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Bebop Spoken There

Dee Dee Bridgewater: “ Our world is becoming a very ugly place with guns running rampant in this country... and New Orleans is called the murder capital of the world right now ". Jazzwise, May 2024.

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...

Josh Weir: I love the writing on bebop spoken here... I think the work you are doing is amazing.

Postage

16408 (and counting) posts since we started blogging 16 years ago. 288 of them this year alone and, so far, 85 this month (April 30).

From This Moment On ...

May

Thu 09: Vieux Carré Jazzmen @ The Holystone, Whitley Road, North Tyneside. 1:00pm. Free.
Thu 09: Gateshead Jazz Appreciation Society @ Gateshead Central Library, Gateshead. 2:30pm.
Thu 09: Lewis Watson Quartet + Langdale Youth Jazz Ensemble @ Laurel’s Theatre, Whitley Bay. 8:00pm. £10.00.
Thu 09: Tees Hot Club @ Dorman’s Club, Middlesbrough. 8:30pm. Guests: Josh Bentham (sax); Neil Brodie (trumpet); Dave Archbold (keys); Ron Smith (bass).

Fri 10: Michael Woods @ Lit & Phil, Newcastle. 1:00pm. Free. Country blues guitar & vocals. SOLD OUT!
Fri 10: Classic Swing @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 10: Rendezvous Jazz @ The Monkseaton Arms. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 10: New Orleans Preservation Jazz Band @ The Oxbridge Hotel, Stockton. 1:00pm. £5.00.
Fri 10: Citrus @ The Head of Steam, Newcastle. 7:00pm. £11.25.
Fri 10: Zoë Gilby Quartet @ St Cuthbert’s, Crook. 7:30pm. £10.00.

Sat 11: Jeffrey Hewer Trio @ The Vault, Darlington. 7:00pm. Free.
Sat 11: Alligator Gumbo @ The Witham, Barnard Castle. 7:30pm.
Sat 11: Milne-Glendinning Band @ Yarm Parish Church. 7:30pm.
Sat 11: Tom Remon & Laurence Harrison @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 8:00pm. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig.

Sun 12: GoGo Penguin @ Wylam Brewery, Newcastle. 7:00pm (doors). All standing gig.
Sun 12: Eva Fox & the Jazz Guys @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 7:00pm. Downstairs. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig.
Sun 12: Satin Beige @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 8:00pm. £7.50 + bf. Upstairs. R&B cello & vocals
Sun 12: Fergus McCreadie Trio @ The Glasshouse, Gateshead. 8:00pm. £19.80.
Sun 12: Schmid/Wheatley/Prévost + Signe Emmeluth @ The Globe, Newcastle. 8:00pm. JNE.

Mon 13: Emma Fisk & James Birkett @ Yamaha Music School, Blyth. 1:00pm. £8.00.

Tue 14: ???

Wed 15: Vieux Carré Jazzmen @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Wed 15: Darlington Big Band @ Darlington & Simpson Rolling Mills Social Club, Darlington. 7:00pm. Free. Rehearsal session (open to the public).
Wed 15: Take it to the Bridge @ The Globe, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free.

Saturday, April 23, 2022

Lewis Watson Quartet @ Opus 4 Jazz Club, Darlington - April 22

Lewis Watson (tenor sax); Mark Williams (guitar); Mick Shoulder (double bass); John Bradford (drums)

A second appearance of the day by Lewis Watson. Earlier, in reviewing tenor saxophonist Watson's lunchtime concert in Newcastle, BSH Editor-in-Chief LL opted to mix sporting metaphors - citing heavyweight boxing champ Sonny Liston and footballer Cristiano Ronaldo - to describe/review the rarely-spotted Watson's performance. Forget Ronaldo, this was George Best. The Manchester United legend retired at the age of 26 (tennis legend Bjorn Borg did the same thing). We hadn't seen or heard from Lewis Watson for quite some time (pre-pandemic) and this double-header of a day marked something of a comeback.

As at the Lit & Phil in Newcastle, here at the Traveller's Rest in Cockerton, Darlington, Watson opened with Trane's Liberia. In good fettle and in great form, we should treasure the return of this most majestic of tenor saxophonists. Watson's team mates - Mark Williams, Mick Shoulder and John Bradford - were more than up to the job as Best, sorry, Watson, weaved, dream-like, through the changes. Jerry Bergonzi's Optimum Propensity challenged the quartet here at Opus 4 Jazz Club, all four musicians played a blinder. El Gaucho, a magical Beatrice (Watson has had Sam Rivers' tune in his pad for years and years), then a departure from the Lit & Phil set list with a take on Steve Swallow's Eiderdown

Understandably, Lewis Watson the tenor player likes his tenor players. Earlier, Sam Rivers, now, into the second set of the evening, Joe Henderson and Recorda Me. Appreciative of his team mates (and perhaps looking for a breather), Watson momentarily left the stage to listen to the trio play I Should Care (Mark Williams has been known to say of the Axel Stordahl/Paul Weston composition: Great tune!). The trio has been known to gig as a working unit. Excellent. 

Returning to the stage, Watson and the boys revisited Everything Happens to Me, drummer John Bradford's use of brushes an example of how it can be done - a listening ear, a sympathetic ear. And before we knew it, time for one more. Wayne Shorter's Yes or No. Wow! The power, the dynamics, the total command of his instrument, make no mistake, Lewis Watson is back! Watch this space, it's likely we'll be hearing more from L Watson, tenor saxophonist. Russell

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