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Bebop Spoken There

Abbie Finn: "Even though there's a lot of great work being done to promote women in jazz, I still come up against some attitudes! I pulled up at a recording session with my drums in the car and the studio owner said, 'I'm sorry, this space is reserved for the drummer!'" - (Jazzwise April 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

15229 (and counting) posts since we started blogging 15 years ago. 248 of them this year alone and, so far, 61 this month (March 20).

From This Moment On ...

March

Thu 23: Vieux Carré Jazzmen @ The Holystone, Whitley Road, North Tyneside. 4:00-6:00pm. Free.
Thu 23: NUJO Jazz Jam @ Bar Loco, Newcasatle. From 6:30pm 'til late. Free. Newcastle University Jazz Orchestra jam session. All welcome (students & non-students).
Thu 23: Kerrin Tatman + John Garner & John Pope @ Cobalt Studios, Newcastle. 7:00pm.
Thu 23: Sunna Gunnlaugs & Julia Hülsmann @ Sage Gateshead. 8:00pm. A two-piano gig. A Sage Gateshead-JNE promotion.
Thu 23: Merlin Roxby @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 8:00pm. Ragtime piano.
Thu 23: Sleep Suppressor @ The Globe, Newcastle. 8:00pm. £10.00., £8.00. adv. Upstairs.
Thu 23: Tees Hot Club @ Dorman's Club, Middlesbrough. 9:00pm.

Fri 24: Classic Swing @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm.
Fri 24: New Orleans Preservation Jazz Band @ Oxbridge Hotel, Stockton. 1:00pm. £5.00.
Fri 24: Rendezvous Jazz @ The Monkseaton Arms, Monkseaton. 1:00pm.
Fri 24: FILM: Mo' Better Blues @ Forum Cinema, Hexham. 7:00pm.
Fri 24: Ian Millar & Dominic Spencer @ Scarth Hall, Staindrop, Co. Durham. 8:00pm. £10.00.
Fri 24: Archipelago + Bulbils @ Cobalt Studios, Newcastle. 7:00pm.

Sat 25: Vermont Big Band @ Walker Community Centre, Walker, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Fundraiser for Benfield Juniours Football Club. Hot food available, BYOB.
Sat 25: John Logan & Friends @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 8:00pm. Rat Pack, Motown etc. 8:00pm. Free (donations).

Sun 26: Musicians Unlimited @ Park Inn, Hartlepool. 1:00pm.
Sun 26: More Jam @ The Globe, Newcastle. 3:00pm. Free.
Sun 26: 4B @ The Exchange, North Shields. 3:00pm.
Sun 26: Outlines @ The Globe, Newcastle. 8:00pm. JNE promotion (upstairs).

Mon 27: Harmony Brass @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm.

Tue 28: Paul Skerritt @ The Rabbit Hole, Hallgarth St., Durham DH1 3AT. 7:00pm. Paul Skerritt's (solo) weekly residency.
Tue 28: Sanaz Lavasani Trio @ Black Swan, Newcastle Arts Centre. 8:00pm. £12.00 (£10.00. adv).

Wed 29: Vieux Carré Jazzmen @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm.
Wed 29: Darlington Big Band @ Darlington & Simpson Rolling Mills Social Club, Darlington. 7:00pm. Rehearsal session (open to the public).
Wed 29: 4B @ The Exchange, North Shields. 7:00pm.
Wed 29: Take it to the Bridge @ The Globe, Newcastle. 7:30pm.

Thursday, May 12, 2022

The Bold Big Band @ The Black Swan, Newcastle - May 11

Other than this year's Great North Big Band Jazz Festival, December 2019 was the last time the Bold Big Band gave a full concert performance. From past experience we knew what to expect, not for nothing is the Newcastle based ensemble called the Bold Big Band! MD Danny Wilson presided over affairs, the band kicking off in style with a typically rip-roaring Caravan. The audience, comprised almost exclusively of Newcastle University undergraduates, liked what was on offer and applause would ring out solo after solo for the remainder of the evening.

The Bold Big Band is made up of Newcastle University undergraduates and alumni. It was noted just how settled the line-up is, no mean feat considering the pandemic and graduating students moving on. Indeed, for the first two of three sets, guitarist James Cuxson sat in the rhythm section sight-reading the charts having earlier in the day travelled up from Leeds. The usual names - composers and arrangers - featured throughout the evening: Gordon Goodwin, Tom Kubis, Erik Morales, Sammy Nestico et al. 

Tom Alcorn (a final year student?) played some blistering trumpet and flugelhorn, alto saxophonist Jacob Lightfoot stepped up as principal soloist in the reeds, Bertie Marks and Alex Utting prominent among the trombones, and southpaw guitarist James Cuxson contributed some fine work (his journey north well worthwhile). The drummers, yes, two of them, fine big band drummers both, rotated on the drum stool: medic Dan Arenstein and Caleb (is it Caleb Durant?).      
            
Pianist Harry Knott had plenty of dots to read, as did the rest of the band. We rarely, if ever, see Knott, and some of the others, at jam sessions. More's the pity. Recent graduate Ifedi Osiyemi is still around and this evening he played his usual dual role of bassist and vocalist. On the vocal numbers (The Lady is a Tramp and L-O-V-E.) Osiyemi came down front, first Cuxson taking over on bass (as a left-hander playing the instrument upside down!), then, third set, fellow guitarist Ben Davies* (orthodox right-hander) similarly played bass as Osiyemi sang. The Bold Big Band is an entertaining, not to mention accomplished, outfit. The band went out where it came in - blowing the roof off - on Gordon Goodwin's Count Bubba.    

Ben Davies late arrival was down to the fact he had a gig earlier in the evening, MD Wilson saying the guitarist's services are in great demand.  Russell     

Tom Alcorn, Danny Wilson, Thomas ?, Oli Presland (trumpets); Jacob Lightfoot (alto sax, clarinet), Emma ? (alto sax, clarinet), Cristina ? (tenor sax, clarinet), ? (tenor sax), Brian Wicks (baritone sax); ? (trombone), Bertie Marks (trombone), Alex Utting (trombone), ? (trombone); James Cuxson (guitar, bass guitar); Harry Knott (piano); Ifede Osiyemi (bass guitar, vocals); Caleb ? (drums), Dan Arenstein (drums) + Ben Davies (guitar, bass guitar)

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