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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.

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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