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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

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.
Mar 26: Pop Jazz @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 8:00pm. 'Jazzified' tunes by the likes of Sylvester, Bowie, the Monkees etc., feat. Alan Law, David Gray, Richard Herdman & Jude Murphy.
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.

Fri 31: Lewis Watson Quartet @ Bishop Auckland Town Hall. 1:00pm. SOLD OUT!
Fri 31: Classic Swing @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm.
Fri 31: New Orleans Preservation Jazz Band @ Oxbridge Hotel, Stockton. 1:00pm. £5.00.
Fri 31: Rendezvous Jazz @ The Monkseaton Arms, Monkseaton. 1:00pm. CANCELLED! Back next week (April 7).
Fri 31: Jasmine Myra + Waclaw Zimpel @ Cobalt Studios, Newcastle. 7:00pm.
Fri 31: The Revolutionaires @ The Shack, Boldon Colliery. 7:30pm. £10.00. The Revolutionaires' big band (horn section) line-up.
Fri 31: Andrew McCormack @ Maltings, Berwick. 8:00pm. £20.00.

Thursday, August 26, 2021

Beryl Bryden in Saltburn

On a recent visit to Saltburn Arts to catch the second of Joe Webb's two 'Art of Tatum' gigs in a day, your correspondent was alerted to an exhibition of drawings by Beryl Bryden in Saltburn Arts' bar. What's that? Beryl Bryden, skiffle era washboard ace, a visual artist? It seems few, if any, of those present were aware of Bryden's accomplishments as a portrait artist. 

Bryden's drawings on show in Saltburn are of some of the biggest names in jazz and blues. Something like twenty framed works occupy the walls of the bar and in the corridor leading to the venue's theatre space. Bryden's subjects range from George Lewis to Clarence Williams to Bessie Smith and Ella Fitzgerald. The photo shows Billie Holiday and Coleman Hawkins. 

So, how did Saltburn Arts acquire Bryden's portraits?

It's all down to one of Saltburn Arts' regular supporters inheriting the collection - quite how the family member came by them isn't entirely clear! - and subsequently gifting the works to one of Saltburn Jazz Club's long serving organisers. And here they are, on show in Saltburn! The exhibition runs for a little while yet. If you're tempted to visit Saltburn to view the exhibition it would be advisable to telephone ahead to confirm the opening hours - 01287 284025. 


As luck would have it, less than forty eight hours after the trip to Saltburn your correspondent was in London. So, with a couple of hours to kill before heading to Ronnie Scott's, it seemed like a good idea to catch an underground train to Paddington to find - and discreetly photograph - the house in which Beryl Bryden lived for a number of years. The photos show 166 Gloucester Terrace and the street sign, all of two minutes' walk from Paddington Station. Imagine how many British, possibly American, musicians called round for a cuppa! 

The photo of Beryl Bryden was taken at the 1982 Breda Jazz Festival by BSH Editor-in-Chief, LL. Russell

2 comments :

Lance said...

This exhibition should be toured. It's of historical interest as a reminder that. Ottilie notwithstanding, Beryl was arguably the best female jazz/blues singer of her era. I well remember that open air 1982 session in Breda. I think Beryl was there on spec as her name doesn't appear on the programme but she appeared with several bands and, at the time of the photo, was singing West End Blues with the Guy Lafitte Quartet (I made notes on the programme!)
This was, I think, the year when the River City Jazzmen were top band and Stan Martin clicked for the Best Instrumentalist gong.
Beryl would have been 100 in May 2020. She should have been remembered.
As a whimsical, totally irreverent (and irrelevant) thought - if Beryl had been, like all the legendary blues singers, without a nickel or a lousy dime she could have always taken in washing!
The greatest - Saltburn must be the envy of the Trad Wing of the UK jazz scene!

Ashington Jazz Club said...

https://lance-bebopspokenhere.blogspot.com/2016/02/rip-tony-raine.html

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