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Bebop Spoken There

Abbie Finn: "Even though there's a lot of great work being done to promote women in jazz, I still come up against some attitudes! I pulled up at a recording session with my drums in the car and the studio owner said, 'I'm sorry, this space is reserved for the drummer!'" - (Jazzwise April 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!"

Postage

15229 (and counting) posts since we started blogging 15 years ago. 248 of them this year alone and, so far, 61 this month (March 20).

From This Moment On ...

March

Fri 24: Classic Swing @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm.
Fri 24: New Orleans Preservation Jazz Band @ Oxbridge Hotel, Stockton. 1:00pm. £5.00.
Fri 24: Rendezvous Jazz @ The Monkseaton Arms, Monkseaton. 1:00pm.
Fri 24: FILM: Mo' Better Blues @ Forum Cinema, Hexham. 7:00pm.
Fri 24: Ian Millar & Dominic Spencer @ Scarth Hall, Staindrop, Co. Durham. 8:00pm. £10.00.
Fri 24: Archipelago + Bulbils @ Cobalt Studios, Newcastle. 7:00pm.

Sat 25: Vermont Big Band @ Walker Community Centre, Walker, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Fundraiser for Benfield Juniours Football Club. Hot food available, BYOB.
Sat 25: John Logan & Friends @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 8:00pm. Rat Pack, Motown etc. 8:00pm. Free (donations).

Sun 26: Musicians Unlimited @ Park Inn, Hartlepool. 1:00pm.
Sun 26: More Jam @ The Globe, Newcastle. 3:00pm. Free.
Sun 26: 4B @ The Exchange, North Shields. 3:00pm.
Sun 26: Outlines @ The Globe, Newcastle. 8:00pm. JNE promotion (upstairs).

Mon 27: Harmony Brass @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm.

Tue 28: Paul Skerritt @ The Rabbit Hole, Hallgarth St., Durham DH1 3AT. 7:00pm. Paul Skerritt's (solo) weekly residency.
Tue 28: Sanaz Lavasani Trio @ Black Swan, Newcastle Arts Centre. 8:00pm. £12.00 (£10.00. adv).

Wed 29: Vieux Carré Jazzmen @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm.
Wed 29: Darlington Big Band @ Darlington & Simpson Rolling Mills Social Club, Darlington. 7:00pm. Rehearsal session (open to the public).
Wed 29: 4B @ The Exchange, North Shields. 7:00pm.
Wed 29: Take it to the Bridge @ The Globe, Newcastle. 7:30pm.

Thu 30: Gateshead Jazz Appreciation Society @ Gateshead Central Library. 2:30-4:30pm. £2.00. All welcome.
Thu 30: Vieux Carré Jazzmen @ The Holystone, Whitley Road, North Tyneside. Back to 1:00pm stomp off. Free.
Thu 30: '58 Jazz Collective @ Hops & Cheese, Hartlepool. 7:30pm. Free.
Thu 30: Lindsay Hannon: Tom Waits for No Man @ Harbour View, Sunderland. 8:00pm.
Thu 30: Tees Hot Club @ Dorman's Club, Middlesbrough. 9:00pm.

Tuesday, May 11, 2021

Reminiscing in Tempo - That night in the Forge and Hammer.

Once upon a time, possibly around about 1960 there was a pub in Jarrow - The Forge and Hammer which, like so many pubs, is now long gone although the pub opposite, The Albion, is still braving the elements.

This story begins, as good mystery stories do, on a dark and stormy night. The late Jimmy McDowell and myself had ventured forth, braving the elements, knowing that local pianist, the late Ray Tones, would be doing his Erroll Garner impressions in the boozer.

This night he was playing out of his skull - he had to be - as will be revealed.

Back then, the River Tyne seemed to have a shipyard on every corner and, as such, also played host to famous cruise liners that popped in for an MOT or whatever it is that cruise liners pop in for.

One of those boats was The Queen of Bermuda who worked the Hamilton, Bermuda, - New York run.

This particular night some of the crew wandered in. One had a tenor sax, another, a trumpet, maybe there was a guitar, time dims the memory. However, the memory that time hadn't dimmed was the tenor player.

I think he was Jamaican, but possibly he wasn't, I didn't care if he was from Planet Mars all I could do was allow my jaw to drop and, not just to allow the ale to flow freely, but to take in what I was hearing.

The trumpet player was good, as was the guitarist and the guy who sang the blues - even Tones played at a level he'd maybe never ever top again but it was the tenor player who picked up the Havanas. I wish I'd gotten his name - maybe he went on to record for Blue Note or maybe he just died at sea.

I've often wondered if, somewhere, there is an archive listing the names of the musicians who worked on The Queen of Bermuda. Of course, maybe he was the ship's cook and just played jazz as a hobby. Either way he sure could cook!
Lance

Let's here about your jazz encounters. Tell us about those musicians you heard in a bar or busking on the street that you never heard of again - who knows...

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