry to hear this sad news, a lovely man and great player.

Sid White (on F/b) said...

Nice Guy Alan played with him a few times a great player. Sad news.

Laurie Brown (on F/b) said...

IN SHOCK ! Alan was always so enthusiastic and encouraging. The original trumpeter with the great "Friends of Jazz" I had the pleasure of working with and a frequent guest with the "Jazz Esquires" RIP Alan.

Mark Robertson (on F/b) said...

One of nature's true gentleman. I always felt welcome when ever I saw him on a gig.

James McBriarty (on F/b) said...

Really shocked and sad to hear about Alan, I played alongside him many times over the years. He was a great influence on my early jazz playing. He was a true gentleman and a nice person.

Ian Stocks said...

Sorry to hear about Alan, like many of you, we worked many times over the years,a really nice guy.

Tony Winder (on F/b) said...

So sorry to hear. Such a lovely man.

Jeremy McMurray said...

So sad to hear about Alan today, a lovely guy and musician. Love and condolences to Pat and family. May he RIP.

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

Sad news about Alan. We immediately became friends on our first gig together. Great player and jazzer.

Colin Aitchison (on F/b) said...

Very sad news, I got to know Alan at the Wheatsheaf jam sessions in New York (North Tyneside), very nice trumpet player and person. R.I.P.

Bradley Johnston (on F/b) said...

Very sorry to hear this. It was always a pleasure to play alongside Alan with the CHBB. R.I.P. Alan. Bx

Barry Black (on F/b) said...

He was a lovely guy. Very sad news.

John Hudson (on F/b) said...

Going to miss your jazz Alan.....RIP.....see you later....

Steve Wall (on F/b) said...

Sad news indeed, so sorry to hear, he was a great bloke! R.I.P Alan.

Brian Bennett said...

Sorry to hear this sad news. Alan was a brilliant trumpet player and I count myself fortunate to have played alongside him over the years especially when I occasionally dep’d for Keith Belton in the heyday of The Tees Valley Jazzmen when they were resident at the Blue Bell in Acklam. RIP Alan.

Neville Hartley said...

Very sorry to hear this sad news. I worked closely with Alan for nearly 15 years with the Tees Valley Jazzmen (and also with other bands)and we became very close friends. He was a good man and a true friend who would never let you down. He will be sadly missed.
RIP Alan - hope they play some good music up there.

olive & alan said...

Very sorry to hear about Alan, We've known him a long time, from Burton House Trio, and happy days with the Tees Valley Jazzmen and Stan Coates big band. A fine musician, always reliable!
RIP Alan. There'll be a great band waiting for you up there!

Olive & Alan R.

Carolyn Norris (on F/b) said...

So sorry to hear this, he was such a lovely man.

Barry Aitchison said...

I am sorry to here that Alan is gone. My mother and I saw him in different places playing jazz and the sound was good. His trumpet playing was the tops. He will be missed RIP.

Peter Ayton said...

So sorry to hear about the passing of Alan, a lovely man and a great trumpet player, will miss him. Always had a laugh with him when meeting up. Condolences to Pat, and Alan's family.

Ek Strodl said...

Met Alan way back in the mid 1970's....little did I know then that we would work together in coming years. Had the great pleasure of standing next to Alan when he worked with "Fairwind" latterly in nineties. Also worked alongside him with Clive Collins band and many other big bands. Great chap with a dry sense of humour which we shared on many car journeys. Condolences to Patti and all the family.
Erik Strodl

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