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Bebop Spoken There

Kurt Elling: ''There's something to learn from every musician you play with''. (DownBeat, December 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

17630 (and counting) posts since we started blogging 16 years ago. 904 of them this year alone and, so far, 49 this month (Dec. 20).

From This Moment On ...

December

Tue 24: Lindsay Hannon & Mark Williams @ Ernest, Ouseburn, Newcastle. 11:00am-1:00pm. Free.
Tue 24: Paul Skerritt @ Mambo Wine & Dine, South Shields. 1:00pm. Free. Vocalist Skerritt working with backing tapes.

Wed 25: Wot? No jazz!

Thu 26: The Boneshakers @ Tyne Bar, Ouseburn, Newcastle. 4:00pm. Free. The 17th annual Boneshakers’ Shindig.

Fri 27: Classic Swing @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 27: Rendezvous Jazz @ The Monkseaton Arms. 1:00pm. Free. Business as usual!.
Fri 27: Jason Isaacs @ Seaburn STACK, Seaburn. 3:30-5:30pm. Free. Vocalist Isaacs working with backing tapes.
Fri 27: Michael Woods @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 8:00pm. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig. Country blues guitar & vocals.

Sat 28: Jason Isaacs @ St. James’ STACK, Newcastle. 11:30am. Free. Vocalist Isaacs working with backing tapes.
Sat 28: Fri 20: Castillo Nuevo @ Revoluçion de Cuba, Newcastle. 5:30pm. Free.
Sat 28: Jude Murphy, Rich Herdman & Giles Strong @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 8:00pm. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig.
Sat 28: Ray Stubbs R & B All-Stars @ Billy Bootlegger’s, Stepney Bank, Newcastle. 9:00pm. Free.

Sun 29: Paul Skerritt @ Hibou Blanc, Newcastle. 2:00pm. Free. Vocalist Skerritt working with backing tapes.
Sun 29: Alexia Gardner Quintet @ The Globe, Newcastle. 8:00pm.

Mon 30: Harmony Brass @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Mon 30: Vieux Carré Jazzmen @ The Wheatsheaf, Benton Sq., Whitley Road, Palmersville NE12 9SU. Tel: 0191 266 8137. 1:00pm. Free.
Mon 30: Jason Isaacs @ STACK, Exchange Sq., Middlesbrough. 4:00-6:00pm. Free. Vocalist Isaacs working with backing tapes.

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

Wednesday, March 03, 2021

KSTV: Alec Harper Quartet - March 3


Alec Harper (tenor sax); Joe Webb (piano); Ferg Ireland (bass); Dave Archer (guitar).

(Screenshots by Ken Drew).

Another evening of choice tunes impeccably played by four of the finest. It was good to have Joe Webb back in town, he was perfect for tonight's mainstream set. But, having said that, they all were.

The absence of a drummer led to a more relaxed feel that, nevertheless, swung along nicely.

Blue Lou; Moonglow and Dear Old Stockholm had solos all round each one complementing (and complimenting) the previous one. Surprisingly, Harper sat out Don Byas' Chica-Boom Blues leaving it to the trio who worked it well.

Alec returned for an absolutely delightful Early Autumn - reminiscent of Stan Getz's solo on Ralph Burns' Summer Sequence suite that he wrote for Woody Herman back when I was struggling to make the square on the hypotenuse equal to the sum of the squares of the other two sides. I eventually sussed it but, from that day on, I never had occasion to put that hard won knowledge into practice - maybe tomorrow ...

I digress. 

A medium tempo I Got it Bad which, in this case, was very good followed by a luscious Polka Dots and Moonbeams - bring on the pug-nosed dreams - and Limehouse Blues which isn't a blues at all but swung as hard as if it was.

The show ended with Body and Soul. Harper in Hawkins mode, Archer the epitome of classy guitar playing. Joe Webb, in the course of his solo either discovered the lost chord or made it apparent that the piano needs tuning - again!

Still a super set. My apologies for not mentioning Ferg. He's just so sound and dependable. The Jazz Police have long been searching for one of his wrong notes - they ain't found one yet and I guess they never will.
Lance

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