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Bebop Spoken There

Orrin Evans: “Now, getting a teaching spot is the new record deal”. (DownBeat, November, 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

17487 (and counting) posts since we started blogging 16 years ago. 761 of them this year alone and, so far, 66 this month (Oct. 30).

From This Moment On ...

November

Tue 05: Vieux Carré Jazzmen @ The Victoria & Albert Inn, Seaton Delaval NE25 0AT. 12:30pm. £12.00. ‘Guy Fawkes Steak & Ale Pie & Pea Lunch’. To book tel: 0191 237 3697.
Tue 05: Customs House Big Band @ The Masonic Hall, North St., Ferryhill DL17 8HX. 7:00pm. Free.
Tue 05: Jam session @ The Black Swan, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free. House trio: Stu Collingwood, Paul Grainger, Abbie Finn.

Wed 06: Vieux Carré Jazzmen @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Wed 06: Darlington Big Band @ Darlington & Simpson Rolling Mills Social Club, Darlington. 7:00pm. Free. Rehearsal session (open to the public).
Wed 06: The Horne Section’s Hit Show @ Tyne Theatre, Newcastle. 7:30pm.
Wed 06: Take it to the Bridge @ The Globe, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free.

Thu 07: Jazz Appreciation North East/Gateshead Jazz Appreciation Society @ Brunswick Methodist Church, Newcastle NE1 7BJ. 2:00pm. £4.00. ‘George - named musicians, vocalists & composers (Chisholm, Duke, Lewis, Shearing, Benson, Melly, Gershwin et al)’.
Thu 07: Aki Remally: The Gil Scott-Heron Songbook @ Gosforth Civic Theatre, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Remally (guitar, vocals); Fraser Urquhart (piano); Tom Wilkinson (bass); Max Popp (drums).
Thu 07: Rat Pack Live @ Whitley Bay Playhouse. 7:30pm.
Thu 07: Mo Scott @ The Mill Tavern, Hebburn. 8:30pm. Free.
Thu 07: Tees Hot Club @ Dorman’s Club, Middlesborough. 8:30pm. Free. Guest band night with the new Pensacola Boulevard: Josh Bentham (trumpet!); Donna Hewitt (clarinet); Ron Smith (bass); Graham Thompson (keys); Mark Hawkins (drums); Django ZaZou (trombone); Vicky Jackson (vocals).

Fri 08: Classic Swing @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 08: Rendezvous Jazz @ The Monkseaton Arms. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 08: New Orleans Preservation Jazz Band @ The Oxbridge Hotel, Stockton. 1:00pm. £5.00.
Fri 08: Joe Steels Trio @ The Pele, Corbridge. 7:00pm.
Fri 08: TC & the Groove Family + Swannek + Knats @ Cobalt Studios, Newcastle. 7:00pm.

Sat 09: Moscow Drug Club @ Hamsterley Village Hall, Co. Durham DL13 3QF. 7:30pm. £15.00.
Sat 09: Anth Purdy @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 8:00pm. Free. ‘Swing Jazz Guitar’. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig.

Sun 10: The New ’58 Jazz Collective @ Jackson’s Wharf, Hartlepool. 1:00pm. Free. A ‘second Sunday in the month’ residency.
Sun 10: Panharmonia @ Central Bar, Gateshead. 2:00pm. £6.00.
Sun 10: Am Jam @ The Globe, Newcastle. 2:00pm. Free.
Sun 10: 4B @ The Ticket Office, Whitley Bay. 3:00pm. Free.
Sun 10: Jude Murphy, Steve Chambers & Sid White @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 7:00pm. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig.
Sun 10: Moscow Drug Club @ Lesbury Village Hall, nr. Alnwick NE66 3PP. 7:30pm. £15.00.
Sun 10: SH#RP Collective @ The Globe, Newcastle. 8:00pm.

Tue 12: Matthew Forster Quartet @ Newcastle House Hotel, Rothbury. 7:30pm.
Tue 12: Phil’s Elastic Band @ The Forum, Darlington. 7:30pm. Free, but ticketed, book online.

Reviewers wanted

Whilst BSH attempts to cover as many gigs, festivals and albums as possible, to make the site even more comprehensive we need more 'boots on the ground' to cover the albums seeking review - a large percentage of which never get heard - report on gigs or just to air your views on anything jazz related. Interested? then please get in touch. Contact details are on the blog. Look forward to hearing from you. Lance

Sunday, July 03, 2022

Spats Langham's Hot Fingers with Emily Campbell @ Darlington New Orleans Jazz Club - July 2

Spats Langham (guitar, banjo, ukulele, vocals); Danny Blyth (guitar, mandolin, clarinet, bass clarinet, harmonica, vocals); Malcolm Sked (double bass, tuba); Emily Campbell (vocals)

Almost four years to the day, Spats Langham's Hot Fingers returned to St Augustine's Parish Centre to play to an expectant full house. Mr Langham is a popular chap in Darlington, attracting fans from all parts...Darlington, Norton, Tyneside and Florida. Yes, this Saturday lunchtime concert was introduced by the Hot Fingers' leader as: A truly International Gathering. And with our American friend in the audience it was fitting that much of the material performed over two sets originated on the other side of the Atlantic. 

Popular songs of the day (essentially from the twenties/thirties), jazz, blues and more entertained an on-side crowd. Vo-Do-Do-De-o Blues opened the show, quickly followed by Patrol Wagon Blues, Langham (variously guitar, banjo and vocals) and co hit the ground running. Jelly Roll Morton's My Home is in a Southern Town featured Langham on banjo, on the final chorus turning to his band mates to cue them in on an effective stop chorus.

Oscar Alemán's Melancholia as an instrumental (Langham setting it up with a thumbnail sketch of the Argentinian composer's influence on jazz guitar, not least his friend Django Reinhardt) went down well with the Larchfield Road audience. From popular song and jazz to the blues as Langham, a big Leadbelly fan, recalled meeting Ken Colyer as a young boy. Colyer the revivalist, on learning of Langham's interest said simply: Leadbelly is the truth! And off went Colyer, last seen heading to the bar. And so Langham sang, accompanied by Danny Blyth's harmonica, In the Pines.

It was time to introduce the 'Cotswold Canary'. Langham welcomed to the stage Emily Campbell to sing the first of several numbers, When I Get Low, I Get High. The Ella connection (Chick Webb) continued with an early career Fitzgerald number, Have Another Guess, between times singing a spirited St Louis Blues

The second set opened with Emily Campbell, gong in hand, recreating a song recorded by Louis Armstrong, Shanghai Shuffle. If anyone doubted the multi-talented Hot Fingers, this number and many others in the set surely dispelled any lingering doubts. The talents, Messrs Danny Blyth (clarinet, bass clarinet, guitar, mandolin and a blues vocal number) and the one-and-only Malcolm Sked playing bull fiddle and tuba. Blyth's vocals were heard in duet with Langham, singing Sonny Terry and Brownie McGee's Cornbread, Peas and Black Molasses. Excellent! 

Emily Campbell returned to the stage to sing a fox trot tempo (the original tempo, said Langham) The Man I Love, the spiritual His Eye is on the Sparrow and a double helping of Bessie Smith and Memphis Minnie. The one song title which escaped your reviewer turned out to be a major highlight of the afternoon. Langham recalled hearing Boulou Ferré in Paris and being knocked out by the Frenchman's amazing guitar playing. Well, Langham's Hot Fingers certainly lived up to the name with a stonkingly good, hotter than hot take on whatever the tune was! Bravo! It had been a marvellous afternoon's entertainment. Next month (Saturday 6 August) at St Augustine's it's the Savannah Jazz Band. 
                                  
Set list: Vo-Do-Do-De-o BluesPatrol Wagon BluesMy Home is in a Southern TownMy Sweet VirginiaMelancholiaIn the PinesWhen I Get Low, I Get HighSt Louis BluesHave Another GuessI Hate Myself for Being So Mean to YouWhere the Blue of the NightIt All Belongs to MeLittle White LiesCrazy BluesShanghai ShuffleSouth American JoeShake That ThingHittin' the BottleNight OwlA High Hat, a Piccolo and a CaneCornbread, Peas and Black MolassesDevil's Gonna Get YouThe Man I LoveHis Eye is on the Sparrow; ?; Can't Help Lovin' Dat ManMama, He Treats Your Daughter MeanRussell

1 comment :

Rosemary Reads Poetry said...

Love this recap of a truly fine show. Worth crossing the pond for! Especially pleased to see the set list. Thanks a million!

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