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Bebop Spoken There

David Hadju: "It was kind of a lightning bolt [seeing a photo of a hi-fi store that's now occupied by a phone store]. Everyone had hi-fi systems, now everyone has a phone" - (DownBeat May 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

15478 (and counting) posts since we started blogging 15 years ago. 499 of them this year alone and, so far, 120 this month (May 27).

From This Moment On ...

May 2023

Sun 28: Bradley Creswick's Western Swingfonia @ Whitley Bay Carnival. Free. Plaza Arena stage. 12 noon.
Sun 28: MSK @ Whitley Bay Carnival. 12:15pm. Free. Marquee stage. MSK - Steve Glendinning, Katy Trigger, Martin Douglas.
Sun 28: Musicians Unlimited @ The Park Inn, Hartlepool. 1:00pm. Free.
Sun 28: Back Chat Brass @ Whitley Bay Carnival. 1:30pm. Free. Marquee stage.
Sun 28: More Jam @ The Globe, Newcastle. 2:00pm. Free.
Sun 28: Tim Kliphuis Trio @ St Mary's Church, Wooler NE71 6BZ. 3:00pm. £15.00 standard; £5.00 student/unwaged; free under 18. Afternoon Cocktail, a Wooler Summer Arts' concert promotion. Kliphuis (violin); Nigel Clark (guitar); Roy Percy (double bass).
Sun 28: Back Chat Brass @ Whitley Bay Carnival. 3:00pm. Free. Plaza Arena stage.
Sun 28: 4B @ The Exchange, North Shields. 3:00pm.
Sun 28: King Bees @ The Delaval Arms, Old Hartley NE26 4RL. 5:00pm. Free. Chicago blues at its best!
Sun 28: Matt Anderson Quartet @ The Globe, Newcastle. 8:00pm. Anderson (saxophones); Jamil Sheriff (piano); Andy Champion (double bass); Dave Walsh (drums).

Mon 29: Harmony Brass @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm.

Tue 30: Paul Skerritt @ The Rabbit Hole, Hallgarth St., Durham DH1 3AT. 7:00pm. Paul Skerritt's (solo) weekly residency.
Tue 30: Big Chris Barber Band @ Whitley Bay Playhouse. 7:30pm.

Wed 31: Vieux Carré Jazzmen @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm.
Wed 31: Darlington Big Band @ Darlington & Simpson Rolling Mills Social Club, Darlington. 7:00pm. Rehearsal session (open to the public).
Wed 31: 4B @ The Exchange, North Shields. 7:00pm.
Wed 31: Take it to the Bridge @ The Globe, Newcastle. 7:30pm.

June
Thu 01: Vieux Carré Jazzmen @ The Holystone, Whitley Road, North Tyneside. 1:00pm. Free.
Thu 01: Thursday Night Prayer Meeting @ The Globe, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Donations.
Thu 01: Merlin Roxby @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 8:00pm. Ragtime piano. A 'Jar on the Bar' gig.
Thu 01: Jake Leg Jug Band @ The Globe, Newcastle. 8:00pm.
Thu 01: Tees Hot Club @ Dorman's Club, Middlesbrough. 9:00pm.

Fri 02: Classic Swing @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm.
Fri 02: New Orleans Preservation Jazz Band @ Oxbridge Hotel, Stockton. 1:00pm. £5.00.
Fri 02: Rendezvous Jazz @ The Monkseaton Arms, Monkseaton. 1:00pm.
Fri 02: Joseph Carville Trio @ Saltburn Community Hall. 7:30pm.
Fri 02: Claire Martin & Her Trio @ The Witham, Barnard Castle. 7:30pm. £25.00., £20.00. Feat. Jim Mullen, Alex Garnett & Jeremy Brown.
Fri 02: Guy Davis + Michael Littlefield & Scott Taylor @ Cluny 2, Newcastle. Doors 7:30pm. Blues double bill.
Fri 02: Anders Ingram @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 8:00pm. Blind Pig Blues Club. Country blues. A 'Jar on the Bar' gig.

Sat 03: Newcastle Record Fair @ Northumbria University, Newcastle NE8 8SB. 10:00am-3:00pm. Admission: £2.00.
Sat 03: Pedigree Jazz Band @ St Augustine's Parish Centre, Darlington. 12:30pm.
Sat 03: Play Jazz! workshop @ The Globe, Newcastle. 1:30pm. Tutor: Sue Ferris. £25.00. Enrol at: www.jazz.coop.
Sat 03: Abbie Finn Trio @ The Vault, Darlington. 6:00pm. Free.
Sat 03: Rendezvous Jazz @ Red Lion, Earsdon. 8:00pm. £3.00.
Sat 03: Papa G's Troves @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 8:00pm. A 'Jar on the Bar' gig.

Wednesday, April 27, 2022

Album review: Strictly Smokin' Big Band - Sings Ella with Alice Grace

The Strictly Smokin' Big Band's new album (the second in a planned series of three) was recorded in rural Northumberland in July 2021. This Jazz Sounds Records' recording features vocalist Alice Grace, the band and a no-expense-spared string section. Ten tracks, thirty six minutes, the recording quality second to none (take a bow Liam Gaughan), the SSBB at the top of its game, is this the big band album of the year? 
Ella is, without question, a serious contender. 

And then there is Alice Grace. For those of us who have heard her sing, we've long-since known Ms Grace is one the great British jazz singers, up there with the very best of them. Ella is set to win our adopted Geordie a whole bucket load of new fans. From Cole Porter's Why Can't You Behave? (arr. Buddy Bregman) to Michael Lamb's arrangement of George Gershwin's There's a Boat That's Leaving Soon for New York, band and vocalist aim for the stars. One day they must tell us what it was like up there! 

The SSBB's sections and soloists are heard on top form (including guest tenor saxophonist Vasilis Xenopoulos) and the twelve-strong string section (Bradley Creswick, leader), plus oboe and French horn, are presented as an integral part of the album, not in any way a 'with strings' afterthought. Alice Grace highlights? Everything on the album. If pushed, That Old Black Magic and I Said No.    

The Strictly Smokin' Big Band's Sings Ella with Alice Grace  is on Jazz Sound Records (cat. no. JSR012). The album is available from: www.strictly-smokin.co.uk. Consider it an essential purchase. And if you're a promoter - jazz club or festival - don't think twice, book the Strictly Smokin' Big Band...with Alice Grace, of course. Russell 

Strictly Smokin' Big Band: Alice Grace (vocals); Steve Summers (alto 1, flute), Keith Robinson (alto 2, clarinet, flute), Jamie Toms (tenor 1, clarinet, bass clarinet), Dave Kerridge (tenor sax 2, clarinet), Laurie Rangecroft (baritone sax, flute), Vasilis Xenopoulos (tenor sax solo track 9); Gordon Marshall, Dick Stacey, Pete Tanton, Michael Lamb tracks 2, 4, 6, 7, Stuart McLean-Fowler tracks 1, 3, 5, 8-10 (trumpets); Kieran Parnaby, Mark Ferris, Chris Kurji-Smith, John Flood (trombones); Pawel Jedrzejewski (guitar); Graham Don (piano); Michael Whent (bass); Guy Swinton (drums)

The Orchestra: Michael Lamb (conductor); Bradley Creswick (leader), Joanne Atherton, Rebecca Howell, Ed Cross, Jayne Cuggy, Zoë Hodgson, Markus Lawrenson (violins), Chrissie Slater, Claudia Newbegin (violas); Ele Leckie, Mark Carroll (celli); Philip Cull (oboe); Chris Senior (French horn); Sarah Paterson (harp)

Why Can't You Behave?Lullaby of BroadwayI've Got Beginner's LuckThat Old Black MagicLove Me or Leave MeAll the Things You AreI Said NoA Flower is a Lovesome ThingI Fall in Love Too EasilyThere's a Boat That's Leaving Soon for New York. 

1 comment :

Minnie Fraser said...

I have had this album for a week and have nearly worn it out!
It is truly wonderful! I don’t think I have ever had so much joy from a new album!
The band, the orchestra and oh that beautiful voice!!!!
Pure heaven!

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