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Bebop Spoken There

David Hadju: "It was kind of a lightning bolt [seeing a photo of a hi-fi store that's now occupied by a phone store]. Everyone had hi-fi systems, now everyone has a phone" - (DownBeat May 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

15478 (and counting) posts since we started blogging 15 years ago. 499 of them this year alone and, so far, 120 this month (May 27).

From This Moment On ...

May 2023

Sun 28: Bradley Creswick's Western Swingfonia @ Whitley Bay Carnival. Free. Plaza Arena stage. 12 noon.
Sun 28: MSK @ Whitley Bay Carnival. 12:15pm. Free. Marquee stage. MSK - Steve Glendinning, Katy Trigger, Martin Douglas.
Sun 28: Musicians Unlimited @ The Park Inn, Hartlepool. 1:00pm. Free.
Sun 28: Back Chat Brass @ Whitley Bay Carnival. 1:30pm. Free. Marquee stage.
Sun 28: More Jam @ The Globe, Newcastle. 2:00pm. Free.
Sun 28: Tim Kliphuis Trio @ St Mary's Church, Wooler NE71 6BZ. 3:00pm. £15.00 standard; £5.00 student/unwaged; free under 18. Afternoon Cocktail, a Wooler Summer Arts' concert promotion. Kliphuis (violin); Nigel Clark (guitar); Roy Percy (double bass).
Sun 28: Back Chat Brass @ Whitley Bay Carnival. 3:00pm. Free. Plaza Arena stage.
Sun 28: 4B @ The Exchange, North Shields. 3:00pm.
Sun 28: King Bees @ The Delaval Arms, Old Hartley NE26 4RL. 5:00pm. Free. Chicago blues at its best!
Sun 28: Matt Anderson Quartet @ The Globe, Newcastle. 8:00pm. Anderson (saxophones); Jamil Sheriff (piano); Andy Champion (double bass); Dave Walsh (drums).

Mon 29: Harmony Brass @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm.

Tue 30: Paul Skerritt @ The Rabbit Hole, Hallgarth St., Durham DH1 3AT. 7:00pm. Paul Skerritt's (solo) weekly residency.
Tue 30: Big Chris Barber Band @ Whitley Bay Playhouse. 7:30pm.

Wed 31: Vieux Carré Jazzmen @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm.
Wed 31: Darlington Big Band @ Darlington & Simpson Rolling Mills Social Club, Darlington. 7:00pm. Rehearsal session (open to the public).
Wed 31: 4B @ The Exchange, North Shields. 7:00pm.
Wed 31: Take it to the Bridge @ The Globe, Newcastle. 7:30pm.

June
Thu 01: Vieux Carré Jazzmen @ The Holystone, Whitley Road, North Tyneside. 1:00pm. Free.
Thu 01: Thursday Night Prayer Meeting @ The Globe, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Donations.
Thu 01: Merlin Roxby @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 8:00pm. Ragtime piano. A 'Jar on the Bar' gig.
Thu 01: Jake Leg Jug Band @ The Globe, Newcastle. 8:00pm.
Thu 01: Tees Hot Club @ Dorman's Club, Middlesbrough. 9:00pm.

Fri 02: Classic Swing @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm.
Fri 02: New Orleans Preservation Jazz Band @ Oxbridge Hotel, Stockton. 1:00pm. £5.00.
Fri 02: Rendezvous Jazz @ The Monkseaton Arms, Monkseaton. 1:00pm.
Fri 02: Joseph Carville Trio @ Saltburn Community Hall. 7:30pm.
Fri 02: Claire Martin & Her Trio @ The Witham, Barnard Castle. 7:30pm. £25.00., £20.00. Feat. Jim Mullen, Alex Garnett & Jeremy Brown.
Fri 02: Guy Davis + Michael Littlefield & Scott Taylor @ Cluny 2, Newcastle. Doors 7:30pm. Blues double bill.
Fri 02: Anders Ingram @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 8:00pm. Blind Pig Blues Club. Country blues. A 'Jar on the Bar' gig.

Sat 03: Newcastle Record Fair @ Northumbria University, Newcastle NE8 8SB. 10:00am-3:00pm. Admission: £2.00.
Sat 03: Pedigree Jazz Band @ St Augustine's Parish Centre, Darlington. 12:30pm.
Sat 03: Play Jazz! workshop @ The Globe, Newcastle. 1:30pm. Tutor: Sue Ferris. £25.00. Enrol at: www.jazz.coop.
Sat 03: Abbie Finn Trio @ The Vault, Darlington. 6:00pm. Free.
Sat 03: Rendezvous Jazz @ Red Lion, Earsdon. 8:00pm. £3.00.
Sat 03: Papa G's Troves @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 8:00pm. A 'Jar on the Bar' gig.

Monday, September 20, 2021

Sunday Night @ The Globe: The Alice Grace Quartet - Sept. 19

Alice Grace (vocals); Mark Williams (guitar); Paul Grainger (bass); Abbie Finn (drums)

There comes a time in everyone's life when they have to eat their words and this reviewer is no exception. For example, on Thursday, after Nicola Farnon's gig at J's & B's, I wrote: "One thing is for sure, if I ever hear a better live version of Blame it on my Youth then I will truly know that I am in heaven".

St. Peter, open up those pearly gates because, after tonight's rendition by Alice, this is IT!

However, in fairness to Nicola, Alice didn't have to contend with the echo chamber that doubles as a church so, maybe it was a score draw. 

Still tonight was Alice's night. Despite traffic conditions that meant she only had time to change her shoes she hit the deck running with Like Someone in Love.

That was just the start. Chick Corea's WindowsLush Life with the lushest ever first chorus by Alice and Mark. Nature Boy - stupid lyric but Alice, as Nat Cole did,  made a purse out of a sow's ear.

Kenny Wheeler's Everybody's Song But my Own led to a zinger of a swinger - Bye Bye Blackbird. Strange that, thanks to Al Jolson, I considered BBB the corniest of songs but then Miles recorded it and the rest is history - I blame it on my youth. 

Leon Russell's A Song For You saw the first set out.

Beers and chats then, before you knew it, we were off again.

The Sky is There was a new one to me so I'm not sure if I've got the correct title. Blame it on my Youth I've already mentioned - absolutely sublime. Another big favourite - Social Call - and yet another - I Remember You. I remember the latter song being played by the Jimmy Dorsey Orchestra in a movie from the 1940s - The Fleets In.

If I Knew Then What I Know Now was the showstopper in an evening of showstoppers. Recorded by Sarah Vaughan on an album entitled Swingin' Easy, Alice paid tribute by vocalising Sassy's scat chorus as well as adding some of her own inflections then trading fours with Mark Williams who was himself on a roll this evening.

A stomping Sister Sadie led to a hotly demanded encore - On the Street Where You Live. 

I made my way to the number 27 bus stop which drops me off not far from the street where I live but that wasn't the song I was singing. You've guessed it - Blame it on my Youth.*

It would ill become not to mention how well the ubiquitous Abbie fitted in with the band her four bar exchanges with Alice on BBB were spot on. As for Mr Bassman - Paul was as dependable as ever.

Great gig!
Lance

Blame it on my Youth was composed by Hollywood actor and pianist Oscar Levant who acted in a lot of musicals including one of Gene Kelly's big ones - An American in Paris. Just thought I'd say ....

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