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Bebop Spoken There

Art Blakey: "You [Bobby Watson] don't want to play too long, because you don't know they're clapping because they're glad you finished!" - (JazzTimes, Nov. 2019)..

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

15867 (and counting) posts since we started blogging 15 years ago. 874 of them this year alone and, so far, 72 this month (Sept. 25).

From This Moment On ...

September

Sat 30: John Pope Quintet + Late Girl + Shapeshifters @ Bobik's, Jesmond, Newcastle.
Sat 30: Papa G's Troves @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 8:00pm. A 'Jar on the Bar' gig.

OCTOBER

Sun 01: Smokin' Spitfires @ The Cluny, Newcastle. 12:45pm.
Sun 01: Dulcie May Moreno sings Portrait of Sheila @ Central Bar, Gateshead. 2:00pm. £10.00. Moreno sings Sheila Jordan with Giles Strong, Mick Shoulder & John Bradford.
Sun 01: Middlesbrough Jazz & Blues Orchestra @ Saltburn Community Hall. 2:00pm.
Sun 01: The Easy Rollers @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 7:00pm. £13.70., £11.55.
Sun 01: Brand/Roberts/Champion/Sanders @ Blank Studios, Newcastle. 8:00pm. A Newcastle Festival of Jazz & Improvised Music event.
Sun 01: Papa G's Troves @ The Globe, Newcastle. 8:00pm.

Mon 02: Harmony Brass @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm.
Mon 02: FILM: Wattstax; 50th Anniversary @ Forum Cinema, Hexham. 8:00pm.

Tue 03: Paul Skerritt @ The Rabbit Hole, Hallgarth St., Durham DH1 3AT. 7:00pm. Paul Skerritt's (solo) weekly residency.
Tue 03: Jam session @ The Black Swan, Newcastle. 7:30pm. House trio: Michael Young (piano); Paul Grainger (double bass); Sid White (drums). CANCELLED!

Wed 04: Vieux Carré Jazzmen @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm.
Wed 04: Darlington Big Band @ Darlington & Simpson Rolling Mills Social Club, Darlington. 7:00pm. Rehearsal session (open to the public).
Wed 04: Paul Skerritt @ Vespa Italian Bar & Steakhouse, Primrose Hill, Jarrow. From 7:00pm. To book a table - 0191 483 3355.
Wed 04: Take it to the Bridge @ The Globe, Newcastle. 7:30pm.

Thu 05: Vieux Carré Jazzmen @ The Holystone, Whitley Road, North Tyneside. 1:00pm. Free.
Thu 05: Sound the Trumpets @ King's Hall, Newcastle University. 1:15pm. Free.
Thu 05: Hot Club du Nord @ The Lubetkin Theatre, Peterlee. 7:00pm. £10.00. POSTPONED!
Thu 05: Thursday Night Prayer Meeting @ The Globe, Newcastle. 7:30pm.
Thu 05: Tommy Bentz Trio + Mark Croft Duo + George Shovlin & George Lamb @ The Harbour View, Sunderland. 8:00pm. Free. Harbour View Speakeasy's USA blues double bill + Shovlin & Lamb!
Thu 05: Merlin Roxby @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 8:00pm. Ragtime piano. A 'Jar on the Bar' gig.
Thu 05: Tees Hot Club @ Dorman's Club, Middlesbrough. 9:00pm.

Fri 06: Alcyona Mick @ Lit & Phil, Newcastle. 1:00pm. A Newcastle Festival of Jazz & Improvised Music event.
Fri 06: Classic Swing @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm.
Fri 06: New Orleans Preservation Jazz Band @ Oxbridge Hotel, Stockton. 1:00pm. £5.00.
Fri 06: Rendezvous Jazz @ The Monkseaton Arms, Monkseaton. 1:00pm.
Fri 06: WORKSHOP: Philosophy of Arts & Entertainment @ Lit & Phil, Newcastle. 2:00pm. A Newcastle Festival of Jazz & Improvised Music event.
Fri 06: Balo @ Lit & Phil, Newcastle. 6:20pm. A Newcastle Festival of Jazz & Improvised Music event.
Fri 06: Paul Skerritt @ 3Sixty Champagne Lounge, Hadrian’s Tower, Newcastle. From 7:00pm. To book a table - 0191 933 8591.
Fri 06: Lexer/Mayes/Noble + Semay Wu + Miman @ Lit & Phil, Newcastle. 7:20pm. A Newcastle Festival of Jazz & Improvised Music event.
Fri 06: Dulcie May Moreno @ The Vault, Hexham. 7:30pm. £20.00. Book in advance. Moreno with Alan Law, Paul Grainger & John Bradford.
Fri 06: Dean Stockdale Quartet @ Saltburn Community Hall. 7:30pm. 'Celebrating Oscar'.
Fri 06: Nu Brass Sounds: Big Brass Bash @ Billy Bootlegger’s, Newcastle. 8:00pm. Free.
Fri 06: TBC @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 8:00pm. Blind Pig Blues Club. A 'Jar on the Bar' gig.

Monday, June 28, 2021

Sunday Night @ The Globe: Noel Dennis Trio - June 27

(Screenshot by Ken Drew)
Noel Dennis (trumpet, flugel); Paul Edis (piano); Andy Champion (bass)

It was back in the pre-blog days, at those fondly cherished Monday night sessions at the Side Café down by Newcastle Quayside, that I first encountered these three rather special musicians.

Since then, individually, they've lost weight, gained weight, lost hair, gained hair and, more importantly, achieved a standard that places them on a par with anyone, anywhere. A strong statement you might think but those who were present last night either in person or online would find it hard to disagree with.

(Collage by Ken Drew)
Opening safely, Dennis' unaccompanied introduction on flugel dared anyone to drop a pin. The mellifluous sound befitted the title - Beautiful Love. A switch to trumpet and a more biting attack on Joe Henderson's Recorda Me.

So far, so good but it was their take on Blue on Green from everybody's favourite album by Miles - A Kind of Blue - where it all really kicked off. Tightly muted trumpet, piano, bass then open horn and a fairly freeish finale.

If you're bold enough to play a Mingus number such as Nostalgia in Times Square then you need a bass player who can handle it. Andy Champion handled it as if Mingus himself had threatened him by saying that he'd better git it in his soul - he did git it in his soul! Edis also had it in his soul with another stirring solo before Dennis brought us up to the interval with some impressive half-valving.

The break which, incidentally, several of the livestreamers told me they considered it to be too long nevertheless gave me an opportunity to catch up with friends old and new in a socially distanced manner of course - my elbows are sore!

Back to the music and Love For Sale some nice block chords from Paul Edis. For me, the epitome of a good piano solo is the use of some well-chosen block chords - these were well chosen.

All Blues has become for bass players what High Society is for trad clarinet players - an essential part of their repertoire. For Andy Champion, falling off a log is difficult by comparision! 

Knowing Noel Dennis' affinity with the music of Tom Harrell it was inevitable the American trumpet ace wouldn't be overlooked and he wasn't - lyrical trumpet-playing on Moon Alley.*

Bus time was approaching but, when Noel announced the 'last number' as being Charlie Parker's Au Privave I decided I'd get the later bus! It was a wise decision as all three hit paydirt. Edis again going for gold, Dennis more like Freddie Hubbard or Lee Morgan as opposed to the Chet Baker influence of his early days and an arco bass solo from Andy that was just champion!

The audience clamoured for more and they got it with a nicely measured version of Stella by Starlight.

A lovely finish and, to make it even more perfect (if it is possible to be more perfect!) I caught the later bus with 2 minutes to spare. Lance

*Noel and Andy also appear on Zoë Gilby's recent album Aurora which has Zoë singing her own lyrics to a selection off Tom Harrell compositions.

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