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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

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).

Wed 29: Vieux Carré Jazzmen @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm.
Wed 29: Darlington Big Band @ Darlington & Simpson Rolling Mills Social Club, Darlington. 7:00pm. Rehearsal session (open to the public).
Wed 29: 4B @ The Exchange, North Shields. 7:00pm.
Wed 29: Take it to the Bridge @ The Globe, Newcastle. 7:30pm.

Friday, January 14, 2022

Matt MacKellar Trio @ The Globe - Jan 13.

Matt MacKellar (drums); Ben Lawrence (keyboards, piano); Andy Champion (bass)

Matt MacKellar's festive flying visit home is nearing its end, however, thanks to Newcastle Jazz Co-op, the final year Stateside music student took the opportunity this week to play a trio gig with friends Ben Lawrence and Andy Champion. The Globe on Railway Street drew a good sized audience there to hear drummer Matt play a set of, well, jazz-funk, soul jazz, jazz with soul, jazz with an edge etc.

From the down beat the 'edge' was razor sharp. A set list encompassing numbers by Robert Glasper, H.E.R., Miles Davis, Stevie Wonder, Seam Martin (Snarky Puppy) and one B. Lawrence (Lost Painting) couldn't have been better if they - the trio - tried. These guys are so good, they made it look so easy. Mere mortals - the audience - assumed they were trying! Glasper's Yes, I'm Country set the standard, and what a standard! A stand out feature of Matt's performance was his use of the bass drum, kicking, no, slamming it in with absolute precision, in sync with the ride cymbal. As our American cousins might say...awesome! 

As a recent mathematics graduate Ben Lawrence couldn't have had much free time to practice/play music, perhaps he's a natural. During the evening Lawrence chose to mostly play keyboards, the Jazz Co-op's piano utilised sparingly. Dazzling playing, matched by MacKellar and the senior man of the trio, Andy Champion, it was evident mutual trust in one another's abilities rippled across the stage. H.E.R.'s Going, Stevie Wonder's Overjoyed, Miles Davis' Nardis, Rod Templeton's The Lady in My Life (Michael Jackson), we were treated to two varied sets, the one constant of the evening being the brilliant musicianship on show. 

Matt MacKellar's time at Berklee has afforded the Tynesider amazing opportunities - studying with tutors such as the great, late Ralph Peterson Jr to a recent mentor, Billy Kilson. No question, MM has developed so much during his time in Boston, it's an education for a Tyneside audience to hear him play, as he did this evening at the Globe, with total authority. Russell           

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