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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

Sun 10: Musicians Unlimited’s Xmas Party with Zoë 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.

Wed 13: Vieux Carré Jazzmen @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Wed 13: Darlington Big Band @ Darlington & Simpson Rolling Mills Social Club, Darlington. 7:00pm. Free. Rehearsal session (open to the public).
Wed 13: Take it to the Bridge @ The Globe, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free.
Wed 13: Bold Big Band @ Cluny 2, Newcastle. 7:30pm.
Wed 13: Giles Strong Quartet @ Alphabetti Theatre, Newcastle. 7:30pm.

Thu 14: Vieux Carré Jazzmen @ The Holystone, Whitley Road, North Tyneside. 1:00pm. Free.
Thu 14: Hot Fingers @ The Lubetkin Theatre, Peterlee. 7:00pm. £10.00.
Thu 14: After Hours Student Jazz Jam @ The Globe, Newcastle. 8:00pm. Free.
Thu 14: Merlin Roxby @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 8:00pm. . Free. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig.
Thu 14: Niffi Osiyemi Trio @ Harbour View, Sunderland. 8:00pm. Free.
Thu 14: Mo Scott ‘Little Mo’s Festive Appearance’ @ The Schooner, Gateshead. 8:00pm. Free.
Thu 14: Tees Hot Club w. Kevin Eland, Josh Bentham, Garry Hadfield, Adrian Beadnell @ Dorman’s Club, Middlesbrough. 9:00pm.

Fri 15: Paul Edis @ Lit & Phil, Newcastle. 1:00pm. SOLD OUT!
Fri 15: Classic Swing @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 15: New Orleans Preservation Jazz Band @ Oxbridge Hotel, Stockton. 1:00pm. £5.00.
Fri 15: Rendezvous Jazz @ The Monkseaton Arms, Monkseaton. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 15: Paul Skerritt @ Black Horse Inn, Crook. From 7:00pm.
Fri 15: Paul Edis: A Jazzy Christmas @ St Cuhtbert's Centre, Crook. 7:30pm. £15.00. SOLD OUT! Waiting list open.
Fri 15: Zoë Gilby Trio @ Seventeen Nineteen, Hendon, Sunderland. 7:30pm. £12.00. POSTPONED!
Fri 15: Strictly Smokin' Big Band @ Gosforth Civic Theatre, Newcastle. 8:00pm. First night of two.
Fri 15: Darlington Big Band @ Traveller’s Rest, Darlington. 8:00pm. £10.00. Opus 4 Jazz Club.
Fri 15: Baghdaddies @ Cobalt Studios, Newcastle. 8:00pm. £14.00.; £10.00.

Sat 16: Paul Edis: A Jazzy Christmas @ Sage Gateshead. 2:00pm. A Jazzy Christmas + Jambone.
Sat 16: Porritt & Barrett & Friends Xmas Special @ Cullercoats Watch House. 7:00pm. £4.00.
Sat 16: Milne-Glendinning Band @ The Vault, Darlington. 7:00pm. Free.
Sat 16: Red Kites Jazz Band @ The Staithes Café, Gateshead. 7:00pm--9:00pm.
Sat 16: Hayley's Little Big Band @ Ellingham Village Hall, Chathill. 7:30pm. £12.00., £8.00.
Sat 16: Paul Edis: A Jazzy Christmas @ Sage Gateshead. 8:00pm.
Sat 16: Strictly Smokin' Big Band @ Gosforth Civic Theatre, Newcastle. 8:00pm. Second night of two.

Monday, May 31, 2021

R.I.P Colin Haikney

(Archive photo)
Rarely a day goes by without a hero, a legend or just a fine musician leaving us.

Pianist Colin Haikney, who sadly passed away last night, was all of that and more. When someone dies it's, seemingly, obligatory to say what a great musician he was, his dry sense of humour, a true gentleman - in fact  everything but the truth!

Fortunately however, in Colin's case all those attributes are very much true and if there was ever a poll to find a musician who ticked all of those boxes then Colin Haikney would be up there in the frame.

In a career that covered the whole scene from dance bands, cruises, clubs, jazz groups, big bands and, most recently, Classic Swing, Colin was the man. 

Until the pandemic did what the Luftwaffe couldn't do, Classic Swing held court at Ye Olde Ship pub in Monkseaton, Colin remained in the background until the spotlight was on him which was when the audience realised that this was not just another piano player! 

Let's hope that Classic Swing will be back soon although whoever takes over at the keyboard will have some mighty big boots to fill.

RIP Colin Haikney. As another pianist frequently said - We Love You Madly. Lance

5 comments :

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

Sorry to hear this Lance

Dave Kerr said...

Colin was an outstanding pianist and I heard of his reputation years ago being extolled by Perter Gascoyne and Scotty Adair amongst others. It was only recently when he played with the New Century Ragtime Orchestra that I got to know him. Don Fairly suggested him to us
saying "He never makes a mistake!" I found him a very likable and witty man
he was a tower of strength at band rehearsals a true professional.

Classic Swing said...

"We were very sad to hear about Colin's death on Monday. He'd had a very successful career in music and was still playing into his eighties, before his health issues took priority, he's had a tough time of late. We've been so fortunate to have had Colin on Keys in "Classic Swing", he was such talented guy and a great accompanist as well as being a nice guy, with a great sense of humour, he will be a great miss on the North East music scene.
Our resident sax player/composer/arranger Tommy Moran wrote a composition dedicated to Colin, and called it "The Masters Magic", and that title just about sums up how highly we regarded him! Tommy also wrote a second composition for Colin, "The Master Returns", as we were half expecting Colin to return to the band if his health allowed. Sadly that's not going to be the case now, although Tommy did get to play his composition to Colin over the telephone!

Greatly missed! RIP Colin.

Roly said...

Such sad news. Colin played at Blaydon quite a few times over the years and it was always a privilege to have him. A lovely person and a complete master musician.

Mike Carton said...

With sadness I learned just a few days ago from Tommy Moran , of Colin's passing . News of the North East jazz scene travels slowly to Pennsylvania USA where I'm based these days/daze .
Colin and I shared the stage infrequently , but I remember he was the consummate pianist in any ensemble we were in at any particular time .
BUT , there is a subtle but important distinction between a musician and an instrumentalist Colin brought this home to me only once - Rick Taylor and I asked him to join " Collaboration " that short-lived maniacal outfit in the '80s . The music was complex , challenging and ' different ' . After a couple of rehearsals Colin told Rick and I that he couldn't commit to the band . I will never forget his answer when we asked him why he had made that decision , an answer which highlights just how GREAT a musician he was . He said , ' Sorry lads , but I won't be able to do justice to the project " . How many of us have 'bluffed ' our way through a gig ? Well , Colin was above that . A musician of the first order . I regret that we shared the stage so infrequently during my time in the North East . I offer my belated condolences to Stuart and the family .

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