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Bebop Spoken There

Béla Fleck: “ And that's the great thing about live performances, you take people on a journey. It doesn't have to be like something else they've heard. It's not supposed to be". DownBeat, April, 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

Thu 28: Vieux Carré Jazzmen @ The Holystone, Whitley Road, North Tyneside. 1:00pm. Free.
Thu 28: Gateshead Jazz Appreciation Society @ Gateshead Central Library, Gateshead. 2:30pm.
Thu 28: Richard Herdman Quartet @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 8:00pm. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig.
Thu 28: Tees Hot Club @ Dorman’s Club, Middlesbrough. 8:30pm. Guests: Josh Bentham (alto sax); Alan Marshall (tenor sax); Neil Brodie (trumpet); Adrian Beadnell (bass); Graham Thompson (keys); Steve Hunter (drums).

Fri 29: FILM: Soul @ The Forum Cinema, Hexham. 12:30pm. Jazz-themed film animation.
Fri 29: Classic Swing @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 29: Rendezvous Jazz @ The Monkseaton Arms. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 29: New Orleans Preservation Jazz Band @ The Oxbridge Hotel, Stockton. 1:00pm. £5.00.
Fri 29: Abbie Finn Trio @ The Vault, Darlington. 6:00pm. Free. POSTPONED!
Fri 29: Thundercat @ Newcastle City Hall.
Fri 29: John Logan @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 8:00pm. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig.

Sat 30: Papa G’s Troves @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 8:00pm. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig.
Sat 30: Pete Tanton’s Cuba Libre @ Whitley Bay Library, York Road, Whitley Bay. 8:00pm.

Sun 31: 4B @ The Ticket Office, Whitley Bay Metro Station. 3:00pm. Free.
Sun 31: Ruth Lambert Trio @ Juke Shed, Union Quay, North Shields NE30 1HJ. 3:00pm. Free. Lambert, Alan Law & Paul Grainger.
Sun 31: Sid Jacobs & Tom Remon @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 7:00pm. Free. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig. USA/London jazz guitar duo.
Sun 31: Bellavana @ The Globe, Newcastle. 8:00pm.

April
Mon 01: Harmony Brass @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.

Tue 02: Jam session @ The Black Swan, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free. House trio: Dean Stockdale, Paul Grainger, Abbie Finn.

Wed 03: Vieux Carré Jazzmen @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Wed 03: Darlington Big Band @ Darlington & Simpson Rolling Mills Social Club, Darlington. 7:00pm. Free. Rehearsal session (open to the public).
Wed 03: Take it to the Bridge @ The Globe, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free.

Sunday, December 19, 2021

Jambone, JB's Cats & the CAT Percussion Ensemble @ Sage Gateshead - Dec 18

Sage Gateshead's Young Musicians' Programme Winter Festival went ahead with strict measures in place. Proof of vaccination at the door, face coverings to be worn at all times, welcome to the never-ending weird year of 2021 and 2022 and...An audience comprising family, friends and supporters, this annual showcase for some of the very best talent in the region would take the form of three sets, each led by experienced tutors, in a wholly supportive environment.

Jambone, directed by Paul Edis and James Brady, featured a twelve piece ensemble (two or three chairs were occupied by experienced musicians there to augment the youthful sections) playing four compositions. Outgoing director Paul Ediswelcomed one and all to Sage Two, the band kicking off with Abdullah Ibrahim's Soweto. Fine playing all round. The tutors each contributed one composition: Edis' Of Mice and Men (its composer expressing his admiration for the young musicians' efforts in successfully negotiating the number's convoluted form). Brady's four-part suite Four Scenes on L'Homme Arme demanded concentrated minds, the composer's animated conducting guiding his young charges through each section. Mary Lou Williams' Roll 'Em closed Jambone's programme, swinging it as if it were circa 1939!     
Jambone: Paul Edis (MD, reeds); James Brady (MD, trumpet, percussion); Ferg Kilsby (trumpet); Joseph Meston (trumpet);James Goldberg (trumpet); Adam Johnston (reeds); George Ivanov (guitar); Izaac Wilson (piano); Jack ? (bass guitar); Nathan Hulme (drums)

Earlier, JB's Cats (that's James Birkett's group of talented early teenage years musicians) presented a guitar-centric set which, James Birkett informed the audience, being a guitarist himself, suited him just fine! Dr Birkett's one-time protégé Bradley Johnston assisted his one-time mentor in coaxing a marvellous performance from some of Sage Gateshead's stars of the future. 

Guitarist Joe Ducker's solo performance of Tommy Emmanuel's Gameshow Rag couldn't have been more impressive. Bradley Johnston sat alongside, next time you see BJ, ask him about Joe Ducker. In pre-Covid days trombonist Ben Haslam made a big impression. Perhaps fifteen at the time, now at the age of seventeen or so, Haslam is one seriously good musician (But Beautiful, solo, was, well, quite beautiful). What's more, the young man can play the piano! Sitting at Sage Gateshead's Steinway he proceeded to amaze a spellbound audience by knocking out a couple of tunes, including Stevie Wonder's Isn't She Lovely? 

The Cats enjoyed playing a funked-up DoxyMinor Swing swung, and, to conclude an eye/ear-opening set, vocalist Ariah Robertson joined the band to sing a couple of songs including I Don't Want to Set the World on Fire. Make a note of the names, if they choose to make music their career, you'll be hearing more, much more from them.            
JB's Cats: James Birkett (MD, guitar, bass guitar); Bradley Johnston (guitar); Joe Ducker (guitar); Ben Haslam (trombone, piano); Jack Stead (drums); Ariah Robertson (vocals)

The Saturday evening concert began with a short, spirited set by Sage Gateshead's CAT Percussion Ensemble. Illness reduced the intended number of participants but this didn't deter inspirational MD, Roger Hempsall. In the time allocated to the ensemble, Hempsall ensured his charges gave it their all. Two pieces - Militaria and Latinska Melodia - reverberated around the hall, Hempsall setting the pace, rattling out ever-more complex drum patterns. It can be reported that all four young percussionists did themselves proud. 

Paul Edis has made an inestimable contribution to Sage Gateshead's education programme (numerous comments posted to Facebook suggest just that). It would have been fitting if, on the night, Sage Gateshead had, in some small way, acknowledged Paul's achievements. One thing is for certain, as Paul makes London his home, Tyneside and the wider region's musical landscape will be the poorer for it.  Russell             

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