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Bebop Spoken There

Kurt Elling: ''There's something to learn from every musician you play with''. (DownBeat, December 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

17630 (and counting) posts since we started blogging 16 years ago. 904 of them this year alone and, so far, 49 this month (Dec. 20).

From This Moment On ...

December

Mon 23: Harmony Brass @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Mon 23: Vieux Carré Jazzmen @ The Wheatsheaf, Benton Sq., Whitley Road, Palmersville NE12 9SU. Tel: 0191 266 8137. 1:00pm. Free. CANCELLED!
Mon 23: Edison Herbert Trio @ The Vault, Darlington. 4:00pm. Free.
Mon 23: Jason Isaacs @ St. James’ STACK, Newcastle. 4:00-6:00pm. Free. Vocalist Isaacs working with backing tapes.
Mon 23: Milne-Glendinning Band @ The Vault, Darlington. 7:00pm. Free.

Tue 24: Lindsay Hannon & Mark Williams @ Ernest, Ouseburn, Newcastle. 11:00am-1:00pm. Free.
Tue 24: Paul Skerritt @ Mambo Wine & Dine, South Shields. 1:00pm. Free. Vocalist Skerritt working with backing tapes.

Wed 25: Wot? No jazz!

Thu 26: The Boneshakers @ Tyne Bar, Ouseburn, Newcastle. 4:00pm. Free. The 17th annual Boneshakers’ Shindig.

Fri 27: Classic Swing @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 27: Rendezvous Jazz @ The Monkseaton Arms. 1:00pm. Free. Business as usual!.
Fri 27: Jason Isaacs @ Seaburn STACK, Seaburn. 3:30-5:30pm. Free. Vocalist Isaacs working with backing tapes.
Fri 27: Michael Woods @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 8:00pm. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig. Country blues guitar & vocals.

Sat 28: Jason Isaacs @ St. James’ STACK, Newcastle. 11:30am. Free. Vocalist Isaacs working with backing tapes.
Sat 28: Fri 20: Castillo Nuevo @ Revoluçion de Cuba, Newcastle. 5:30pm. Free.
Sat 28: Jude Murphy, Rich Herdman & Giles Strong @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 8:00pm. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig.
Sat 28: Ray Stubbs R & B All-Stars @ Billy Bootlegger’s, Stepney Bank, Newcastle. 9:00pm. Free.

Sun 29: Paul Skerritt @ Hibou Blanc, Newcastle. 2:00pm. Free. Vocalist Skerritt working with backing tapes.
Sun 29: Alexia Gardner Quintet @ The Globe, Newcastle. 8:00pm.

Reviewers wanted

Whilst BSH attempts to cover as many gigs, festivals and albums as possible, to make the site even more comprehensive we need more 'boots on the ground' to cover the albums seeking review - a large percentage of which never get heard - report on gigs or just to air your views on anything jazz related. Interested? then please get in touch. Contact details are on the blog. Look forward to hearing from you. Lance

Wednesday, December 14, 2022

The Frosty the Snowman Black Swan jam session - Dec. 13

Murray Wankling (piano); John Pope (double bass, vocals); John Bradford (drums) + Ben Phillips (piano); David Gray (trombone, vocals); John Rowland (tenor sax); Elliott Todd (trumpet); Edgar Bell (trumpet); Aaron Jackman (vocals); Ian Drever (vocals)

It was cold, so very cold. A freezing Black Swan made it difficult to concentrate. Musicians were thin on the ground, likewise audience. The many students were absent, in part due to a Newcastle University Jazz Orchestra student ball engagement. The Main Man, P Grainger, was gigging out of town. Stepping into his big bass shoes, JP, that's John Pope. Murray Wankling played piano and, completing the house trio, drummer John Bradford.

Blue Monk survived the Arctic temperatures, the unlikely/seasonal choice of O Come, O Come, Emmanuel kind of worked, less so, a frantic Beautiful Love. After a while, Murray took five, enabling Ben Phillips (pictured above) to play some piano - and how! Backing Showtime, that's the irrepressible David Gray, Phillips impressed as Gray sang White Christmas with, wait for it, a whistled chorus! John Rowland hadn't been seen in a while, yet here he was on the coldest jam session night of the year. Tenor in hand, Rowland called Bright Mississippi, Phillips saying: Ah! And so we got Monk going into a swinging Basie-esque section with a nod to Sweet Georgia Brown. The only thing missing was a whistling Showtime!

All Blues featured Elliott Todd, he's another one we hadn't seen or heard for a while. Just as Pete Tanton did on Monday evening at Gateshead's Central Bar, Todd blew convincing Milesian trumpet. Things were hotting up - the music, not the radiators. Edgar Bell sat in, Ian Drever was in the house and whenever Ian gets up, you're in for a full-on wannabe Sinatra performance. This being the time of year, we heard (loud and clear) Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas

An element of surprise at a jam session is key. This evening a young man - in his teens? - got up to sing. His first choice, I Wan'na Be Like You, was kinda alright, but then, what do you know? The young man, Aaron Jackman his name, hit the bullseye with Black Pumas' Colors. The house trio didn't know the number, no matter, a quick search, mobiles providing the sheet music, they were ready to go. Great stuff! Let's hope Aaron makes a swift return.   

Earlier in the evening, in an aside, your correspondent suggested John Pope could sing a number. No way! was the reply, JP quickly adding: Maybe, later. And later in the evening that 'maybe' turned into a 'definitely' as he sang Mose Allison's Your Mind is on Vacation. Excellent! It was worth braving/enduring the Arctic conditions to hear Aaron and JP exercising their vocal chords. More please in 2023, and more horn players and more, more everything! Russell              

1 comment :

Patti said...

A great session too, all things considered! A bit of heating in the old place would've made all the difference - plus, hot water in the toilet facilities upstairs! That's something we should all be demanding. Roll on the first jam of 2023, in February. Maybe the heating and water situation will be sorted by then.

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