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Bebop Spoken There

Simon Spillett: “ Bebop and hard bop came naturally to him [Tubby Hayes]". Morning Star, March 28, 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

16287 (and counting) posts since we started blogging 16 years ago. 169 of them this year alone and, so far, 41 this month (Mar 18).

From This Moment On ...

March

Fri 29: FILM: Soul @ The Forum Cinema, Hexham. 12:30pm. Jazz-themed film animation.
Fri 29: Classic Swing @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 29: Rendezvous Jazz @ The Monkseaton Arms. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 29: New Orleans Preservation Jazz Band @ The Oxbridge Hotel, Stockton. 1:00pm. £5.00.
Fri 29: Abbie Finn Trio @ The Vault, Darlington. 6:00pm. Free. POSTPONED!
Fri 29: Thundercat @ Newcastle City Hall.
Fri 29: John Logan @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 8:00pm. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig.
Fri 29: True Colours @ Barrels Ale House, Berwick. 9:00pm. Blues, jazz & swing.

Sat 30: Papa G’s Troves @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 8:00pm. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig.
Sat 30: Pete Tanton’s Cuba Libre @ Whitley Bay Library, York Road, Whitley Bay. 8:00pm.

Sun 31: 4B @ The Ticket Office, Whitley Bay Metro Station. 3:00pm. Free.
Sun 31: Ruth Lambert Trio @ Juke Shed, Union Quay, North Shields NE30 1HJ. 3:00pm. Free. Lambert, Alan Law & Paul Grainger.
Sun 31: Sid Jacobs & Tom Remon @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 7:00pm. Free. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig. USA/London jazz guitar duo.
Sun 31: Bellavana @ The Globe, Newcastle. 8:00pm.

April
Mon 01: Harmony Brass @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Mon 01: Ray Stubbs R&B All Stars @ Billy Bootlegger’s, Ouseburn, Newcastle. 3:00pm. Free.

Tue 02: Jam session @ The Black Swan, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free. House trio: Dean Stockdale, Paul Grainger, Abbie Finn.

Wed 03: Vieux Carré Jazzmen @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Wed 03: Darlington Big Band @ Darlington & Simpson Rolling Mills Social Club, Darlington. 7:00pm. Free. Rehearsal session (open to the public).
Wed 03: Take it to the Bridge @ The Globe, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free.

Thu 04: FILM: Soul @ Forum Cinema, Hexham. 2:00pm. Jazz-themed film animation.
Thu 04: Vieux Carré Jazzmen @ The Holystone, Whitley Road, North Tyneside. 1:00pm. Free.
Thu 04: Funky Drummer @ The Globe, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free.
Thu 04: Eva Fox & the Jazz Guys @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 8:00pm. Free. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig.
Thu 04: Tees Hot Club @ Dorman’s Club, Middlesbrough. 8:30pm.

Friday, May 13, 2022

Jo Harrop: The Heart Wants Tour @ Hoochie Coochie - May 12

Jo Harrop (vocals); Paul Edis (piano); Jihad Darwish (bass); James Kitchman (guitar); Steve Hanley (drums).

We love Jo - she's a singer who's at the top of her game with, maybe goodness knows what else she still has in store for us.

Last night's show at Hoochie was proof of her versatility as the somewhat less than capacity crowd discovered to their audible delight. The majority of the numbers were from her most recent album, The Heart Wants and were, with a couple of exceptions such as Duke's All Too Soon, mainly lyrics by Harrop, music by Edis.

On the album there's a 'cast of thousands' whereas here, it was whittled down to a quartet without losing any impact. The sound wasn't perfect. Too much bass in the first set and too much treble in the second but that, I was told later, could well have been due to where I was sitting as it seemed to be fine elsewhere in the room. Whatever, Jo's voice overrode any such obstacles real or imagined. Is there a better singer around? Maybe, maybe not.

It was good to hear James Kitchman all these years after serving his 'apprenticeship' at the Chilli with Dave Weisser and Take it to the Bridge. Originally from Hexham he'll be gigging at his hometown festival over the weekend as will the rest of the band including Jo.

Any gig that involves Paul Edis whether as a pianist, composer or arranger is going to be good. Tonight he wore all three hats, need I say more?

Steve Hanley pops up quite frequently with various line-ups and slotted in nicely here. His exchange of fours with Jo's scatting on one of the ringers (from a different album) What a Little Moonlight Can do went someway to curing my allergy to that over cooked jazz tradition (fours).

Bassist Jihad Darwish first came to my attention when he appeared here last month with the Jazz Defenders. I was knocked out then and I failed to beat the count again last night. Soloing, supporting or playing rich-toned intros he's your man.

A great gig that should have had them queuing around the block which once again raises the question of the jazz audience's parochialism. I don't know if this is peculiar to the north east but each venue seems to have its own crowd and rarely do the twain meet. If they did, all gigs would, by necessity, take place at The Arena. Let's hope more make the pilgrimage to Hexham Abbey - Lance

The Heart Wants; Everything's Changing; Charade*; What If?; Dangerous Love*; Home*; Hold On; I Think You'd Better go; Rome Wasn't Built in a Day*; What a Little Moonlight Can do*; All Too Soon; Life Inside; Red Mary Janes & a Brand New Hat; If I Knew; Wise Words; Nothing We Can Do*; Guilty*; Fine and Mellow*

* Not from The Heart Wants.

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