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Bebop Spoken There

Béla Fleck: “ And that's the great thing about live performances, you take people on a journey. It doesn't have to be like something else they've heard. It's not supposed to be". DownBeat, April, 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

Thu 28: Vieux Carré Jazzmen @ The Holystone, Whitley Road, North Tyneside. 1:00pm. Free.
Thu 28: Gateshead Jazz Appreciation Society @ Gateshead Central Library, Gateshead. 2:30pm.
Thu 28: Richard Herdman Quartet @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 8:00pm. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig.
Thu 28: Tees Hot Club @ Dorman’s Club, Middlesbrough. 8:30pm. Guests: Josh Bentham (alto sax); Alan Marshall (tenor sax); Neil Brodie (trumpet); Adrian Beadnell (bass); Graham Thompson (keys); Steve Hunter (drums).

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.

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.

Tuesday, May 17, 2022

Swing Manouche @ Blaydon Jazz Club - May 16

(© Roly Veitch)
Mick Shoulder (guitar); Dave Smith (rhythm guitar); Martin Winning (clarinet); Paul Grainger (string bass) 

Hugely enjoyable. There's no better way to describe this Blaydon Jazz Club concert. Mick Shoulder's Swing Manouche is a cracking outfit playing Django (typically Django sans Stéphane), Hot Club, Manouche, musette and more. Known to many as a first class double bass player, Mick's Swing Manouche sees him out front, centre stage playing guitar. Spotlight solo excursions were shared largely between Mick and Martin Winning (clarinet). Mick's choice of material presented the audience with some lesser known numbers, and that's to his credit as all too often the more familiar tunes have, well, been heard time and again.

When Day is DoneAnniversary SongCoquette, the quartet in the groove from the off, the soloists not the least interested in slugging it out, this was all about respecting the material and enjoying one another's musical company. Django's Castle featured Martin's breathy, husky, woody clarinet playing, his style far removed from the bravura, in-your-face approach of some other practitioners on his instrument. 

(© Roly Veitch)
Second set, Mick's composition Yellow Cab lost little, if anything, alongside the Hot Club canon, with string bass man Paul Grainger stepping up. Another original tune, Sinister Swing (replete with a fleeting quote from Dinah) similarly stood comparison. Playing Django's one-chorus Vamp worked well. Has this number ever been played at a jazz gig? Possibly, although this was a first time hearing for your reviewer. I'll See You in My DreamsDark Eyes, this was Swing Manouche in fine form. In closing, special mention of Dave Smith. Rhythm guitarist Dave, from Mick's neck of the woods in Bishop Auckland, is a newcomer to the jazz scene. It was only recently that Dave performed in public for the very first time. Holding down the rhythm in an outfit like this is a specialised job, it's fair to say Dave did a great job. Très bon! Russell

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