Total Pageviews

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

Wed 22: Vieux Carré Jazzmen @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm.
Wed 22: Darlington Big Band @ Traveller's Rest, Cockerton. 7:00pm. Rehearsal session (open to the public). Note change of venue - CANCELLED CEILING COLLAPSED!
Wed 22: 4B @ The Exchange, North Shields. 7:00pm.
Wed 22: Take it to the Bridge @ The Globe, Newcastle. 7:30pm.

Thu 23: Vieux Carré Jazzmen @ The Holystone, Whitley Road, North Tyneside. 4:00-6:00pm. Free.
Thu 23: NUJO Jazz Jam @ Bar Loco, Newcasatle. From 6:30pm 'til late. Free. Newcastle University Jazz Orchestra jam session. All welcome (students & non-students).
Thu 23: Kerrin Tatman + John Garner & John Pope @ Cobalt Studios, Newcastle. 7:00pm.
Thu 23: Sunna Gunnlaugs & Julia Hülsmann @ Sage Gateshead. 8:00pm. A two-piano gig. A Sage Gateshead-JNE promotion.
Thu 23: Merlin Roxby @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 8:00pm. Ragtime piano.
Thu 23: Sleep Suppressor @ The Globe, Newcastle. 8:00pm. £10.00., £8.00. adv. Upstairs.
Thu 23: Tees Hot Club @ Dorman's Club, Middlesbrough. 9:00pm.

Fri 24: Classic Swing @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm.
Fri 24: New Orleans Preservation Jazz Band @ Oxbridge Hotel, Stockton. 1:00pm. £5.00.
Fri 24: Rendezvous Jazz @ The Monkseaton Arms, Monkseaton. 1:00pm.
Fri 24: FILM: Mo' Better Blues @ Forum Cinema, Hexham. 7:00pm.
Fri 24: Ian Millar & Dominic Spencer @ Scarth Hall, Staindrop, Co. Durham. 8:00pm. £10.00.
Fri 24: Archipelago + Bulbils @ Cobalt Studios, Newcastle. 7:00pm.

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.
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).

Monday, November 29, 2021

Georgia Cécile: Only the Lover Sings @ Queen's Hall, Edinburgh - Nov. 26

Storm Arwen wasn't going to put a stop to Georgia Cécile's Only the Lover Sings album launch, although last month an American superstar did bring about a postponement of the original date. October 16 should have been Georgia Cécile's big day but, when Gregory Porter came calling, it proved impossible to say: No. And so a profusely apologetic Georgia begged forgiveness from her many fans for rescheduling the concert saying it was a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to open the show for Mr P, at the Royal Albert Hall, no less. 

And so to Friday (Nov. 26). Travel plans amended, hotel reservations changed, weather changed. Ah, yes, the weather...Mid-October, autumnal sunshine, late November, a scene approaching something like Armageddon. The walk up the road from Waverley Station to Queen's Hall proved challenging. Head down into a gale force wind, would anyone make it to the venue? Amazingly they did. A full house greeted our award-winning Glaswegian singer. Georgia Cécile and Euan Stevenson have forged an enduring songwriting partnership: the music embracing elements of the Great American Songbook, the lyrics as good as any contemporary lyricist you care to name. One sensed the evening was going to be something special. 

The Month of May opened the show, the brilliance of Cécile's vocals, Stevenson's piano playing (at the Queen's Hall's Steinway) and the equally brilliant contributions from the SNJO boys - Ryan Quigley, Konrad Wiszniewski, Michael Owers - and an ace rhythm section comprising Glasgow Conservatoire trained Irishman Conor Murray and Chicagoan Max Popp ensured the evening couldn't be anything other than a triumph. And if that wasn't enough, Seonaid Aitken lead a stellar string quintet. 

The sound balance couldn't have been better, all twelve musicians were heard with great clarity of sound. An early highlight, Come Summertime, could have been written by, take a guess - Ellington? Gershwin? Porter? No, try Georgia Cécile and Euan Stevenson! Consider it a modern jazz standard. During the evening soloists emerged from the various sections: the prodigiously talented Ryan Quigley blowing Walls of Jericho-like trumpet. Storm Arwen? Powder puff by comparison! Bassist Conor Murray, if unknown to some, announced his arrival, if he hasn't already, he'll soon acquire the tag 'first call'. Popp's immense intro to Blue is Just a Colour, Cécile's commanding vocal delivery on Harpoon, the tender but bittersweet Bittersweet. The strings, led by Aitken, were integral to the performance, cellist Sonia Cromarty sublime in a Love the Stars You're Under Cécile-Stevenson-Cromarty encore.

From time to time musicians receive a standing ovation, this evening Georgia Cécile received not one but two fully deserved standing ovations.  Russell
                                    
Georgia Cécile (vocals); Euan Stevenson (MD, piano); Ryan Quigley (trumpet); Konrad Wiszniewski (tenor sax); Michael Owers (trombone); Conor Murray (double bass); Max Popp (drums); String Quintet: Seonaid Aitken (Leader, violin); Kirsty Orton (violin); Patsy Reid (viola); ? (viola); Sonia Cromarty (cello)
 
Set list included: The Month of MayCome SummertimeAlways Be RightHe Knew How to LoveGoodbye LoveHarpoonBittersweetEver Burning FlameBlue is Just a ColourLove the Stars You're Under.

No comments :

Blog Archive