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Bebop Spoken There

Billy Boy Arnold: “As long as you don't think old you're good.” - DownBeat, December, 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!"

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

Postage

16051 (and counting) posts since we started blogging 15 years ago. 1058 of them this year alone and, so far, 12 this month (Dec. 6).

From This Moment On ...

December

Mon 11: Harmony Brass @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Mon 11: Interim Final Recitals @ Newcastle University. Details TBC.

Tue 12: Stu Collingwood Organ Trio @ Forum Music Centre, Darlington. 7:00pm. £10.00.

Wed 13: Vieux Carré Jazzmen @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Wed 13: Darlington Big Band @ Darlington & Simpson Rolling Mills Social Club, Darlington. 7:00pm. Free. Rehearsal session (open to the public).
Wed 13: Take it to the Bridge @ The Globe, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free.
Wed 13: Bold Big Band @ Cluny 2, Newcastle. 7:30pm.
Wed 13: Giles Strong Quartet @ Alphabetti Theatre, Newcastle. 7:30pm.

Thu 14: Vieux Carré Jazzmen @ The Holystone, Whitley Road, North Tyneside. 1:00pm. Free.
Thu 14: Hot Fingers @ The Lubetkin Theatre, Peterlee. 7:00pm. £10.00.
Thu 14: After Hours Student Jazz Jam @ The Globe, Newcastle. 8:00pm. Free.
Thu 14: Merlin Roxby @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 8:00pm. . Free. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig.
Thu 14: Niffi Osiyemi Trio @ Harbour View, Sunderland. 8:00pm. Free.
Thu 14: Mo Scott ‘Little Mo’s Festive Appearance’ @ The Schooner, Gateshead. 8:00pm. Free.
Thu 14: Tees Hot Club w. Kevin Eland, Josh Bentham, Garry Hadfield, Adrian Beadnell @ Dorman’s Club, Middlesbrough. 9:00pm.

Fri 15: Paul Edis @ Lit & Phil, Newcastle. 1:00pm. SOLD OUT!
Fri 15: Classic Swing @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 15: New Orleans Preservation Jazz Band @ Oxbridge Hotel, Stockton. 1:00pm. £5.00.
Fri 15: Rendezvous Jazz @ The Monkseaton Arms, Monkseaton. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 15: Paul Skerritt @ Black Horse Inn, Crook. From 7:00pm.
Fri 15: Paul Edis: A Jazzy Christmas @ St Cuhtbert's Centre, Crook. 7:30pm. £15.00. SOLD OUT! Waiting list open.
Fri 15: Zoë Gilby Trio @ Seventeen Nineteen, Hendon, Sunderland. 7:30pm. £12.00. POSTPONED!
Fri 15: Strictly Smokin' Big Band @ Gosforth Civic Theatre, Newcastle. 8:00pm. First night of two. SOLD OUT!
Fri 15: Darlington Big Band @ Traveller’s Rest, Darlington. 8:00pm. £10.00. Opus 4 Jazz Club.
Fri 15: Baghdaddies @ Cobalt Studios, Newcastle. 8:00pm. £14.00.; £10.00.

Sat 16: Paul Edis: A Jazzy Christmas @ The Glasshouse, Gateshead. 2:00pm. A Jazzy Christmas + Jambone.
Sat 16: Porritt & Barrett & Friends Xmas Special @ Cullercoats Watch House. 7:00pm. £4.00.
Sat 16: Milne-Glendinning Band @ The Vault, Darlington. 7:00pm. Free.
Sat 16: Red Kites Jazz Band @ The Staithes Café, Gateshead. 7:00pm--9:00pm.
Sat 16: Hayley's Little Big Band @ Ellingham Village Hall, Chathill. 7:30pm. £12.00., £8.00.
Sat 16: Paul Edis: A Jazzy Christmas @ The Glasshouse, Gateshead. 8:00pm.
Sat 16: Strictly Smokin' Big Band @ Gosforth Civic Theatre, Newcastle. 8:00pm. Second night of two.

Sun 17: Red Kites Jazz Band @ Gibside Chapel, nr. Rowlands Gill. 1:00-2:30pm.
Sun 17: Paul Skerritt @ Hibou Blanc, Newcastle. 2:00pm.
Sun 17: Revolutionaires @ Tyne Bar, Newcastle. 4:00pm. Free. Rock ‘n’ roll excellence!
Sun 17: Tweed River Jazz Band @ Barrels Alehouse, Berwick. 7:00pm. Free.
Sun 17: The Globe Xmas Party @ The Globe, Newcastle. 7:00pm. Free. Multi-bill inc. David Gray’s Flextet + jam session.
Sun 17: Paul Edis: A Jazzy Christmas @ Queen's Hall, Hexham. 7:30pm. £17.00., £15.00.
Sun 17: Hayley's Little Big Band @ Amble Parish Hall. 7:30pm. £12.00., £6.00.
Sun 17: Snake Davis Trio @ St John’s Hall, Snods Edge, Shotley Bridge DH8 9TJ. 7:30pm. £15.00. from 07766 037893.

Monday, September 27, 2021

The Roaring Twenties @ Cadogan Hall - Sept. 25

A concert long in the planning, the pandemic put paid to the original date in September last year. In the intervening period, the show's MD, Keith Nichols, sadly died. This evening's Cadogan Hall concert would take the form of a tribute to Mr Nichols. 

The concert hall in London's Sloane Square is a regular host to Richard Pite's Jazz Repertory Company presentations and this event attracted a near capacity audience. One notable absentee from the line-up was cornetist Andy Schumm, thanks to ever-changing regulations concerning international travel, our American guest stayed home in Chicago. 

The Roaring Twenties adopted a simple formula: a selection of numbers grouped together would spotlight legendary composers and/or performers with each section introduced by Kerry Shale. Members of the all-star ensemble would, in turn, step up as featured soloists. From time to time the ten-strong ensemble would be joined by several special guests. Rico Tomasso and Peter Rudeforth wowed the classic jazz aficionados, Tomasso full value with his uncanny Louis Armstrong vocals. 

Elegant pianist Martin Litton, charged with doing justice to the late Keith Nichols, did a fine job, flanked on one side by the woodwinds (Michael McQuaid, David Horniblow and Mark Crooks) and on the other by the brass (Rico Tomasso, Peter Rudeforth and Alistair Allan). As Vimala Rowe took to the stage, it appeared few in the audience had heard of, let alone heard Vimala Rowe sing. They were about to be amazed! Singing Bessie Smith numbers, Ms Rowe could justifiably lay claim to the title Empress of the Blues

Messrs Pite (drums, sousaphone, double bass), Langham (that's Tom 'Spats' Langham, banjo, guitar and vocals) and Ball (that's the youthful looking percussionist Nick Ball) were in scintillating form - close your eyes and this was the Cotton Club, Harlem NYC! 

Janice Day, a frequent participant at the Classic Jazz Party up on Tyneside, offered a cameo with a period-style rendition of Mildred Bailey singing I Like to Do Things for You. And an unexpected, but absolutely brilliant, contribution came from none other than Guy Barker playing Bixian cornet (see photo, Barker flanked by Michael McQuaid and Alistair Allan). Barker's illustrious career - from NYJO to the Guy Barker Jazz Orchestra - includes a musical association with Keith Nichols. Barker addressed the Cadogan Hall audience, recalling a first meeting with Nichols during which he asked the early jazz authority why he wanted him to play the roll of Bix Beiderbecke. Nichols replied he didn't want to engage an established specialist, he wanted someone - Barker, a dirty bopper - who would do as he was told! 

The evening had been a great success. An unexpected finale saw the ensemble joined by a young dance troupe to send us on our way with a spirited take on The Charleston. One imagines Keith Nichols would have loved it. 

Kerry Shale (presenter); Vimala Rowe (vocals); Thomas 'Spats' Langham (banjo, guitar, vocals); Rico Tomasso (trumpet); Peter Rudeforth (trumpet); Alistair Allan (trombone); Michael McQuaid (saxophones, clarinet); Mark Crooks (saxophones, clarinet); David Horniblow (saxophones, clarinet); Martin Litton (piano); Nick Ball (drums); Richard Pite (drums, sousaphone, double bass) & special guests Guy Barker (cornet); Janice Day (vocals)

Set list: Struttin' with Some BarbecueWillie the Weeper; Sugar Foot Stomp (Louis Armstrong); I'm Coming VirginiaGoose PimplesClarinet Marmalade (Bix Beiderbecke); Black Bottom StompSmokehouse BluesDr Jazz (Jelly Roll Morton); Nobody Knows You When You're Down and OutSt Louis BluesHot Time in the Old Town Tonight (Bessie Smith); Cotton Club StompBlack BeautyOld Man Blues (Duke Ellington at the Cotton Club); The Charleston.

INTERVAL

Singin' the BluesJazz Me Blues (Bix Beiderbecke); I Like to Do Things for You (Mildred Bailey); In a Mist (Bix Beiderbecke); Sidewalk BluesGeorgia SwingBurnin' the Iceberg (Jelly Roll Morton); Careless Love BluesGive Me a PigfootCakewalkin' Babies Back Home (Bessie Smith); After You've GoneMahogany Hall Stomp (Louis Armstrong); East St Louis Toodle-Oo; Creole Love CallDiga Diga Do (Duke Ellington at the Cotton Club).  

The Roaring Twenties was a Jazz Repertory Company presentation.

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