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Bebop Spoken There

Branford Marsalis: "As ignorance often forces us to do, you make a generalisation about a musician based on one specific record or one moment in time." - (Jazzwise June 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

15491 (and counting) posts since we started blogging 15 years ago. 512 of them this year alone and, so far, 133 this month (May 31).

From This Moment On ...

Tue 06: Paul Skerritt @ The Rabbit Hole, Hallgarth St., Durham DH1 3AT. 7:00pm. Paul Skerritt's (solo) weekly residency.
Tue 06: Jam session @ Black Swan, Newcastle Arts Centre. 7:30pm. House trio: Stu Collingwood (piano); Paul Grainger (double bass); Sid White (drums).

Wed 07: Vieux Carré Jazzmen @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm.
Wed 07: Darlington Big Band @ Darlington & Simpson Rolling Mills Social Club, Darlington. 7:00pm. Rehearsal session (open to the public).
Wed 07: 4B @ The Exchange, North Shields. 7:00pm.
Wed 07: Take it to the Bridge @ The Globe, Newcastle. 7:30pm.

Thu 08: Vieux Carré Jazzmen @ The Holystone, Whitley Road, North Tyneside. 1:00pm. Free. CANCELLED! BACK ON JUNE 15.
Thu 08: Easington Colliery Brass Band @ The Lubetkin Theatre, Peterlee. 7:00pm. £10.00.
Thu 08: Faye MacCalman + Blue Dust Archive @ Cobalt Studios, Newcastle. 7:00pm.
Thu 08: Dilutey Juice + Ceramic @ The Ampitheatre, Sea Road, South Shields. 7:00pm. Free. A South Tyneside Festival event.
Thu 08: Lara Jones w. Vigilance State @ Lubber Fiend, Blandford Square, Newcastle. 7:00pm.
Thu 08: Michael Littlefield @ the Harbour View, Roker, Sunderland. 8:00pm. Free. Country blues.
Thu 08: Tees Hot Club @ Dorman's Club, Middlesbrough. 9:00pm.

Fri 09: Classic Swing @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm.
Fri 09: New Orleans Preservation Jazz Band @ Oxbridge Hotel, Stockton. 1:00pm. £5.00.
Fri 09: Rendezvous Jazz @ The Monkseaton Arms, Monkseaton. 1:00pm.
Fri 09: Castillo Nuevo @ Revolución de Cuba, Newcastle. 5:30-8:30pm.
Fri 09: Emma Rawicz @ Sage Gateshead. 8:00pm.

Sat 10: Miners' Picnic @ Woodhorn, Ashington. Music inc. Northern Monkey Brass Band (3:00-3:50pm); New York Brass Band (4:00-4:55pm).
Sat 10: Front Porch Three @ The Globe, Newcastle. 7:00pm. Free. Americana, blues, jazz etc.
Sat 10: Merlin Roxby @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 8:00pm. A 'Jar on the Bar' gig.

Sun 11: WORKSHOP: Tim Richards' Jazz Piano Workshop @ JG Windows, Newcastle. Time TBC. Further details tel. 0191 232 1356.
Sun 11: Jeremy McMurray's Pocket Jazz Orchestra @ Ropner Park, Stockton TS18 4EF. 2:00-4:00pm. Free.
Sun 11: Am Jam @ The Globe, Newcastle. 2:30pm. Free.
Sun 11: 4B @ The Exchange, North Shields. 3:00pm.
Sun 11: Groovetrain @ Innisfree Sports & Social Club, Longbenton NE12 8TY. Doors 6:30pm. £15.00 (£7.00. under 16).
Sun 11: Jeffrey Hewer Collective @ The Globe, Newcastle. 8:00pm.

Mon 12: Harmony Brass @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm.

Wednesday, November 16, 2022

The Black Swan jam session - Nov.15

Stu Collingwood (piano, vocals); Paul Grainger (double bass); Sid White (drums, vocals) + in something like order of appearance: Ian Drever (vocals); Thomas ? (trombone); Kris Finney (drums); Edgar Bell (trumpet); Ben Phillips (piano); Michael Mather (drums); Haaruun Miller (alto sax, soprano sax); Niffi Osiyemi (vocals); Ray Burns (harmonica); Tom ? (drums); Alice Grace (vocals); Jacob Egglestone (guitar); Esther Coombes (clarinet); Dan Potter (drums)

No two Black Swan jam sessions are alike. Some weeks there is a surfeit of horns players, some weeks half a dozen guitarists show up, occasionally, familiar faces you assume will sit-in don't turn up and, invariably, the Main Man, Paul Grainger scans all four corners in the vain hope that a bass player will be in the house. This evening the big surprise was the relatively sparse turn out of punters. Whatever the weather - literally and metaphorically - the show must go on, and go on it did.

Stu Collingwood, Paul Grainger and southpaw Sid White got things under way with three or four numbers, one of which produced a first. Three numbers in, Stu sang I Thought About You. A vocal before the floor was open to all comers! The first of them, Mr Ian Drever, belted out, as only he can, You Make Me Feel So Young. Follow that! Trombonist Thomas (note to self - next time ask Thomas what his surname is) got up, good on him, to play Misty (guided by maestro Collingwood). Two of the jam session's keenest supporters, invariably they're first through the door, got the nod from the Main Man. As Kris Finney changed round Sid's southpaw set up, Edgar Bell called All of Me. Let's call our trumpeter the 'inimitable' Edgar Bell.

Ah! Ben Phillips was in the house. A friendly 'Hello Ben' from Stu (the piano players' union), as Ben (pictured) played Stella by Starlight in a nice trio with the Main Man and Kris F, Stu went to the bar. Blue Bossa with trombonist Thomas returning, things were hotting up. The absence of a bass player prompted the Main Man to announce a short break. As glasses were being recharged Stu played something for his own enjoyment (some in the audience were listening!). Unobtrusively, Michael Mather made it a piano-drums duo. An impromptu moment, it's what jam sessions are all about. 

Recharged, Haaruun Miller, wielding alto and soprano saxophones, took on Coltrane's take on My Favorite Things. Brave? Foolish? Tick as applicable. Undaunted, Miller ploughed on with Nica's Dream which produced a good solo from a revitalised Mr P Grainger. Niffi Osiyemi joined the party to laugh along with Christopher Columbus (which included a brief chorus from Ray Burns).* Late in the day (evening) the cavalry arrived in the form of ace guitarist Jacob Egglestone and clarinetist Esther Coombes. Our ever-welcome students handed a note to the Main Man - Sorry Paul, we've been to a band practice. As excuses go, it's one of the better ones. 

Did I see Alice Grace? asked Paul. Just when you were thinking it couldn't get any better! Alice (pictured) sang a couple including Bye Bye Blackbird (More! More! hollered the on-side crowd). What's more, a newbie drummer from County Durham sat-in. Dan Potter is the name (see photo), an excellent addition to the Black Swan jam session, be sure to check him out. It was dizzy o'clock as Southpaw White sang Pennies from Heaven, then all and sundry got up, going out out on the usual bop mayhem. A date for the diary - the next jam session will be on Tuesday 29 November (7:30pm, free admission, cheap at half the price!). 

Niffi Osiyemi will be gigging with her trio in Hexham next month (Dec 2) at the Vault on Hallgate, two minutes' walk from Hexham Abbey and little more than five minutes from the railway station. Russell  

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