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Bebop Spoken There

Billy Boy Arnold: “As long as you don't think old you're good.” - DownBeat, December, 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!"

Simon Spillett: A lovely review from the dean of jazz bloggers, Lance Liddle...

Postage

16051 (and counting) posts since we started blogging 15 years ago. 1058 of them this year alone and, so far, 12 this month (Dec. 6).

From This Moment On ...

December

Wed 06: Vieux Carré Jazzmen @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Wed 06: Darlington Big Band @ Darlington & Simpson Rolling Mills Social Club, Darlington. 8:00pm. Free. Note later start time, concert performance (open to the public).
Wed 06: Take it to the Bridge @ The Globe, Newcastle. 7:30pm.

Thu 07: Vieux Carré Jazzmen @ The Holystone, Whitley Road, North Tyneside. 1:00pm. Free CANCELLED!
Thu 07: Vieux Carré Hot 4 @ Spanish City, Whitley Bay, Newcastle. 12 noon - 4:00pm. £26.00 (inc 3-course meal in in St Mary's Lighthouse Suite). SOLD OUT!
Thu 07: Gateshead Jazz Appreciation Society @ Gateshead Central Library, Gateshead. 2:30pm. All welcome.
Thu 07: Thursday Night Prayer Meeting @ The Globe, Newcastle. 7:30pm.Donations. Feat. Mark Sanders. CANCELLED!
Thu 07: Indigo Jazz Voices @ The Globe, Newcastle. 7:45pm. £5.00. Downstairs. CANCELLED!
Thu 07: Tees Hot Club: Just Friends @ Dorman’s Club, Middlesbrough. Guest band night w. Richie Emmerson, Ian Bosworth, Dave Archbold, Ron Smith, Mark Hawkins. 9:00pm.

Fri 08: Classic Swing @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm.
Fri 08: New Orleans Preservation Jazz Band @ Oxbridge Hotel, Stockton. 1:00pm. £5.00.
Fri 08: Rendezvous Jazz @ The Monkseaton Arms, Monkseaton. 1:00pm.
Fri 08: Giles Strong Quartet @ The Old Library, Auckland Castle. 1:00pm. £7.00.
Fri 08: Hayley's Little Big Band @ Woodland Village Hall, Bishop Auckland. 7:00pm. £12.00.
Fri 08: Sleep Suppressor + Redwell @ Head of Steam, Neville St., Newcastle. 8:00pm. £10.00. (£8.00. adv); £5.00. student.
Fri 08: Hot Club du Nord @ St Cuthbert's Church, Shadforth, Co. Durham.
Fri 08: Têtes de Pois + Nauta @ Cobalt Studios, Newcastle. 8:00pm. £12.00., £8.00.

Sat 09: Prudhoe Community Band @ Central Station, Newcastle. 10:00am - 12 noon. Charity fundraiser.
Sat 09: Durham Alumni Big Band @ Number One Bar, Skinnergate, Darlington. 1:00pm.
Sat 09: Castillo Nuevo Trio @ Revoluçion de Cuba, Newcastle. 5:30pm. Free.
Sat 09: Hayley's Little Big Band @ Middleton & Todridge Village Hall, Morpeth. 7:30pm. £12.00., £6.00.
Sat 09: Paul Skerritt @ Slaley Hall, Hexham NE47 0BX. 7:30pm. From £42.00.

Sun 10: Musicians Unlimited’s Xmas Party with Zoe Gilby Quartet @ Park Inn, Hartlepool. MU 1:00-3:00pm; Zoë Gilby Quartet 4:00-6:00pm. Tickets: £7.50.
Sun 10: Alan Law, Paul Grainger & Abbie Finn @ Darlington Market, Market Square, Darlington. 1:00pm. Free. A ‘Christmas Market’ outdoor gig. Wrap up warm!
Sun 10: Am Jam @ The Globe, Newcastle. 2:00-4:00pm. Free.
Sun 10: Funk Soul Sista @ Stack, Seaburn. 5:00-7:00pm. Free.
Sun 10: Beth Clarke @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 7:00pm. Free. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig.
Sun 10: Hayley's Little Big Band @ Whittingham Memorial Institute, Alnwick. 7:30pm. £12.00., £10.00.
Sun 10: Tele-Port @ The Globe, Newcastle. 8:00pm. Line-up inc. Zhenya Strigalev.

Mon 11: Harmony Brass @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Mon 11: Interim Final Recitals @ Newcastle University. Details TBC.

Tue 12: Stu Collingwood Organ Trio @ Forum Music Centre, Darlington. 7:00pm. £10.00.

Monday, May 24, 2021

Dean Stockdale Trio live @ the Globe - May 23

Dean Stockdale (piano); Mick Shoulder (bass); Abbie Finn (drums).

The first live jazz gig at the Globe this year was a well-deserved sell out. However, it was noted that the online viewers were down so it could be a win some you lose some situation. Not your usual one hour livestream but 2 x 45 minute sets that maybe overran.

Not that I'm complaining although it did present me with a problem - a bus to catch, a cat to feed and a review to write. This meant I missed the last couple of numbers although, no doubt they will be made known to me by my worthy constituent Russell before the night is o'er. 

Now, ordinarily, I'm the guy who groans when the word original is announced. Usually because they aren't original or else,  because they are, unfortunately, original!

Tonight, however, was the exception that proved the rule as, mixed in with the standards were some of Dean's own compositions from his recently released album - Promise the Moon.

First Light was absolutely compelling. Floating delicately over a 3/4 rhythm with some piano/bass fugue-like passages it brought to mind those old Jacques Loussier recordings and there wasn't a cigar in sight apart from the traditional award for a winning performance. All three deserved a case of Havana's finest (theoretically speaking that is as I doubt if they would thank you for such a prize but you know what I mean!)

Mia's Lullaby was composed by Dean with his partner's daughter in mind and this sensitive piece I'm sure had everyone sighing and saying "aaah" mentally, if not audibly. I certainly was although maybe I'm just an old sentimentalist...

Needless to say, the standards, almost broached upon the definitive apart from the arrangement of They Can't Take That Away From Me which didn't quite work for me. One that did work was In a Sentimental Mood even though I quivered when I saw that the drum part alone covered four pages. My misgivings were soon dispelled. Done over a soft Latin rhythm it was as good a version of my favourite Ellington tune as I've heard in many a long year.

Earlier we'd had Witchcraft; Like Someone in Love; On the Sunny Side of the Street; Moon River and a super swingy version of It Could Happen to You.

Credit to all three although Abbie's drums tended to be a bit overpowering at first but that could have been due to me having been away from live gigs for so long that it took my ears time to adjust to the difference between a livestream where you can control the volume as opposed to a gig where you can't. It all evened itself out so no complaints.

Mick Shoulder soloed and supported and some of his solos tonight were near enough as good as it gets. If he's good enough for Dean Stockdale then ...

Great gig, I didn't miss my bus but I did miss Kelly's Blues and Hymn to Freedom (both Oscar Peterson numbers) and the inevitable encore which, on this occasion, was Joy Spring.

Talking of encores, when the crowd are baying "More, More" it all always makes me think of the Romans feeding the Christians and runaway slaves to the the lions (damnatio ad bestias) and, after they'd ran out of slaves and Christians, the spettori would yell out "più, più".
Lance

2 comments :

DJM said...

Ha ha Piu più più !!! Nice review!

Brian shine said...

It was great to be back at a live jazz gig and to see so many faces I know, Dean Stockdale trio did the first jazz gig justice with some wonderful ballads, well played.

BRIAN SHINE

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