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Bebop Spoken There

Art Blakey: "You [Bobby Watson] don't want to play too long, because you don't know they're clapping because they're glad you finished!" - (JazzTimes, Nov. 2019)..

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

15867 (and counting) posts since we started blogging 15 years ago. 874 of them this year alone and, so far, 72 this month (Sept. 25).

From This Moment On ...

September

Thu 28: Vieux Carré Jazzmen @ The Holystone, Whitley Road, North Tyneside. 1:00pm. Free.
Thu 28: Alice Grace Quartet @ King's Hall, Newcastle University. 1:15pm. Free.
Thu 28: Gateshead Jazz Appreciation Society @ Gateshead Central Library, Gateshead. 2:30pm. All welcome.
Thu 28: Faye MacCalman + Snape/Sankey @ Cobalt Studios, Newcastle. 7:00pm.
Thu 28: Zoe Rahman @ Jesmond United Reformed Church, Jesmond, Newcastle. 7:30pm. A Newcastle Festival of Jazz & Improvised Music event.
Thu 28: '58 Jazz Collective @ Hops & Cheese, Hartlepool. 7:30pm.
Thu 28: Speakeasy @ Queen's Hall, Hexham. 7:30pm. £15.00. A Southpaw Dance Company presentation. Dance, audio-visuals, Count Basie, Benny Goodman, swing dancers etc.
Thu 28: Mick Cantwell Band @ Harbour View, Sunderland. 8:00pm. Free. Ace blues band.
Thu 28: Tees Hot Club @ Dorman's Club, Middlesbrough. 9:00pm.

Fri 29: Classic Swing @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm.
Fri 29: New Orleans Preservation Jazz Band @ Oxbridge Hotel, Stockton. 1:00pm. £5.00.
Fri 29: Rendezvous Jazz @ The Monkseaton Arms, Monkseaton. 1:00pm.

Sat 30: John Pope Quintet + Late Girl + Shapeshifters @ Bobik's, Jesmond, Newcastle.
Sat 30: Papa G's Troves @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 8:00pm. A 'Jar on the Bar' gig.

OCTOBER

Sun 01: Smokin' Spitfires @ The Cluny, Newcastle. 12:45pm.
Sun 01: Dulcie May Moreno sings Portrait of Sheila @ Central Bar, Gateshead. 2:00pm. £10.00. Moreno sings Sheila Jordan with Giles Strong, Mick Shoulder & John Bradford.
Sun 01: Middlesbrough Jazz & Blues Orchestra @ Saltburn Community Hall. 2:00pm.
Sun 01: The Easy Rollers @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 7:00pm. £13.70., £11.55.
Sun 01: Brand/Roberts/Champion/Sanders @ Blank Studios, Newcastle. 8:00pm. A Newcastle Festival of Jazz & Improvised Music event.
Sun 01: Papa G's Troves @ The Globe, Newcastle. 8:00pm.

Mon 02: Harmony Brass @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm.
Mon 02: FILM: Wattstax; 50th Anniversary @ Forum Cinema, Hexham. 8:00pm.

Tue 03: Paul Skerritt @ The Rabbit Hole, Hallgarth St., Durham DH1 3AT. 7:00pm. Paul Skerritt's (solo) weekly residency.
Tue 03: Jam session @ The Black Swan, Newcastle. 7:30pm. House trio: Michael Young (piano); Paul Grainger (double bass); Paul Wight (drums).

Wed 04: Vieux Carré Jazzmen @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm.
Wed 04: Darlington Big Band @ Darlington & Simpson Rolling Mills Social Club, Darlington. 7:00pm. Rehearsal session (open to the public).
Wed 04: Paul Skerritt @ Vespa Italian Bar & Steakhouse, Primrose Hill, Jarrow. From 7:00pm. To book a table - 0191 483 3355.
Wed 04: Take it to the Bridge @ The Globe, Newcastle. 7:30pm.

Wednesday, November 10, 2021

Jam Session @ The Black Swan - Nov. 9

(Pic by Pam)
 In the absence of our esteemed editor, we two took it upon ourselves to produce a written and photographic account of the Jam Session at the Black Swan. We got off to a bad start by arriving at 8pm for a 7.30pm kick off, thus missing the trio set by the night's House Band: Alan Law (keys); Paul Grainger (double bass); and John Bradford (drums). Having got well and truly into the swing of Alan and John's playing just the night before with the Stuart Fowler Quintet at Gateshead's Central Bar, we hit the ground running as Paul invited vocalist Jan Spencelayh up on stage to deliver Angel Eyes and Bye Bye Blackbird.

Alan Law was the first to take a break, making way for Alex Ord's rendering of The More I See You. With Alan back on keys and Jacob on guitar, the second of the evening's  several vocalists made his appearance - Andy Lawrenson doubling on violin and assuring us that You'd Be So Nice To Come Home To.

(Pics by Pam)
Andy then retreated back into the audience, to be replaced by the night's first horn-player, Esther on alto sax and the third of the evening's vocalists, Niffi Osiyemi Niffy told us in no uncertain terms that It Don't Mean A Thing If It Ain't Got That Swing and finished her spot with an equally emphatic Alright, OK, You Win.

While two of the House Band were sent off by Paul Grainger for a lie down following Niffi's spot, Lawrence Harrison got set up in place of Jacob on guitar, Michael Mather took over the drum stool and Isaac Wilson got settled behind Alan's Nord. With Esther still on alto they played first, Maiden Voyage, following up with Mr.P.C.

Personnel changes were coming fast and furious now. For the next couple of tunes Alan Law was back at the keyboard with a new guitarist, Joe Steels, and a drummer, Chris. Also our second horn of the night and fourth vocalist, Jim McBriarty on clarinet and Lady Be Good

Over the next three numbers a new guitarist joined the fray, Jimi Savage, and on the first Andy Lawrenson sat-in mid-tune. On the second, a young male vocalist (the evening's fifth) sang what we believe to have been a Portuguese number, while on the third he gave us Bill Withers and Grover Washington's Just The Two Of Us.

Still ringing the changes right up to nearly home time, on the next tune, Paul on bass brought in Charles Harrison on guitar and Tom on drums alongside Jim McBriarty on clarinet and Alan Law on keys to accompany Jan Spencelayh's (?) take on Cheek To Cheek.

The last tune-but-one featured Niffy's version of  The Darktown Strutter's Ball and we were sent out into night - town Newcastle - by Caravan performed by Jim McBriarty (clarinet), Esther (clarinet), Andy Lawrenson (violin), Charles Harrison (guitar), Tom (drums), Paul Grainger (double bass), Alan Law (keys).

A very enjoyable night. No shortage of accomplished guitarists, drummers and vocalists that's for sure. Where were all the horn players tonight we wondered? Ditto you bass players to give Paul Grainger a break.
Pam & Dave

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