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Bebop Spoken There

Simon Spillett: “ Bebop and hard bop came naturally to him [Tubby Hayes]". Morning Star, March 28, 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

16287 (and counting) posts since we started blogging 16 years ago. 169 of them this year alone and, so far, 41 this month (Mar 18).

From This Moment On ...

March

Thu 28: Vieux Carré Jazzmen @ The Holystone, Whitley Road, North Tyneside. 1:00pm. Free.
Thu 28: Gateshead Jazz Appreciation Society @ Gateshead Central Library, Gateshead. 2:30pm.
Thu 28: Richard Herdman Quartet @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 8:00pm. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig.
Thu 28: Tees Hot Club @ Dorman’s Club, Middlesbrough. 8:30pm. Guests: Josh Bentham (alto sax); Alan Marshall (tenor sax); Neil Brodie (trumpet); Adrian Beadnell (bass); Graham Thompson (keys); Steve Hunter (drums).

Fri 29: FILM: Soul @ The Forum Cinema, Hexham. 12:30pm. Jazz-themed film animation.
Fri 29: Classic Swing @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 29: Rendezvous Jazz @ The Monkseaton Arms. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 29: New Orleans Preservation Jazz Band @ The Oxbridge Hotel, Stockton. 1:00pm. £5.00.
Fri 29: Abbie Finn Trio @ The Vault, Darlington. 6:00pm. Free. POSTPONED!
Fri 29: Thundercat @ Newcastle City Hall.
Fri 29: John Logan @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 8:00pm. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig.

Sat 30: Papa G’s Troves @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 8:00pm. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig.
Sat 30: Pete Tanton’s Cuba Libre @ Whitley Bay Library, York Road, Whitley Bay. 8:00pm.

Sun 31: 4B @ The Ticket Office, Whitley Bay Metro Station. 3:00pm. Free.
Sun 31: Ruth Lambert Trio @ Juke Shed, Union Quay, North Shields NE30 1HJ. 3:00pm. Free. Lambert, Alan Law & Paul Grainger.
Sun 31: Sid Jacobs & Tom Remon @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 7:00pm. Free. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig. USA/London jazz guitar duo.
Sun 31: Bellavana @ The Globe, Newcastle. 8:00pm.

April
Mon 01: Harmony Brass @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Mon 01: Ray Stubbs R&B All Stars @ Billy Bootlegger’s, Ouseburn, Newcastle. 3:00pm. Free.

Tue 02: Jam session @ The Black Swan, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free. House trio: Dean Stockdale, Paul Grainger, Abbie Finn.

Wed 03: Vieux Carré Jazzmen @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Wed 03: Darlington Big Band @ Darlington & Simpson Rolling Mills Social Club, Darlington. 7:00pm. Free. Rehearsal session (open to the public).
Wed 03: Take it to the Bridge @ The Globe, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free.

Thursday, March 25, 2021

KSTV: Playback session, "Louis Armstrong & Sidney Bechet" - March 25

(Screenshot by Ken Drew)
Giacomo Smith (soprano sax/clarinet); Pete Horsfall (trumpet/vocal); Dan Higham (trombone); Joe Webb (piano); Dave Archer (guitar).

He's back! Giacomo was given a rapturous welcome by the sidebar pundits after his lengthy sojourn in Saratoga. It was fully deserved.

(Screenshot by Lance)
The wonderful thing about Smitty's is that they can be playing Weather Report one night, Monk on another night, then, such as tonight, Louis Armstrong and Sidney Bechet.

Armstrong and Bechet didn't record together very often, their musical personalities were too individualistic to make for happy bedfellows. As Giacomo pointed out, at times the battle to assert themselves sometimes cancelled each other out but when it didn't they produced fireworks and those fireworks were reproduced tonight.

(Screenshot by Lance)
Cake Walking Babies From Home got things off to a flying start although the sound was a bit echoish initially. Strangely, the first time I heard this number it was by the late John Saxelby with Clem Avery's band at the New Orleans Club in Newcastle. It was only later that I actually heard it by Bechet (on record). Tonight wasn't competitive, just five guys doing what they enjoy doing and doing it well. 

I'm a Little Blackbird Looking for a Bluebird - they don't don't come up with song titles like that anymore - a lovely tune. Giacomo has certainly mastered the infamous (you either love it or hate it!) Bechet vibrato!

Giacomo switched to clarinet for the next couple: Perdido Street Blues and Squeeze me. I much prefer Squeeze me to Ellington's Just Squeeze me although they are both good tunes.

(Screenshot by Lance)
All five musicians were on form tonight, Pete complained of his lip not being in - it sounded well in to me! That's the thing about playing an instrument, the audience may be going wild but only the player knows if he's firing on all cylinders. Dan Higham slotted in nicely leaning more towards Teagarden than Ory and Dave Archer laid down the solid rhythm that a band without bass and drums needs.
(Screenshot by Lance)

Joe Webb was magic, as always, and his duet with Giacomo on Runnin' Wild was something else - it was well titled!

Other numbers were Kansas City Man Blues, Down in Honkytonk Town, Wildcat Blues and Everybody Loves my Baby. Pete took the vocal on the latter number - sounded good.

(Screenshot by Ken Drew)
Giacomo looked happy to be back - one thing is sure, he left the store in good hands. Just about everyone who played there in his absence is now a (jazz) household name!

Lance

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