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Bebop Spoken There

Dee Dee Bridgewater: “ Our world is becoming a very ugly place with guns running rampant in this country... and New Orleans is called the murder capital of the world right now ". Jazzwise, May 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

16382 (and counting) posts since we started blogging 16 years ago. 262 of them this year alone and, so far, 59 this month (April 20).

From This Moment On ...

April

Tue 23: Vieux Carre Hot 4 @ Victoria & Albert Inn, Seaton Delaval. 12:30-3:30pm. £12.00. ‘St George’s Day Afternoon Tea’. Gig with ‘Lashings of Victoria Sponge Cake, along with sandwiches & scones’.
Tue 23: Jalen Ngonda @ Newcastle University Students’ Union. POSTPONED!

Wed 24: Vieux Carré Jazzmen @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Wed 24: Darlington Big Band @ Darlington & Simpson Rolling Mills Social Club, Darlington. 7:00pm. Free. Rehearsal session (open to the public).
Wed 24: Sinatra: Raw @ Darlington Hippodrome. 7:30pm. Richard Shelton.
Wed 24: Take it to the Bridge @ The Globe, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free.
Wed 24: Death Trap @ Theatre Royal, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Rambert Dance Co. Two pieces inc. Goat (inspired by the music of Nina Simone) with on-stage musicians.

Thu 25: Vieux Carré Jazzmen @ The Holystone, Whitley Road, North Tyneside. 1:00pm. Free.
Thu 25: Jim Jams @ King’s Hall, Newcastle University. 1:15pm. Jim Jams’ funk collective.
Thu 25: Gateshead Jazz Appreciation Society @ Gateshead Central Library, Gateshead. 2:30pm.
Thu 25: Death Trap @ Theatre Royal, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Rambert Dance Co. Two pieces inc. Goat (inspired by the music of Nina Simone) with on-stage musicians.
Thu 25: Jeremy McMurray & the Pocket Jazz Orchestra @ Arc, Stockton. 8:00pm.
Thu 25: Kate O’Neill, Alan Law & Paul Grainger @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 8:00pm. Free. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig.
Thu 25: Tees Hot Club @ Dorman’s Club, Middlesbrough. 8:30pm. Guests: Richie Emmerson (tenor sax); Neil Brodie (trumpet); Adrian Beadnell (bass); Garry Hadfield (keys).

Fri 26: Graham Hardy Quartet @ The Gala, Durham. 1:00pm. £8.00.
Fri 26: Classic Swing @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 26: Rendezvous Jazz @ The Monkseaton Arms. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 26: New Orleans Preservation Jazz Band @ The Oxbridge Hotel, Stockton. 1:00pm. £5.00.
Fri 26: East Coast Swing Band @ Morpeth Rugby Club. 7:30pm. £9.00. (£8.00 concs).
Fri 26: Paul Skerritt with the Danny Miller Big Band @ Glasshouse, Gateshead. 8:00pm.
Fri 26: Abbie Finn’s Finntet @ Traveller’s Rest, Darlington. 8:00pm. Opus 4 Jazz Club.

Sat 27: Abbie Finn Trio @ The Vault, Darlington. 6:00pm. Free.
Sat 27: Papa G’s Troves @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 8:00pm. Free. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig.

Sun 28: Musicians Unlimited @ Jackson’s Wharf, Hartlepool. 1:00pm. Free.
Sun 28: More Jam Festival Special @ The Globe, Newcastle. 2:00pm. Free. A ’10 Years a Co-op’ festival event.
Sun 28: Swing Dance workshop @ The Globe, Newcastle. 2:00-4:00pm. Free (registration required). A ’10 Years a Co-op’ festival event.
Sun 28: 4B @ The Ticket Office, Whitley Bay Metro Station. 3:00pm. Free.
Sun 28: Scott Bradlee's Postmodern Jukebox: The '10' Tour @ Glasshouse International Centre for Music, Gateshead. 7:30pm. £41.30 t0 £76.50.
Sun 28: Alligator Gumbo @ The Globe, Newcastle. 8:00pm. A ’10 Years a Co-op’ festival event.
Sun 28: Jerron Paxton @ The Cluny, Newcastle. Blues, jazz etc.

Mon 29: Harmony Brass @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Mon 29: Michael Young Trio @ The Engine Room, Sunderland. 6:30-8:30pm. Free. ‘Opus de Funk’ (a tribute to Horace Silver).

Sunday, June 19, 2022

Strictly Smokin' Big Band @ Cobalt, Newcastle - June 18

A new venue for the SSBB in this, the band's twentieth anniversary year.* The word 'industrial' springs to mind when describing Cobalt. Tucked away behind the Biscuit Factory in the upper reaches of the Ouseburn Valley, Cobalt Studios is a rabbit warren of performance space, artist studios, a corridor art gallery,
bar and more. Rows of sturdy plastic chairs set out on a concrete floor, all seats were sold out in advance, similarly standing room was at a premium. 

Befitting of the industrial setting, bandleader Michael Lamb's troops were in civvies (jeans, trainers), making for a relaxed performance. A confined space hasn't previously deterred the SSBB and somehow three sections (trumpets, 'bones and rhythm) managed to squeeze onto a raised stage, the reeds (standing all night long) and vocalist Alice Grace occupying the concrete flooring. The advertised two sets turned into three, each one of half hour duration.

From Old Stuff through to St Louis Blues, the Strictly Smokin' played a blinder. In the reeds, Messrs Robinson and Summers produced a couple of smokin' solos (Summers wielding his curved soprano), likewise Teessider Dave Kerridge, but it was tenor saxophonist Jamie Toms who took the honours with a series of outstanding, fully-formed solos.** The Main Man, Michael Lamb, blew some great trumpet (and flugelhorn), backed up by the SSBB's ace trumpet section. All sections (brass and reeds) excelled on Gordon Goodwin's Hunting Wabbits (precision playing, dynamics) and dep pianist James Peacock impressed big time. And then there was Alice. That's Alice Grace, fabulous vocals - Almost Like Being in LoveSomething's Gotta GiveEvenin'Late, Late ShowClap Yo' Hands and Polly Gibbons' Midnight Prayer

Converted industrial warehouse or swanky dinner dance venue, there's only one band, that's the Strictly Smokin' Big Band.                          

To help celebrate the milestone, Dave O'Higgins will be the Strictly Smokin' Big Band's special guest at Hoochie Coochie on Sunday 23 October. BOOK HERE.

** Jamie Toms is the star attraction tomorrow night (Monday) working with the Mick Shoulder Trio on a Blaydon Jazz Club gig at the Black Bull - Russell    
 
Set list: Old StuffWhisper NotInterloperAlmost Like Being in LoveYou Snooze, You Lose (1st set); Hunting WabbitsSomething's Gotta GiveSquatty RooRememberingEvenin' (2nd set): Late, Late ShowClap Yo' HandsMr FunkMidnight PrayerSt Louis Blues (3rd set).
     
Strictly Smokin' Big Band: Michael Lamb (MD), Pete Tanton, Gordon Marshall, Dick Stacey (trumpets); Jamie Toms, Dave Kerridge, Keith Robinson, Steve Summers, Sue Ferris (reeds); Mark Ferris, Keiran Parnaby, Chris Gray, John Flood (trombones); Pawel Jedrzejewski (guitar); James Peacock (piano, keyboards); Michael Whent (bass guitar); Guy Swinton (drums); Alice Grace (vocals)

1 comment :

Dave Kerridge said...

Thanks for the review . It was a pleasure to play in a great new venue. BTW I live in Durham not Teeside .

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