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Bebop Spoken There

Kurt Elling: ''There's something to learn from every musician you play with''. (DownBeat, December 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

17630 (and counting) posts since we started blogging 16 years ago. 904 of them this year alone and, so far, 49 this month (Dec. 20).

From This Moment On ...

December

Fri 20: Edison Herbert Trio @ The Lit & Phil, Newcastle. 1:00pm. SOLD OUT!
Fri 20: Classic Swing @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 20: Rendezvous Jazz @ The Monkseaton Arms. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 20: New Orleans Preservation Jazz Band @ The Oxbridge Hotel, Stockton. 1:00pm. £5.00.
Fri 20: Jason Isaacs @ St. James’ STACK, Newcastle. 1:00-3:00pm. Free. Vocalist Isaacs working with backing tapes.
Fri 20: Baghdaddies @ Cobalt Studios, Newcastle. 7:00pm. SOLD OUT!
Fri 20: Smokin’ Spitfires @ Platform 1, East Bedlington Community Centre. 7:00pm.
Fri 20: Pete Tanton’s Christmas @ 1719, Hendon, Sunderland. 7:30pm. CANCELLED!
Fri 20: Alligator Gumbo @ Saltburn Community Hall. 7:30pm. SOLD OUT!
Fri 20: Abbie Finn’s Finntet @ The Traveller’s Rest, Darlington. 8:00pm. Opus 4 Jazz Club.
Fri 20: Brass Fiesta @ Revoluçion de Cuba, Newcastle. 10:30pm. Free.

Sat 21: Lindsay Hannon Quartet @ Central Bar, Gateshead. 2:00pm. £15.00. ‘Swinging with Christmas Songs’.
Sat 21: Jason Isaacs @ Seaburn STACK, Seaburn. 3:30-5:30pm. Free. Vocalist Isaacs working with backing tapes.
Sat 21: Jackson’s Wharf Xmas Party @ Jackson’s Wharf, Hartlepool. 7:00pm. Free. Featuring the New ’58 Jazz Collective.
Sat 21: Brass Fiesta @ Revoluçion de Cuba, Newcastle. 10:30pm. Free.

Sun 22: Hot Club du Nord @ The Globe, Newcastle. 1:00pm. £15.00. + bf. Xmas party. SOLD OUT!
Sun 22: Red Kites Jazz @ Gibside Chapel, nr. Rowlands Gill. 1:00pm. Admission charge applies.
Sun 22: Paul Skerritt @ Hibou Blanc, Newcastle. 2:00pm. Free. Vocalist Skerritt working with backing tapes.
Sun 22: Ruth Lambert Trio @ The Juke Shed, Union Quay, North Shields. 3:00pm. Free.
Sun 22: 4B @ The Ticket Office, Whitley Bay. 3:00pm. Free.
Sun 22: Revolutionaires @ Tyne Bar, Ouseburn, Newcastle. 4:00pm. Free. Superb rhythm & blues outfit.
Sun 22: Laurence Harrison, Paul Grainger & Mark Robertson @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 7:00pm. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig. Line-up TBC.
Sun 22: The Globe Xmas Party @ The Globe, Newcastle. 7:00pm. Free. Live music (musicians TBC).
Sun 22: Ray Stubbs R & B All-Stars @ Zerox, Sandhill, Newcastle. 7:00pm (doors).

Mon 23: Harmony Brass @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Mon 23: Vieux Carré Jazzmen @ The Wheatsheaf, Benton Sq., Whitley Road, Palmersville NE12 9SU. Tel: 0191 266 8137. 1:00pm. Free. CANCELLED!
Mon 23: Edison Herbert Trio @ The Vault, Darlington. 4:00pm. Free.
Mon 23: Jason Isaacs @ St. James’ STACK, Newcastle. 4:00-6:00pm. Free. Vocalist Isaacs working with backing tapes.
Mon 23: Milne-Glendinning Band @ The Vault, Darlington. 7:00pm. Free.

Tue 24: Lindsay Hannon & Mark Williams @ Ernest, Ouseburn, Newcastle. 11:00am-1:00pm. Free.
Tue 24: Paul Skerritt @ Mambo Wine & Dine, South Shields. 1:00pm. Free. Vocalist Skerritt working with backing tapes.

Wed 25: Wot? No jazz!

Thu 26: Vieux Carré Jazzmen @ The Holystone, Whitley Road, North Tyneside. 1:00pm. Free. TBC.
Thu 26: The Boneshakers @ Tyne Bar, Ouseburn, Newcastle. 4:00pm. Free. The 17th annual Boneshakers’ Shindig.

Reviewers wanted

Whilst BSH attempts to cover as many gigs, festivals and albums as possible, to make the site even more comprehensive we need more 'boots on the ground' to cover the albums seeking review - a large percentage of which never get heard - report on gigs or just to air your views on anything jazz related. Interested? then please get in touch. Contact details are on the blog. Look forward to hearing from you. Lance

Sunday, December 26, 2021

Vieux Carré Hot 4 @ Spanish City - Boxing Day

Jim McBriarty (clarinet, alto sax, vocals); David Gray (trombone, vocals); Brian Bennett (banjo); Paul Grainger (string bass)

A wet 'n' wild Boxing Day afternoon, seahorses rearing their heads out on the North Sea, St Mary's Lighthouse barely visible in the distance, just the kind of day to call into Spanish City to catch the Vieux Carré Hot 4, on parade as usual on a Sunday. A warming Americano, an English Breakfast Tea, a slice of coffee and walnut cake, the first of three sets opened with Jim McBriarty (clarinet, alto sax, vocals) singing I Can't Give You Anything But Love, Baby


Boaters and bow ties, seated for the most part, Messrs McBriarty and Gray (David, trombone) shared the vocal duties, Messrs Bennett (Brian, banjo) and Grainger (Paul, string bass), keepers of the rhythm. MD Bennett revealed PG was up and about at 5:30 this morning digging himself out of his North Yorks Moors snowed-in location. Dedicated to the Vieux Carré cause, our man made it to Whitley Bay in good time for the noon start. Saluting his efforts, the Hot 4, with 'bone man Gray singing, played Let it Snow!

This being the season to be imbibing, McBriarty sang of The Alcoholic Blues, Mr McB confessing he had one or two yesterday! Didn't we all?! Last night, the VCH4's latest recruit, David Gray, watched the Morecambe and Wise 'lost tape' television show. Didn't we all? Suitably impressed with Kenny Ball's trombone player, John Bennett, DG wanted to sing Someday You'll be Sorry. The ever-obliging Brian (no relation) Bennett gave him the go ahead. One gets the impression Showtime is getting a taste for the material! 

The Hot 4's Spanish City residency sees them move from location to location. A first set in Valerie's Tearoom, then onto Trenchers' Restaurant and finally, the first floor Champagne Bar with its panoramic views across the North Sea. A short-ish second set accompanying diners tucking into award-winning fish and chips, then the band moved into the Champagne Bar. A bottle of Doom Bar rather than a glass of champers, a share of a cheese scone, yes, this is the good life, alright! Trombonist Gray wasn't quite ready to say goodbye to Christmas, singing Winter Wonderland. Jingle bells, jingle bells. It'll soon be Christmas (2022). 

Leaden skies, a wholly dreich day, the Vieux Carré were just about ready to pack up for the day, but not before DG sang one more (Hesitating Blues) and Jim McBriarty rounded off an entertaining session singing a good old good one, from 1919, Alice Blue Gown. The Vieux Carré Hot 4 will be back next Sunday (Jan 2) and, before then, they'll be at Spanish City for a New Year's Day session. A bracing walk along the seafront, arriving at the landmark Whitley Bay building in time for a noon start, call it a good start to 2022. Russell      

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