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Bebop Spoken There

Branford Marsalis: "As ignorance often forces us to do, you make a generalisation about a musician based on one specific record or one moment in time." - (Jazzwise June 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

15491 (and counting) posts since we started blogging 15 years ago. 512 of them this year alone and, so far, 133 this month (May 31).

From This Moment On ...

Tue 06: Paul Skerritt @ The Rabbit Hole, Hallgarth St., Durham DH1 3AT. 7:00pm. Paul Skerritt's (solo) weekly residency.
Tue 06: Jam session @ Black Swan, Newcastle Arts Centre. 7:30pm. House trio: Stu Collingwood (piano); Paul Grainger (double bass); Sid White (drums).

Wed 07: Vieux Carré Jazzmen @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm.
Wed 07: Darlington Big Band @ Darlington & Simpson Rolling Mills Social Club, Darlington. 7:00pm. Rehearsal session (open to the public).
Wed 07: 4B @ The Exchange, North Shields. 7:00pm.
Wed 07: Take it to the Bridge @ The Globe, Newcastle. 7:30pm.

Thu 08: Vieux Carré Jazzmen @ The Holystone, Whitley Road, North Tyneside. 1:00pm. Free. CANCELLED! BACK ON JUNE 15.
Thu 08: Easington Colliery Brass Band @ The Lubetkin Theatre, Peterlee. 7:00pm. £10.00.
Thu 08: Faye MacCalman + Blue Dust Archive @ Cobalt Studios, Newcastle. 7:00pm.
Thu 08: Dilutey Juice + Ceramic @ The Ampitheatre, Sea Road, South Shields. 7:00pm. Free. A South Tyneside Festival event.
Thu 08: Lara Jones w. Vigilance State @ Lubber Fiend, Blandford Square, Newcastle. 7:00pm.
Thu 08: Michael Littlefield @ the Harbour View, Roker, Sunderland. 8:00pm. Free. Country blues.
Thu 08: Tees Hot Club @ Dorman's Club, Middlesbrough. 9:00pm.

Fri 09: Classic Swing @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm.
Fri 09: New Orleans Preservation Jazz Band @ Oxbridge Hotel, Stockton. 1:00pm. £5.00.
Fri 09: Rendezvous Jazz @ The Monkseaton Arms, Monkseaton. 1:00pm.
Fri 09: Castillo Nuevo @ Revolución de Cuba, Newcastle. 5:30-8:30pm.
Fri 09: Emma Rawicz @ Sage Gateshead. 8:00pm.

Sat 10: Miners' Picnic @ Woodhorn, Ashington. Music inc. Northern Monkey Brass Band (3:00-3:50pm); New York Brass Band (4:00-4:55pm).
Sat 10: Front Porch Three @ The Globe, Newcastle. 7:00pm. Free. Americana, blues, jazz etc.
Sat 10: Merlin Roxby @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 8:00pm. A 'Jar on the Bar' gig.

Sun 11: WORKSHOP: Tim Richards' Jazz Piano Workshop @ JG Windows, Newcastle. Time TBC. Further details tel. 0191 232 1356.
Sun 11: Jeremy McMurray's Pocket Jazz Orchestra @ Ropner Park, Stockton TS18 4EF. 2:00-4:00pm. Free.
Sun 11: Am Jam @ The Globe, Newcastle. 2:30pm. Free.
Sun 11: 4B @ The Exchange, North Shields. 3:00pm.
Sun 11: Groovetrain @ Innisfree Sports & Social Club, Longbenton NE12 8TY. Doors 6:30pm. £15.00 (£7.00. under 16).
Sun 11: Jeffrey Hewer Collective @ The Globe, Newcastle. 8:00pm.

Mon 12: Harmony Brass @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm.

Sunday, May 08, 2022

Jeff Barnhart's Mr Men @ Darlington New Orleans Jazz Club - May 7

Jeff Barnhart (piano, vocals); John Hallam (tenor sax, baritone sax, clarinet); Keith Stephen (banjo, guitar); Bruce Rollo (string bass)

The last time the Mr Men played together was at St Augustine's and that was back in May 2019. Earlier this week Jeff Barnhart flew in from America for a first visit to these shores in a long while. He'd been looking forward to meeting up with the boys - John Hallam, Keith Stephen and Bruce Rollo - to catch up and play a few tunes. Darlington New Orleans Jazz Club's loyal audience turned out in force, a makeshift kitchen dispensing coffees and teas doing good business with the bar open for alcoholic beverages. In some ways it was as if the last two years hadn't unfolded in the way they did. All seemed (relatively) well with the world.
The Mr Men are consummate professionals, casually picking up where they left off. Jeff Barnhart thought Harold Arlen's As Long as I Live summed up our lives - survivors, gathering together to listen to some jazz. Over the course of two sets there'd be some Jelly Roll, some Ellington and much more. There is No Greater Love featured John Hallam on tenor sax (throughout the afternoon Hallam would switch from tenor to baritone sax, clarinet and back again) and some terrific stride piano by Barnhart. Hallam on baritone resulted in a marvellous take on Bechet's Si Tu Vois Ma Mère and the first set closer heard more baritone, Keith Stephen on banjo and a Barnhart vocal on Dream Man.

Messrs Hallam, Stephen and Rollo remained at the bar as Barnhart opened the second set with a request, High Society as a solo piano piece. Marvellous. Reluctantly or otherwise, the gentlemen of the orchestra reassembled to play a hot Fine and Dandy. Fine and dandy, indeed! A rash of Ellington - Hush-a-bye and I Let a Song Go Out of My Heart - brought out the best in the Mr Men, similarly Pee Wee's Blues (Hallam blowing clarinet with sensitive solos all round). More Ellington - Doin' the Crazy Walk (Hallam on baritone), Mr. Gentle and Mr. Cool, and before we knew it, the three o'clock finish had been and gone. Barnhart wanted to play one more, Hallam suggested Bye Bye Blackbird. Until the next time, gentlemen. 

Next month at St Augustine's (Saturday 4 June) it's Alligator Gumbo. Russell

   
      
Set list: As Long as I LiveBlue Blood BluesThere is No Greater LoveDo Nothin' Til You Hear from MeSweet Georgia BrownYou're Driving Me CrazySi Tu Vois Ma MèreIf I Had YouDream ManHigh SocietyFine and DandyHush-a-bye, Baby MineI Let a Song Go Out of My HeartPee Wee's BluesIndianaDoin' the Crazy WalkMr. Cool and Mr. GentleBye Bye Blackbird.

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