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Bebop Spoken There

Spasmo Brown: “Jazz is an ice cream sandwich! It's the Fourth of July! It's a girl with a waterbed!”. (Syncopated Times, July, 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

17421 (and counting) posts since we started blogging 16 years ago. 695 of them this year alone and, so far, 100 this month (Sept. 30).

From This Moment On ...

October

Wed 09: Vieux Carré Jazzmen @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free. Wed 09: Jason Isaacs @ St James’ STACK, Newcastle. 5:00-7:00pm. Free.
Wed 09: Darlington Big Band @ Darlington & Simpson Rolling Mills Social Club, Darlington. 7:00pm. Free. Rehearsal session (open to the public).
Wed 09: Take it to the Bridge @ The Globe, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free.
Wed 09: The Tannery Jam Session @ The Tannery, Gilesgate, Hexham. 7:00-9:00pm. Free. A ‘second Wednesday in the month’ jam session.
Wed 09: Shunya, Dudù Kouate & Seb Rochford @ The Cluny, Newcastle. 8:30pm (7:30pm doors). £21.00.

Thu 10: Vieux Carré Jazzmen @ The Holystone, Whitley Road, North Tyneside. 1:00pm. Free.
Thu 10: Gateshead Jazz Appreciation Society @ Brunswick Methodist Church, Newcastle NE1 7BJ. 2:00pm. £4.00. ‘Collaborations - it happened all the time’.
Thu 10: Indigo Jazz Voices w. the Little Big Band @ The Globe, Newcastle. 7:45pm. £5.00.
Thu 10: Side Cafe Orkestar @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 8:00pm. Free. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig.
The 10: Classic Swing @ Carlisle Rugby Club, Warwick Rd., Carlisle. 8:30pm. £9.
Thu 10: Tees Hot Club @ Dorman’s Club, Middlesborough. 8:30pm. With guests Donna Hewitt (sax); Bill Watson (trumpet); Graham Thompson (keys); Ron Smith (bass). Free.

Fri 11: Classic Swing @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 11: Rendezvous Jazz @ The Monkseaton Arms. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 11: New Orleans Preservation Jazz Band @ The Oxbridge Hotel, Stockton. 1:00pm. £5.00.
Fri 11: Dulcie May Moreno @ The Old Library, Auckland Castle, Bishop Auckland. 1:00pm. £8.00.
Fri 11: The Jazz Quartet + Stratosphonic @ Tynedale Rugby Club, Corbridge. 7:00pm. £15.00. A Rotary Club of Hexham event. The Jazz Quartet (Jude Murphy & co), Stratosphonic (blues/rock). CANCELLED!
Fri 11: Joe Steels Trio @ The Pele, Market Place, Corbridge NE45 5AW. 7:30pm. Free.
Fri 11: Crooners @ Tyne Theatre, Newcastle. 7:30pm.
Fri 11: Mo Scott Band @ Blues Underground, Nelson St., Newcastle. 9:00pm. Free.

Sat 12: Milne-Glendinning Band @ The Vault, Darlington. 7:00pm. Free.
Sat 12: Michael Woods @ Victoria Tunnel, Ouseburn, Newcastle. 7:00pm. £12.00. (£10.00. adv.). Country blues guitar & vocals.
Sat 12: Nauta @ Cobalt Studios, Newcastle. 7:00pm. £13.28, £11.16, £9.04. A two-track recording launch gig.
Sat 12: Stuart Turner @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 8:00pm. Rockabilly, rhythm & blues etc. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig.
Sat 12: Lapwing Jazz Trio @ The Ship Inn, Low Newton. 8:00pm. Free. New trio: Paula Whitty, Richard Herdman, Jude Murphy.

Sun 13: Am Jam @ The Globe, Newcastle. 2:00pm. Free.
Sun 13: Emma Wilson @ Tyne Bar, Newcastle. 4:00pm. Free. Blues.
Sun 13: Catfish Keith @ The Cluny. 7:00pm. Country blues.
Sun 13: Cath Stephens & Paul Grainger @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 7:00pm. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig. Stephens & Grainger, one third of a triple bill.
Sun 13: Dulcie May Moreno Quartet @ The Globe, Newcastle. 8:00pm.

Mon 14: Harmony Brass @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Mon 14: Black is the Color of My Voice @ Hippodrome, Darlington. 7:30pm. Apphia Campbell’s one-woman show inspired by Nina Simone, performed by Nicholle Cherrie.

Tue 15: Jam session @ The Black Swan, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free. House trio: Alan Law (piano), Paul Grainger (double bass), Bailey Rudd (drums).

Reviewers wanted

Whilst BSH attempts to cover as many gigs, festivals and albums as possible, to make the site even more comprehensive we need more 'boots on the ground' to cover the albums seeking review - a large percentage of which never get heard - report on gigs or just to air your views on anything jazz related. Interested? then please get in touch. Contact details are on the blog. Look forward to hearing from you. Lance

Tuesday, April 19, 2022

Ruth Lambert Quartet @ Blaydon Jazz Club - April 18

(© R. Veitch)
Ruth Lambert (vocals); Alan Law (piano); Paul Grainger (double bass); Tim Johnston (drums) + David Gray (trombone)

Easter Monday. Would the public holiday entice a few more gig-goers to venture out or would it have the opposite effect? In truth, the numbers were about the same as of late, perhaps one or two of the regulars didn't show, however, their absence was compensated for by the welcome presence of some new faces. Ruth Lambert is no stranger to Blaydon Jazz Club and this evening our GASbook singer par excellence arrived with her now settled line-up featuring pianist Alan Law, bassist Paul Grainger and drummer Tim Johnston. Later in the evening one of Tyneside's A-listers would join the quartet to help close out the second set. 

Someone once said something along the lines of: Ella could swing the phone book. The very same observation could be applied to Ruth Lambert. From the opening bars of You and the Night and the Music, Ruth couldn't do anything other than swing it. Skylark and Black Coffee have long since been in our vocalist's repertoire; contrasting tunes, poles apart emotionally and stylistically, both magical in the hands, rather, vocal chords, of this evening's star guest. To close a superb first set, Ruth asked what we wanted to hear - a 'misery' number or something a little more upbeat? Misery cried one of Blaydon Jazz Club's loyal supporters. So, 'misery' won out, Angel Eyes taking us up to the break. 

(© R. Veitch)
Second set, Alan Law's deft, light-of-touch piano playing brought in No Moon at All, Tim Johnston wisely using brushes on a round of fours. But Beautiful silenced the room, as Ruth gave a masterclass in the art of intimate, up close jazz singing. At its conclusion, Ruth said the song (written by Jimmy Van Heusen and Johnny Burke) came from one of the Road to...movies. Your correspondent, nor others, was able to name the film. Morning-after-the-night-before research revealed/reminded us: it was sung by Bing Crosby in The Road to Rio.

(© R. Veitch)
David Gray was in the house, having a night out. Ruth suggested Showtime join the quartet on a few numbers. Living near by, DG made a sharp exit to pick up his 'bone. Minutes later Ruth suggested a blues in A. Our vocalist has an affinity with the great Bonnie Raitt (and the blues), so, we got Love Me Like a Man. Superb, and, no mistake, Showtime stepped up to the plate! Ruth turned to Alan Law, saying: Follow that! Pianist Law met the challenge head on bringing in Caravan. The now quintet went with it, out into the desert and safely back again, drummer Johnston rattling the pans in time-honoured fashion. We were fast approaching the end of the evening, Ruth swinging How High the Moon as only she can, 'boneman Gray quoting Ornithology (Showtime knows his stuff!). Running slightly over time, the fabulous Ruth Lambert - and band - went out on Secret Love

Next month at the Black Bull, it's Mick Shoulder's Swing Manouche. Highly recommended, it's an eight o'clock start on Monday 16th. See you there. Russell                  

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