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Bebop Spoken There

Billy Boy Arnold: “As long as you don't think old you're good.” - DownBeat, December, 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!"

Simon Spillett: A lovely review from the dean of jazz bloggers, Lance Liddle...

Postage

16034 (and counting) posts since we started blogging 15 years ago. 1041 of them this year alone and, so far, 73 this month (Nov. 27).

From This Moment On ...

December

Sun 03: Smokin’ Spitfires @ The Cluny, Newcastle. 12:30pm. £7.50.
Sun 03: The Central Bar Quartet @ Central Bar, Gateshead. 2:00pm. £10.00. The Central Bar Quartet plays Lou Donaldson’s Gravy Train. Featuring Jamie Toms.
Sun 03: Revolutionaires @ The Water House, North Road, Durham. 4:00pm. Rock 'n' roll excellence! Line-up inc. Pete Tanton.
Sun 03: Paul Skerritt @ Smith’s Arms, Carlton, Stockton-on-Tees. 7:00pm.
Sun 03: Johnny Hunter Quartet @ The Globe, Newcastle. 8:00pm.
Sun 03: Jam session @ The Schooner, Gateshead. 8:00pm. Free.

Mon 04: Harmony Brass @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm.
Mon 04: Northern Monkey Brass Band @ People’s Kitchen, Bath Lane, Newcastle. From 5:30pm. On-street gig supporting the work of the People’s Kitchen charity. Wrap up warm! Donate!
Mon 04: Michael Young Trio w Lindsay Hannon @ The Engine Room, Sunderland. 7:00pm. Free.
Mon 04: James Birkett Trio @ The Black Bull, Blaydon. 8:00pm. £8.00.
Mon 04: Durham University Jazz Orchestra + Durham University Big Band @ Durham Castle DH1 3RW. 8:30pm. £6.00.; £5.00. concs; £4.00. DSM. ‘Jazzy Christmas’.

Tue 05: Customs House Big Band @ All Saints Church, Cleadon. 7:00pm. Concert in the church hall. BYOB.
Tue 05: Jam session @ The Black Swan, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free. House trio: Michael Young, Paul Grainger, Sid White. The best free show in town!

Wed 06: Vieux Carré Jazzmen @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Wed 06: Darlington Big Band @ Darlington & Simpson Rolling Mills Social Club, Darlington. 8:00pm. Free. Note later start time, concert performance (open to the public).
Wed 06: Take it to the Bridge @ The Globe, Newcastle. 7:30pm.

Thu 07: Vieux Carré Jazzmen @ The Holystone, Whitley Road, North Tyneside. 1:00pm. Free CANCELLED!
Thu 07: Vieux Carré Hot 4 @ Spanish City, Whitley Bay, Newcastle. 12 noon - 4:00pm. £26.00 (inc 3-course meal in in St Mary's Lighthouse Suite). SOLD OUT!
Thu 07: Gateshead Jazz Appreciation Society @ Gateshead Central Library, Gateshead. 2:30pm. All welcome.
Thu 07: Thursday Night Prayer Meeting @ The Globe, Newcastle. 7:30pm.Donations. Feat. Mark Sanders. CANCELLED!
Thu 07: Indigo Jazz Voices @ The Globe, Newcastle. 7:45pm. £5.00. Downstairs.
Thu 07: Tees Hot Club @ Dorman’s Club, Middlesbrough. 9:00pm.

Fri 08: Classic Swing @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm.
Fri 08: New Orleans Preservation Jazz Band @ Oxbridge Hotel, Stockton. 1:00pm. £5.00.
Fri 08: Rendezvous Jazz @ The Monkseaton Arms, Monkseaton. 1:00pm.
Fri 08: Hayley's Little Big Band @ Woodland Village Hall, Bishop Auckland. 7:00pm. £12.00.
Fri 08: Sleep Suppressor + Redwell @ Head of Steam, Neville St., Newcastle. 8:00pm. £10.00. (£8.00. adv); £5.00. student.
Fri 08: Hot Club du Nord @ St Cuthbert's Church, Shadforth, Co. Durham.
Fri 08: Têtes de Pois + Nauta @ Cobalt Studios, Newcastle. 8:00pm. £12.00., £8.00.

Sat 09: Castillo Nuevo Trio @ Revoluçion de Cuba, Newcastle. 5:30pm. Free.
Sat 09: Abbie Finn Trio @ Claypath Deli, Durham. 7:00pm.
Sat 09: Hayley's Little Big Band @ Middleton & Todridge Village Hall, Morpeth. 7:30pm. £12.00., £6.00.
Sat 09: Paul Skerritt @ Slaley Hall, Hexham NE47 0BX. 7:30pm. From £42.00.

Friday, September 30, 2022

Newcastle Festival of Jazz and Improvised Music 2022 CZAJKA & PUCHACZ + Mark Solbgorg + Anthropology @ The Newcastle Literary & Philosophical Society - Sept. 29

(© Ken Drew)
Having previewed in Jesmond  last weekend it was now time for the festival to return  to its spiritual home - The Newcastle Literary & Philosophical Society on Westgate Road. A triple bill ranging from quirky improvised modern installation art work through solo guitar and culminating with an anarchic dystopian octet. 

At the start of Czajka and Puchacz’s  set (pictured above) I was a little apprehensive after a hyper minimal  intro. However,  my concerns were soon assuaged as the duo created an absolutely wonderful piece of performance art. A smorgasbord of delicious sounds were conjured up with the range of electronic effects quite mesmerising. Gasiorek's vocals were  varied using a vocoder at one point and chanting at others. Draksler's piano playing was superb but her use of electronic and percussive embellishments  brought the already tasty canvas even further to life.

(© Ken Drew)
Mark Solborg (Guitar). 

The mid session set was a delightful solo guitar recital by Mark Solborg. Using loops to great effect, Solborg produced a multi-layered performance which created a very relaxing and comfortable space for the audience to soak up.

AnthropologyMartin Archer (sax, electronics); Charlotte Keefe (trumpet, flugel); Pat Thomas (keys, electronics); Orphy Robinson (xylosynth); Chris Sharkey (guitar, electronics); Dave Stuart (bass); Peter Fairclough (drums)


(© Ken Drew)
From the cool to the cacophonous as Martin Archer’s Anthropology took to the stage. An eight piece thunderstorm of a band where you had to play out of your skin in order to be seen. Archer always animated directing proceedings like a New York traffic cop. The music although loud and proud had a distinct cinematic feel to it - the sort of film it might be the soundtrack for was unlikely to be of the quiet reflective variety.
 

A good time seemed to be being had by all both on stage and in the auditorium. Each soloist managed to rise about the maelstrom to give as good as they got. On the final section, Chris Sharkey seemed to attack his PA then the monitor of Charlotte Keefe before rolling into the front row guitar still in hand - the rest of the band didn’t bat an eyelid although I was thankful my glass of beer avoided the sprawling guitar player.  A gig not for the feint hearted but, for those of a stronger constitution, a rollicking, riotous extravaganza.


An evening full of contrast and quality providing much intrigue and entertainment. Steve H 

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