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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

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.

Thu 30: Gateshead Jazz Appreciation Society @ Gateshead Central Library. 2:30-4:30pm. £2.00. All welcome.
Thu 30: Vieux Carré Jazzmen @ The Holystone, Whitley Road, North Tyneside. Back to 1:00pm stomp off. Free.
Thu 30: '58 Jazz Collective @ Hops & Cheese, Hartlepool. 7:30pm. Free.
Thu 30: Lindsay Hannon: Tom Waits for No Man @ Harbour View, Sunderland. 8:00pm.
Thu 30: Tees Hot Club @ Dorman's Club, Middlesbrough. 9:00pm.

Tuesday, September 27, 2022

Lewis Watson Quartet @ Blaydon Jazz Club - Sept. 26

(© Roly Veitch)
Lewis Watson (tenor sax, soprano sax); Mark Williams (guitar); Mick Shoulder (double bass); John Bradford (drums)

A while ago Lewis Watson emerged from a long period of (musical) hibernation. The man hadn't been heard on a jazz stage for many a moon until he popped up at Newcastle's Lit & Phil. The word got out and, as quick as you like, all seats were snapped up. Prior to the down beat, BSH Editor-in-Chief LL wondered if King Lewis could retain his crown. The opening bars of the first number dispelled any such doubts, the man was back! Fast forward a few months to an autumnal Monday evening, the nights drawing in, the temptation of England v Germany on the telly, would anyone make the effort to get along to Blaydon Jazz Club to hear King Lewis? 

(© Roly Veitch)
You bet they would! They came out of the woodwork for this one. Watson's now settled line-up - guitarist Mark Williams, bassist Mick Shoulder and drummer John Bradford - tore into Wayne Shorter's Yes or No. Tenor saxophone playing of the highest order: commanding, majestic, flowing...pretenders, contenders, get outta here! Messrs Williams, Shoulder and Bradford played their socks off, one sensed they knew this was something special. There was Trane (The Promise) with Watson on soprano, there was Jerry Bergonzi (Optimum Propensity), Joe Henderson (Inner Urge), George Adams (Autumn Song) and more Trane with a superb take on Liberia. And then there was Lewis Watson, simply magnificent.  

(© Roly Veitch)
From time to time a newspaper or magazine will run an article along the lines of: 100 things you must do before you die...Forget that, if there's one thing you must do, it's to hear Lewis Watson in full flight. It's one of the wonders of the world. Russell  
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1 comment :

Nigel Pownceby said...

I went to this gig with two non-jazz listeners (I'm sure they'd agree), and we sat enthralled just inches from the bell of LW's sax as he poured out more ... well, "soul" ... into this set than I've experienced in a long time from a single musician.
The supporting musicians provided everything (& a good deal more) that a leader could wish for, but it was Watson's performance throughout that left me wondering how on earth it was that I could be encountering it for the first time; has this fella already done with international touring and week long residencies in the capital? - because that was the quality level on offer, to my humble ears at least!
A perfect gig for a small venue too as the intimacy really seemed to enrich the connection between the musicians, their art and the audience.
Big shout out for Blaydon Jazz Club - great to see it so well supported last Monday.

Wednesday, September 28, 2022 3:57:00 pm

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