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Bebop Spoken There

Ambrose Akinmusire: “ I am certainly always aware of what the masses are doing. And when I see too many people going one way, I'm going another way - even when I don't know what's over that way". DownBeat, March, 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

Tue 19: Jam session @ The Black Swan, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free. House trio: Michael Young, Paul Grainger, Tim Johnston.

Wed 20: Vieux Carré Jazzmen @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Wed 20: Darlington Big Band @ Darlington & Simpson Rolling Mills Social Club, Darlington. 7:00pm. Free. Rehearsal session (open to the public).
Wed 20: Take it to the Bridge @ The Globe, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free.

Thu 21: Vieux Carré Jazzmen @ The Holystone, Whitley Road, North Tyneside. 1:00pm. Free.
Thu 21: Castillo Neuvo Trio + Conor Emery & His ‘Bones Band @ The Grove, Ouseburn, Newcastle. 7:30pm (7:00pm doors). £10.00. (£7.00. student).
Thu 21: Remi Banklyn + Chris Corcoran Trio @ The Globe, Newcastle. 8:00pm. £12.50. Chicago blues. An International Guitar Foundation promotion.
Thu 21: Merlin Roxby @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 8:00pm. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig. Ragtime piano.
Thu 21: Tees Hot Club @ Dorman’s Club, Middlesbrough. 8:30pm.

Fri 22: Vasilis Xenopoulos & Paul Edis @ The Gala, Durham. 1:00pm. £8.00. SOLD OUT!
Fri 22: Classic Swing @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 22: Rendezvous Jazz @ The Monkseaton Arms. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 22: New Orleans Preservation Jazz Band @ The Oxbridge Hotel, Stockton. 1:00pm. £5.00.
Fri 22: Nauta + Remy CB + Last Orders @ Hoochie Coochie, Newcastle. 8:30pm (7:30pm doors). Free.
Fri 22: Vasilis Xenopoulos-Paul Edis Quartet @ Traveller’s Rest, Darlington. 8:00pm. £15.00. Opus 4 Jazz Club.
Fri 22: Redwell @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 8:00pm. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig.

Sat 23: Jambone @ The Glasshouse, Gateshead. 6:30pm. Free (ticketed). End of term performance in the Northern Rock Foundation Hall.
Sat 23: Milne-Glendinning Band @ The Vault, Darlington. 7:00pm. Free.
Sat 23: Red Kites Jazz @ Rowlands Gill Community Centre NE39 1JB. 7:00pm. Tickets: £12.00. (gibsidecommunityfarm@gmail.com). A ‘Build a Barn’ fundraiser. BYOB, tea/coffee available.
Sat 23: New Century Ragtime Orchestra @ Gosforth Civic Theatre, Newcastle. 7:30pm. £20.00. + bf (book in person at venue - no booking fee!). Featuring pianist Martin Litton.
Sat 23: Pete Tanton’s Cuba Libre @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 8:00pm. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig.

Sun 24: Musicians Unlimited @ Park Inn, Hartlepool. 1:00pm. Free.
Sun 24: More Jam @ The Globe, Newcastle. 2:30pm. Free.
Sun 24: Luis Verde @ Queen’s Hall, Hexham. 3:00pm. Verde (alto sax); Joe Steels (guitar); John Pope (double bass); John Hirst (drums). Alto sax brilliance!
Sun 24: Elsie Franklin @ The Globe, Newcastle. 3:00pm. £10.00. Country blues. An International Guitar Foundation promotion.
Sun 24: 4B @ The Ticket Office, Whitley Bay Metro Station. 3:00pm. Free.
Sun 24: Las Vegas Live with the Rat Pack @ The Forum, Billingham.
Sun 24: Ian Millar & Dominic Spencer @ Otterburn Memorial Hall. 7:30pm. £12.00.
Sun 24: Lindsay Hannon: Tom Waits for No Man @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 7:00pm. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig. Note start time - 7:00pm.
Sun 24: Bold Big Band @ The Globe, Newcastle. 8:00pm.

Mon 25: Harmony Brass @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Mon 25: Michael Young Trio @ The Engine Room, Sunderland. 6:30pm. Free.

Sunday, April 11, 2021

Ten underrated jazz musicians by Mike Farmer - Part One.

1. Sonny Red (1932-1981). Somewhat overshadowed by his fellow alto players Sonny Stitt and Sonny Criss he made some fine records under his own name and as a sideman. He spent his early days in Detroit playing with Barry Harris, Donald Byrd and other musicians who were influenced by the great Charlie Parker. Check out his work on Jazzland LP A Story Tale in which he is  joined by Clifford Jordan on tenor. Red’s was born Sylvester Kyner Jnr and died too young age 48.

2. Don Menza  (b 1936). I first heard Don Menza at Manchester’s Club 43 sitting in with the Dick Morrisey Quartet and I’ve been a fan ever since. He played a fantastic solo on Just Friends that night that made me seek out his records. One LP that I once had and that I  have been trying to replace is Louis Bellson’s Live at Joe Segal’s Jazz Showcase which has Menza in blistering form with wonderful solos from Larry Novak on piano. Another LP I like is Morning Song on MPS which has a larger ensemble.  Two years ago I saw Don in Frankfurt’s Jazzkeller over two nights and he is still amazing with a huge sound that filled the room.

3. Lanny Morgan (b 1934). Born in Iowa  but spent his early years playing in big bands such as Charlie Barnet, Terry Gibbs etc. Then came army service in Germany. He made many recordings with Maynard Ferguson in the sixties and when the big band scene faded he played in small groups at  home and abroad   A good example of his fiery alto work is to be found on The Lanny Morgan Quartet VSOP CD.

4. Ian Hamer (1932-2006. Born in Liverpool to a musical family he moved to London in 1953 playing in the Tubby Hayes Octet and in the sixties during the big band era playing trumpet or flugelhorn in the bands of Ted Heath, Harry South and Jack Parnell. He did numerous studio dates with singers, pop groups etc. then moved in 1987 to Brighton where he ran the Sussex Jazz Orchestra and did gigs with various musicians in that area. I saw Hamer’s quintet at the Lift Club with Alan Skidmore on tenor and my old friend Pete Saberton on piano and it was a great night of hard-bop!

Mike Farmer

3 comments :

Lance said...

Hey Mike, that brings back the memories from when I used to hang out at The Flamingo. Remember Ian and his brother Stu. One of them, I can't remember which, blew a Gillespie style uptilted horn!

Roly said...

I first came across the great guitarist Bruce Forman on a Lanny Morgan vinyl album 'It's About Time'. With Lou Levy, Monty Budwig, Nick Ceroli, Don Rader. Great album and he sure is a great alto player.

Nick Gould said...

I was lucky enough to hear Don Menza playing at the Jazz Bar in Edinburgh. He had a great tone and played hard swinging music all night. I think I am right in saying he composed Groovin Hard which he played that night. A very memorable evening, he joined Bill Kyle and I for a chat at the end of the gig and told us some great stories.

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