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Bebop Spoken There

Art Blakey: "You [Bobby Watson] don't want to play too long, because you don't know they're clapping because they're glad you finished!" - (JazzTimes, Nov. 2019)..

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

15848 (and counting) posts since we started blogging 15 years ago. 855 of them this year alone and, so far, 53 this month (Sept. 18).

From This Moment On ...

September

Thu 21: Vieux Carré Jazzmen @ The Holystone, Whitley Road, North Tyneside. 1:00pm. Free.
Thu 21: La Malbec Orchestra @ The Globe, Newcastle. 8:00pm.
Thu 21: Merlin Roxby @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 8:00pm. Ragtime piano. A 'Jar on the Bar' gig.
Thu 21: Linsday Hannon: Tom Waits for No Man @ Harbour View, Sunderland. 8:00pm. Free.
Thu 21: Ray Stubbs R & B All Stars @ The Schooner, Gateshead. 8:30pm. Free.
Thu 21: Tees Hot Club @ Dorman's Club, Middlesbrough. 9:00pm.

Fri 22: Classic Swing @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm.
Fri 22: New Orleans Preservation Jazz Band @ Oxbridge Hotel, Stockton. 1:00pm. £5.00.
Fri 22: Rendezvous Jazz @ The Monkseaton Arms, Monkseaton. 1:00pm.
Fri 22: Brief Encounter @ Bardon Mill Village Hall, Northumberland. 7:00pm. Tickets: £10.00. adv from 07885 303166; £12.00. on the door. Chris & Veronica Perrin improvising to a screening of the 1929 'Jazz Age' silent film Piccadilly (Dir. Ewald André Dupont).
Fri 22: Paul Edis & Graeme Wilson + Three Tsuru Origami @ Jesmond United Reformed Church, Newcastle. 7:30pm. A Newcastle Festival of Jazz & Improvised Music event.
Fri 22: Crooners @ Tyne Theatre, Newcastle. 7:30pm.
Fri 22: Abbie Finn's Finntet @ Traveller's Rest, Darlington. 8:00pm. Opus 4 Jazz Club.

Sat 23: Tyne Valley Big Band @ Tanfield Railway, Gateshead. 2:00-4:00pm. Free. A '1940s Weekend' event.
Sat 23: Jason Isaacs @ Stack, Seaburn. 3:30-5:30pm. Free.
Sat 23: Andrew Porritt & Keith Barrett @ Cullercoats Watch House, Front St., Cullercoats NE30 4QB. 7:00pm.
Sat 23: Michael Woods @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 8:00pm. Free. A 'Jar on the Bar' gig. Country blues.

Sun 24: Musicians Unlimited @ Park Inn, Hartlepool. 1:00pm. Free.
Sun 24: More Jam @ The Globe, Newcastle. 2:00pm. Free.

Mon 25: Harmony Brass @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm.
Mon 25: Michael Young Trio @ The Engine Room, Sunderland. 7:00pm.

Tue 26: Paul Skerritt @ The Rabbit Hole, Hallgarth St., Durham DH1 3AT. 7:00pm. Paul Skerritt's (solo) weekly residency.

Wed 27: Vieux Carré Jazzmen @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm.
Wed 27: Darlington Big Band @ Darlington & Simpson Rolling Mills Social Club, Darlington. 7:00pm. Rehearsal session (open to the public).
Wed 27: Take it to the Bridge @ The Globe, Newcastle. 7:30pm.

Monday, March 13, 2023

GNBBJF - Sunday 5 (Schools Section)

Sunday morning, bright and early. Following a workshop for a group of young musicians, the second day of competitive big band action began at eleven o'clock. Schools from across the region and one or two from further afield would battle it out to be crowned best band at the 2023 edition of the Great North Big Band Jazz Festival. Later in the day it would be the turn of the youth ensembles. 

Yarm School Big Band (MDChris Hibbard). Yarm School, not too far south of Chester-le-Street, made a welcome return to the GNBBJF with Chris Hibbard putting his young charges through their paces. No fewer than five pieces formed Yarm's programme, opening with Bobby Timmons' Moanin' and closing with the old warhorse Bei Mir Bist Du Schon, the band's bass player made a good impression (notes read: Good bass player). Vocalist Elise Wilcock sang a couple of numbers which went down well with the Park View audience. What would the adjudicators think?

All the way from Telford, Haberdashers' Abraham Darby Jazz Band (MDTom Gledhill) returned to defend last year's 'Best Band' winning appearance. The Shropshire outfit, led by 'Mr' Tom Gledhill, opened with something of a surprise selection - Lennon and McCartney's I Saw Her Standing There (arr. Dave Wolpe). Trumpeter Ed Follos scored points on Bill Liston's Another Look at the Diminished Chord and the band signed off with Kris Berg's Feather Report. A stout effort, would it be enough to see the band make a successful title defence? 

A first appearance at Chester-le-Street by Ponteland High School Big Band (MDPhilip Rosier) suggests music education in that part of the world (a couple of miles west of Newcastle International Airport) is on the up. Four numbers, opening with Joe Zawinul's Birdland and closing with Gordon Goodwin's ever popular Jazz Police, the ensemble did Ponteland High School proud. Would the adjudicators be inclined to make an award?

Last, but by no means least, the band from Harrogate, St Aidan's Swing Band (MDVicki Elliott) would conclude the morning's session. Previous winners at the GNBBJF, Vicki Elliott's swinging band (see photo) produced an excellent performance. It Don't Mean a Thing (if it ain't got that swing)Splanky (good ensemble work), My Funny Valentine as arranged by Sammy Nestico, St Aidan's certainly put themselves in the frame. Carnival Kerfuffle closed the set. The winning band? The adjudicators were about to make the all important decision. 

Following a short intermission the presentation party assembled on stage and festival director Bill Watson read out the results as follows:     

Adjudicators' award: Bass player (Yarm School Big Band)

Adjudicators' award: Lauren Campbell, vocal (Ponteland High School Big Band)

Adjudicators' award: Elise Wilcock, vocalist (Yarm School Big Band)

Best Programme: St Aidan's Swing Band

Best Section: Brass section (trumpets & trombones), St Aidan's Swing Band

Best Soloist: Ed Follos, trumpet (St Aidan's Swing Band)

Best Band: Haberdashers' Abraham Darby Jazz Band 

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