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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.

Friday, May 28, 2021

Press release: The All Party Parliamentary Jazz Appreciation Group Announces A Review Of Jazz In England

The All Party Parliamentary Jazz Appreciation Group Announces A Review Of Jazz In England

Following an enforced delay due to the global pandemic and a year of unprecedented change, challenges, and specific hardships for working musicians, the All Party Jazz Appreciation Group (APPJAG) has commissioned a Review of Jazz in England.  The Review will be undertaken by APPJAG’s Secretary, Chris Hodgkins, and an expert advisory panel, chaired by musician and jazz educator Dr Kathy Dyson.

John Spellar MP and Lord Mann (Co-Chairs of APPJAG), and Alison Thewless MP and Chi Onwurah MP (Co-Vice Chairs of APPJAG), detail some of the review's objectives:

 

“It has been a tough year for jazz with many musicians and promoters falling through the cracks in terms of funding. APPJAG continues to put the case to the Department for Culture, Digital, Media and Sport to rectify this egregious state of affairs. Underpinning the review is the fact that jazz in England (and indeed across the UK) is “rich beyond the dreams of avarice” in terms of human resources: jazz musicians, composers, volunteer promoters, audiences, commercial promoters, educators, youth orchestras, jazz festivals, Arts Council England funded jazz National Portfolio Organisations, a growing service economy and jazz archives. But there are some vital issues that need addressing urgently; increased investment, frictionless touring in the EU, financial support for musicians and promoters who fell through the cracks in 2020/21 and a fair deal for musicians getting their music streamed. The objective of the Review of Jazz in England is to inform Government, funding bodies, potential sponsors, Parliament and to assist the jazz constituency in shaping an action plan for jazz in England.”

 

And Dr Kathy Dyson, Chair of the Advisory Panel of the Review of Jazz in England, comments:

 

“As a jazz musician and educator I am well aware of how hard a year it has been for jazz musicians, promoters, studios, technical staff, media and the jazz constituency at large. Realistically, recovery will be slow on the domestic scene and our touring capabilities will be hampered both by Brexit and the myriad quarantine and travel issues globally. This current situation is exacerbated by ten years of funding cuts which have dramatically affected the arts and now the Government is planning to impose a disastrous 50% funding cut to arts subjects including music at Higher Education level in England. The pandemic has thrown petrol on flames and highlighted issues of insecurity, low wages and exploitation of musicians by the music streaming companies. This Review of Jazz in England is a genuine and concerted attempt by people who care deeply about the music, musicians and all  involved in promoting it, to find out how the jazz community has fared during the pandemic, what the main issues are that we face now; how these can best be addressed during the post Covid period with the aim of an  action plan for the  jazz community in England.” 

 

Teesside University Business School is partnering the Review of Jazz in England, and Associate Dean (Marketing & Recruitment) Dr Noel Dennis, writes:

 

“Teesside University Business School is proud to support the Review of Jazz in England. This is a very timely project that will provide the analysis to allow for fresh strategic thinking to ensure a sustainable future for this wonderful music. I am delighted our students are being afforded the opportunity to contribute to this exciting project and, in so doing, develop their professional skills.” 

 

Chris Hodgkins summarises the review's objectives:

This review concerns the operation, management and business of jazz, and its purposes are twofold:

One, to help  the jazz constituency in England to understand and use its resources in the most efficient and effective ways -  and two, to make the case for improving the support, sustainability and promotion of jazz in England.

The review will be undertaken in two phases. The first, entitled "Where are we now?", examines the present state of jazz in England, drawing on revealing data from five key surveys aimed at the jazz constituency. The second asks the question: "Where do we want to be?", and develops a succinct action plan for jazz in England that will go out for consultation to all interested parties, and the jazz constituency at large.'

Full details and briefing papers - 'Cold Comfort and Home Truths' – Terms of reference, the composition of the Advisory Panel, and five questionnaires dealing with promoters and venues, musicians, jazz festivals, audiences plus individuals and organisations are available at: Review of Jazz in England  The closing date for the questionnaires is midnight, Monday 28th June 2021.

2 comments :

Anonymous said...

I confidently predict that this report will conclude two things:
1. That Jazz should get more funding from Arts Council England - it will include lots of statistical evidence to prove why this is true. ACE will respond by saying how they give lots of money to jazz!
2. That there should be a National organisation for jazz (despite the last attempt at this having been a miserable failure)

Those have been the conclusions of the previous reports from the same person, and I doubt this will be any different despite the stellar advisory group

Chris Hodgkins said...

This is disappointing to read especially as the person concerned hides behind anonymity.

I suggest the person looks at the terms of reference. The end result of this review is an action plan that will be placed out for consultation to the jazz community at large for them to debate, accept or revise so that they own it.

I also expect that the national organisation you are referring to is Jazz Services. Jazz Services did a lot of good work and you can see annual reports on my website. Like a lot of organisations it ran into problems. But I would not call it a miserable failure its record of good work is there.

Instead of sniping from the sidelines why don't you get behind the review and help shape the action plan.

Chris Hodgkins

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