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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.

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.

Saturday, August 27, 2022

BSH interviews Mike Farmer (part three)

BSH: Your name also crops up in Bill Birch’s Keeper of the Flame – a book that gives an accurate, historical perspective of the Manchester jazz scene in the post war years – would you agree?

Mike: I can’t recall when I first met Bill Birch. It was during the time when he was contacting jazz fans and trying to get his idea of a book covering the Manchester Jazz Scene become a reality. He decided to self-publish the project and he asked for an upfront payment of £20 from interested parties to get things rolling. I was one who thought it was worth a gamble and paid him the required £20. I was a bit sceptical at first but on meeting Bill I realised that he knew what he was doing and I’m so glad the book was well received upon completion.

I felt very lucky to be asked by Bill to attend the book launch at the Cinnamon Club in Bowdon, Cheshire and to appear on stage as part of a band comprising Iain Dixon alto, Mark Chandler trumpet or flugel, Pete McGuire valve trombone, Jack Massarik guitar, Frank Toms and Les Chisnall alternating on piano, Dave Green bass, Caroline Bowden drums and myself on tenor sax. William Ellis took some great photos of the band and I often wonder if anyone recorded this lineup.


The book had the great title Keeper Of The Flame and is a pretty accurate report of the modern jazz scene in Manchester 1946-1972  and the photos bring back so many memories I get a big thrill just looking at them. One error I should mention was on page 228 the photo was one of many I gave Bill that I took at the Lower Turks Head on a 35mm Kodak Retinette camera . The drummer in the photo, Bob Phelan, died much too young of a brain related illness and the only one still alive is Wally Davies who re-located to Glasgow but I’m not sure if he is still active as a musician. I think 400 was the original print run of Keeper of the Flame and if you can find one buy it you will find it a great insight into the Manchester modern jazz scene with plenty of photos and not a banjo to be seen.

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