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Bebop Spoken There

Art Blakey: "You [Bobby Watson] don't want to play too long, because you don't know they're clapping because they're glad you finished!" - (JazzTimes, Nov. 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!"

Postage

15867 (and counting) posts since we started blogging 15 years ago. 874 of them this year alone and, so far, 72 this month (Sept. 25).

From This Moment On ...

September

Sat 30: John Pope Quintet + Late Girl + Shapeshifters @ Bobik's, Jesmond, Newcastle.
Sat 30: Papa G's Troves @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 8:00pm. A 'Jar on the Bar' gig.

OCTOBER

Sun 01: Smokin' Spitfires @ The Cluny, Newcastle. 12:45pm.
Sun 01: Dulcie May Moreno sings Portrait of Sheila @ Central Bar, Gateshead. 2:00pm. £10.00. Moreno sings Sheila Jordan with Giles Strong, Mick Shoulder & John Bradford.
Sun 01: Middlesbrough Jazz & Blues Orchestra @ Saltburn Community Hall. 2:00pm.
Sun 01: The Easy Rollers @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 7:00pm. £13.70., £11.55.
Sun 01: Brand/Roberts/Champion/Sanders @ Blank Studios, Newcastle. 8:00pm. A Newcastle Festival of Jazz & Improvised Music event.
Sun 01: Papa G's Troves @ The Globe, Newcastle. 8:00pm.

Mon 02: Harmony Brass @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm.
Mon 02: FILM: Wattstax; 50th Anniversary @ Forum Cinema, Hexham. 8:00pm.

Tue 03: Paul Skerritt @ The Rabbit Hole, Hallgarth St., Durham DH1 3AT. 7:00pm. Paul Skerritt's (solo) weekly residency.
Tue 03: Jam session @ The Black Swan, Newcastle. 7:30pm. House trio: Michael Young (piano); Paul Grainger (double bass); Sid White (drums). CANCELLED!

Wed 04: Vieux Carré Jazzmen @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm.
Wed 04: Darlington Big Band @ Darlington & Simpson Rolling Mills Social Club, Darlington. 7:00pm. Rehearsal session (open to the public).
Wed 04: Paul Skerritt @ Vespa Italian Bar & Steakhouse, Primrose Hill, Jarrow. From 7:00pm. To book a table - 0191 483 3355.
Wed 04: Take it to the Bridge @ The Globe, Newcastle. 7:30pm.

Thu 05: Vieux Carré Jazzmen @ The Holystone, Whitley Road, North Tyneside. 1:00pm. Free.
Thu 05: Sound the Trumpets @ King's Hall, Newcastle University. 1:15pm. Free.
Thu 05: Hot Club du Nord @ The Lubetkin Theatre, Peterlee. 7:00pm. £10.00. POSTPONED!
Thu 05: Thursday Night Prayer Meeting @ The Globe, Newcastle. 7:30pm.
Thu 05: Tommy Bentz Trio + Mark Croft Duo + George Shovlin & George Lamb @ The Harbour View, Sunderland. 8:00pm. Free. Harbour View Speakeasy's USA blues double bill + Shovlin & Lamb!
Thu 05: Merlin Roxby @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 8:00pm. Ragtime piano. A 'Jar on the Bar' gig.
Thu 05: Tees Hot Club @ Dorman's Club, Middlesbrough. 9:00pm.

Fri 06: Alcyona Mick @ Lit & Phil, Newcastle. 1:00pm. A Newcastle Festival of Jazz & Improvised Music event.
Fri 06: Classic Swing @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm.
Fri 06: New Orleans Preservation Jazz Band @ Oxbridge Hotel, Stockton. 1:00pm. £5.00.
Fri 06: Rendezvous Jazz @ The Monkseaton Arms, Monkseaton. 1:00pm.
Fri 06: WORKSHOP: Philosophy of Arts & Entertainment @ Lit & Phil, Newcastle. 2:00pm. A Newcastle Festival of Jazz & Improvised Music event.
Fri 06: Balo @ Lit & Phil, Newcastle. 6:20pm. A Newcastle Festival of Jazz & Improvised Music event.
Fri 06: Paul Skerritt @ 3Sixty Champagne Lounge, Hadrian’s Tower, Newcastle. From 7:00pm. To book a table - 0191 933 8591.
Fri 06: Lexer/Mayes/Noble + Semay Wu + Miman @ Lit & Phil, Newcastle. 7:20pm. A Newcastle Festival of Jazz & Improvised Music event.
Fri 06: Dulcie May Moreno @ The Vault, Hexham. 7:30pm. £20.00. Book in advance. Moreno with Alan Law, Paul Grainger & John Bradford.
Fri 06: Dean Stockdale Quartet @ Saltburn Community Hall. 7:30pm. 'Celebrating Oscar'.
Fri 06: Nu Brass Sounds: Big Brass Bash @ Billy Bootlegger’s, Newcastle. 8:00pm. Free.
Fri 06: TBC @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 8:00pm. Blind Pig Blues Club. A 'Jar on the Bar' gig.

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.

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