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Bebop Spoken There

Steve Fishwick: “I can’t get behind the attitude that new is always somehow better than old” - Jazz Journal, April 15, 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!"

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

Postage

16034 (and counting) posts since we started blogging 15 years ago. 1041 of them this year alone and, so far, 73 this month (Nov. 27).

From This Moment On ...

December

Sun 03: Smokin’ Spitfires @ The Cluny, Newcastle. 12:30pm. £7.50.
Sun 03: The Central Bar Quartet @ Central Bar, Gateshead. 2:00pm. £10.00. The Central Bar Quartet plays Lou Donaldson’s Gravy Train. Featuring Jamie Toms.
Sun 03: Paul Skerritt @ Smith’s Arms, Carlton, Stockton-on-Tees. 7:00pm.
Sun 03: Johnny Hunter Quartet @ The Globe, Newcastle. 8:00pm.
Sun 03: Jam session @ The Schooner, Gateshead. 8:00pm. Free.

Mon 04: Harmony Brass @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm.
Mon 04: Northern Monkey Brass Band @ People’s Kitchen, Bath Lane, Newcastle. From 5:30pm. On-street gig supporting the work of the People’s Kitchen charity. Wrap up warm! Donate!
Mon 04: Michael Young Trio w Lindsay Hannon @ The Engine Room, Sunderland. 7:00pm. Free.
Mon 04: James Birkett Trio @ The Black Bull, Blaydon. 8:00pm. £8.00.
Mon 04: Durham University Jazz Orchestra + Durham University Big Band @ Durham Castle DH1 3RW. 8:30pm. £6.00.; £5.00. concs; £4.00. DSM. ‘Jazzy Christmas’.

Tue 05: Customs House Big Band @ All Saints Church, Cleadon. 7:00pm. Concert in the church hall. BYOB.
Tue 05: Jam session @ The Black Swan, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free. House trio: Michael Young, Paul Grainger, Sid White. The best free show in town!

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.
Thu 07: Indigo Jazz Voices @ The Globe, Newcastle. 7:45pm. £5.00. Downstairs.
Thu 07: Tees Hot Club @ Dorman’s Club, Middlesbrough. 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: 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: Castillo Nuevo Trio @ Revoluçion de Cuba, Newcastle. 5:30pm. Free.
Sat 09: Abbie Finn Trio @ Claypath Deli, Durham. 7:00pm.
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.

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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