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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, August 20, 2021

The Joe Webb Trio @ the Lit & Phil - August 20

Joe Webb (piano); Dave Archer (guitar); Will Sach (bass).

The Nat Cole Trio may have begat the Oscar Peterson Trio but, in truth, the begating began with the Art Tatum Trio who set the formula for the piano, guitar, bass trio that was personified in a series of recordings in 1944 recreated here by the Joe Webb Trio at this latest lunchtime session at the Lit & Phil.

And it was some session! It's been a longtime since I witnessed a standing ovation but this afternoon's was well deserved of the honour.

The hour flew past almost as fast as Webb's fingers circumnavigated the intricacies of I Know That You Know - almost.

However, it wasn't all mere - did I say mere?! - fleet of finger stuff, there were also more relaxed moments such as on that lovely tune Deep Purple. Some of the endings were quirky but, upon reflection, usually logical.

The show moves down the road to Saltburn tonight - if you hurry you could just make it. In the meantime - come back soon*.

Tremendous - Lance

I Got Rhythm; Cocktails For Two; I Ain't Got Nobody; After You've Gone; Moonglow; Deep Purple; I Would do Anything For You; Liza; Tea For Two; Honeysuckle Rose; I Know That You Know; On the Sunny Side of the Street; Soft Winds; Flying Home.

*On a more sombre note, the following insert in the concert programme brought us down to earth:

The 'Friday Lunchtime Jazz at the Lit & Phil' concert programme is funded by you, its audience. Payment at the door on the day and online advance ticket purchases make possible the monthly concert series. The Lit & Phil's understandable response to the pandemic to impose a greatly reduced socially distanced capacity audience at events has had an adverse impact on the series' finances. However, all is not lost. On September 10 there will be a fundraising concert featuring Lindsay Hannon and Bradley Johnston. Their aptly named duo collaboration - Hand to Mouth - presents the music of Ella Fitzgerald and Joe Pass. Lindsay and Bradley are kindly giving their services free of charge. Please support the concert, bring along a friend, a full house would be just what Doctor Jazz ordered! One o'clock start, admission £7.00.

3 comments :

NeilC said...

It was just fabulous , the sheer skill of all three musicians was outstanding . Joe's playing makes some perhaps better known pianists look like they have four thumbs on each hand . It also demonstrated , although we already knew , what a great musician and composer Art Tatum was . I have to echo what Lance has said, it is imperative that people get behind these concerts to ensure that the Lit and Phil can continue to stage them lets hope one of the future ones marks a return of Joe Webb.

Sylvia Truscott said...

Absolutely outstanding….what an afternoon!….Well done Russell for booking such a huge talent…

Steve T said...

I didn't make it to the Lit and Phil but did make it to Saltburn, though not in time for the start and a well earned drink.
WOW. You ain't gettin far with Art Tatum if you ain't off the scale. We were in luck. My Art Tatum phase happened almost by accident and playing through those albums and reading the liner notes I was struck that he didn't seem to attract the same criticism as a comparable guitarist three decades later: that - despite the obvious brilliance - it was all just lots of random notes that didn't mean anything. Then I came across it.
There's a list I came across somewhere on the internet (so it must be right) that had Tatum as the greatest jazz artist ever and while I wouldn't go along with that at all, purely based on musicianship, you wouldn't bet against it.
If we ever get another government that doesn't correlate culture (and everything else) with wealth and privilege, the Culture Secretary should send this band out to every school: to show children what can be achieved, but also to warn them that - despite what they hear on the radio and people on the tele telling them they can do whatever they want - they ain't getting there without hours, days, months and years of hard work.

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