Total Pageviews

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.

Wednesday, January 26, 2022

The Shearing Sound @ the Railway, Stockport - Jan. 25

Bryan Pendleton (piano); Paul Hartley (guitar); Dave Luckhurst (vibes); John Sandham (bass);  Eryl Roberts (drums); Simone McGregor vocals

I can’t remember the last time I saw a set of vibes at the Railway but if you are going to invoke the sounds of George Shearing, I suppose vibes will be an essential item. Also on board was a young singer who had a nice sounding voice.

Simone McGregor was featured on about a third of the numbers played doing a great version of September in the Rain - a hit for Shearing and, in my opinion, one of the greatest tunes ever written.  I should mention that singers are seldom seen at this venue as most of the acts that play here are usually instrumental quartets.

Paul Hartley, who took on the role of compere for the show, explained before the opening I Remember April that the tunes played would be short as the band had many of them and he was not kidding!

I reckon they got through at least 21 tunes and even then I may have missed one or two. This has got to be a record for the amount of numbers played during a 2 hour time frame at this venue. For this reason I will not be listing all the tunes played but will mention the ones that I thought were highlights.

Dream:   A Johnny Mercer composition - vocal by Simone.

Bernie’s Tune: Another well-known tune and I liked the vibes solo.

If Dreams Come True: A Benny Goodman tune with another fine vocal by Simone.

Isn’t It Romantic: Always liked this tune since I heard Benny Carter’s version on an EP with Oscar Peterson.

This all takes me back to October 6 1962 when I saw George Shearing at Manchester’s Free Trade Hall. Also on the same bill was singer Sarah Vaughan, but she cancelled due to illness and her place was taken by ex Count Basie vocalist Joe Williams backed by pianist Junior Mance and his trio. This is what decided me to buy a ticket as I was a big fan of Junior Mance and still am. I still have a photo I took with an old Box Brownie camera of Joe Williams which came out great. Shearing had a great band and I was highly impressed by his bass player Ralph Pena and also Vernel Fournier an amazing drummer who died in 2000. The vibes player in George Shearing’s band was Douglas Marsh who mainly played on the themes and about whom I know nothing.

To sum up I would like to wish this project all the best and congrats to Bryan Pendleton and Paul Hartley for making it a successful night. Also I thought they got the sound as near perfect as possible.

The next jazz night at the Railway is on Sunday Jan 30 with the Grant Russell Quartet. Mike Farmer

2 comments :

Lance said...

Mike - you think you've got memories! October 6, 1962 was the day I got married. After the reception we drove down to London in a rented Triumph Herald for our honeymoon.

We did the sights but one of the highlights was seeing the very same concert that you saw in Manchester at Finsbury Park Empire a few days later. I still have the programme.

Nat King Cole and Shearing had had a hit with Let There be Love and Joe Williams did a fine job in his place.

Keep those memories coming ...

Years later I saw Shearing at the RFH with Mel Tormé - he sure could accompany singers!

Mike Farmer said...

Hi Lance -Yes I've got some great memories which involve Jazz related things but other stuff I find hard to recall. You mentioned the hit that Shearing had with Nat King Cole. Let There be love. I thought it strange that the Shearing Sound did not feature this number and also the bop tune Conception was not played. They did however end the show with a fine rendition of Lullaby of Birdland. Cheers Mike Farmer.

Blog Archive