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Bebop Spoken There

Steve Fishwick: “I can’t get behind the attitude that new is always somehow better than old” - Jazz Journal, April 15, 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!"

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

Postage

16034 (and counting) posts since we started blogging 15 years ago. 1041 of them this year alone and, so far, 73 this month (Nov. 27).

From This Moment On ...

December

Sun 03: Smokin’ Spitfires @ The Cluny, Newcastle. 12:30pm. £7.50.
Sun 03: The Central Bar Quartet @ Central Bar, Gateshead. 2:00pm. £10.00. The Central Bar Quartet plays Lou Donaldson’s Gravy Train. Featuring Jamie Toms.
Sun 03: Paul Skerritt @ Smith’s Arms, Carlton, Stockton-on-Tees. 7:00pm.
Sun 03: Johnny Hunter Quartet @ The Globe, Newcastle. 8:00pm.
Sun 03: Jam session @ The Schooner, Gateshead. 8:00pm. Free.

Mon 04: Harmony Brass @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm.
Mon 04: Northern Monkey Brass Band @ People’s Kitchen, Bath Lane, Newcastle. From 5:30pm. On-street gig supporting the work of the People’s Kitchen charity. Wrap up warm! Donate!
Mon 04: Michael Young Trio w Lindsay Hannon @ The Engine Room, Sunderland. 7:00pm. Free.
Mon 04: James Birkett Trio @ The Black Bull, Blaydon. 8:00pm. £8.00.
Mon 04: Durham University Jazz Orchestra + Durham University Big Band @ Durham Castle DH1 3RW. 8:30pm. £6.00.; £5.00. concs; £4.00. DSM. ‘Jazzy Christmas’.

Tue 05: Customs House Big Band @ All Saints Church, Cleadon. 7:00pm. Concert in the church hall. BYOB.
Tue 05: Jam session @ The Black Swan, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free. House trio: Michael Young, Paul Grainger, Sid White. The best free show in town!

Wed 06: Vieux Carré Jazzmen @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Wed 06: Darlington Big Band @ Darlington & Simpson Rolling Mills Social Club, Darlington. 8:00pm. Free. Note later start time, concert performance (open to the public).
Wed 06: Take it to the Bridge @ The Globe, Newcastle. 7:30pm.

Thu 07: Vieux Carré Jazzmen @ The Holystone, Whitley Road, North Tyneside. 1:00pm. Free CANCELLED!
Thu 07: Vieux Carré Hot 4 @ Spanish City, Whitley Bay, Newcastle. 12 noon - 4:00pm. £26.00 (inc 3-course meal in in St Mary's Lighthouse Suite). SOLD OUT!
Thu 07: Gateshead Jazz Appreciation Society @ Gateshead Central Library, Gateshead. 2:30pm. All welcome.
Thu 07: Thursday Night Prayer Meeting @ The Globe, Newcastle. 7:30pm.Donations. Feat. Mark Sanders.
Thu 07: Indigo Jazz Voices @ The Globe, Newcastle. 7:45pm. £5.00. Downstairs.
Thu 07: Tees Hot Club @ Dorman’s Club, Middlesbrough. 9:00pm.

Fri 08: Classic Swing @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm.
Fri 08: New Orleans Preservation Jazz Band @ Oxbridge Hotel, Stockton. 1:00pm. £5.00.
Fri 08: Rendezvous Jazz @ The Monkseaton Arms, Monkseaton. 1:00pm.
Fri 08: Hayley's Little Big Band @ Woodland Village Hall, Bishop Auckland. 7:00pm. £12.00.
Fri 08: Sleep Suppressor + Redwell @ Head of Steam, Neville St., Newcastle. 8:00pm. £10.00. (£8.00. adv); £5.00. student.
Fri 08: Hot Club du Nord @ St Cuthbert's Church, Shadforth, Co. Durham.
Fri 08: Têtes de Pois + Nauta @ Cobalt Studios, Newcastle. 8:00pm. £12.00., £8.00.

Sat 09: Castillo Nuevo Trio @ Revoluçion de Cuba, Newcastle. 5:30pm. Free.
Sat 09: Abbie Finn Trio @ Claypath Deli, Durham. 7:00pm.
Sat 09: Hayley's Little Big Band @ Middleton & Todridge Village Hall, Morpeth. 7:30pm. £12.00., £6.00.
Sat 09: Paul Skerritt @ Slaley Hall, Hexham NE47 0BX. 7:30pm. From £42.00.

Friday, January 28, 2022

Knats featuring Holly Flo Lightly / Swannek @ Hoochie Coochie - Jan. 27

(Pic by Russell)
Holly Flo Lightly (voice); Josh Mitchell-Rayner (keys); Stan Woodward (elec. bass); King David Ike-Elechi (drums).

The first of Knats' "last Thursday in the month" jazz gigs at Hoochie was different - no surprise there! Every time I've seen the band they were different. However, the difference tonight was even more pronounced due to the absence of outstanding trumpet prodigy Ferg Kilsby. So what did they do - find another horn player? Nah! Instead they co-opted the vocal talents of rapper Holly Flo Lightly.

It worked amazingly well. She rapped the words with the rapidity of a speeded up Michael Brecker solo and when she moved out of the fast lane the voice was as mellow as a cello.

The band themselves were on form with Woodward proving as adept a frontman as he is on fretless bass guitar. Mitchell-Rayner had some good solos although he would have benefitted from a tad more volume. It was a whoopin' and a hollerin' crowd!

No such problems for King David who kept the whole shebang rockin' along.

The only criticism was the decision to take a break mid-set when they had the crowd in the palm of their hand which allowed some to drift away.

The material was an eclectic mix of originals by the band, Holly and other sources such as Skepta and Roni Size.

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 (Pic by Lance)
Mollie Birmingham (vocals); Graham Easthope (tenor sax); Fin Hewitson (keys/guitar); Jake Baines (bass guitar); Calum Sharp (guitar); Rob Atkinson (drums) - spelling may be incorrect - it was noisy and the lights were low!

Swannek were billed as the support band but, in truth, this was really a double-header thanks to the ebullient presence of Mollie out front. Think of Janis or Tina or Etta or the early Lulu and you've got an idea where she's coming from. Not a copyist but one who nevertheless evokes the same feeling, the same mix of fun and intensity.

Graham, a veteran of a 1000 jam sessions, slotted in well, his tasty tenor providing rare moments of sanity.

The younger members (sorry Graham!) also proved to be up for it. If this is the alternative face of jazz today I too am up for it!

The packed room suggests this could be another winner for Warren! Lance

1 comment :

Patti Durham (on F/b) said...

What a fab night this was! Swannek were great - then the boys with Holly Flo!! She's something else - in that eye catching green jump suit! I'd love to get some of the lyrics to her numbers - she was rapping so fast it was hard to catch the words ...... You could see how much Stan and the boys were loving it!

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