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Bebop Spoken There

Dee Dee Bridgewater: “ Our world is becoming a very ugly place with guns running rampant in this country... and New Orleans is called the murder capital of the world right now ". Jazzwise, May 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

16408 (and counting) posts since we started blogging 16 years ago. 288 of them this year alone and, so far, 85 this month (April 30).

From This Moment On ...

May

Fri 03: Dean Stockdale Trio @ The Old Library, Auckland Castle. 1:00pm.
Fri 03: Classic Swing @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 03: Rendezvous Jazz @ The Monkseaton Arms. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 03: New Orleans Preservation Jazz Band @ The Oxbridge Hotel, Stockton. 1:00pm. £5.00.
Fri 03: Jake Leg Jug Band @ Saltburn Community Hall. 7:30pm.
Fri 03: Front Porch Blues Band @ Cobalt Studios, Newcastle. 7:30pm.
Fri 03: Boys of Brass @ Hoochie Coochie, Newcastle. 8:30pm. £5.00.

Sat 04: Jeff Barnhart’s Mr Men @ St Augustine's Parish Centre, Darlington. 12:30pm. £10.00. Darlington New Orleans Jazz Club.
Sat 04: Jeff Barnhart @ The Vault, Darlington. 6:00pm. Free. Barnstorming solo piano!
Sat 04: NUJO Jazz Jam @ Cobalt Studios, Newcastle. 7:00pm. Free (donations).
Sat 04: Rendezvous Jazz @ The Red Lion, Earsdon. 8:00pm.

Sun 05: Smokin’ Spitfires @ The Cluny, Newcastle. 12:45pm. £7.50.
Sun 05: Sue Ferris Quintet plays Horace Silver @ Central Bar, Gateshead. 2:00pm.
Sun 05: Guido Spannocchi @ The Globe, Newcastle. 8:00pm.

Mon 06: Harmony Brass @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.

Tue 07: Calvert & the Old Fools @ Forum Music Centre, Darlington. 5:30-7:00pm. Free. Live recording session, all welcome.
Tue 07: Jam session @ The Black Swan, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free. House trio: Stu Collingwood, Paul Grainger, Mark Robertson.
Tue 07: Suba Trio @ Riverside, Newcastle. 8:00pm (7:30pm last entry). £21.00. All standing gig.

Wed 08: Vieux Carré Jazzmen @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Wed 08: Darlington Big Band @ Darlington & Simpson Rolling Mills Social Club, Darlington. 7:00pm. Free. Rehearsal session (open to the public).
Wed 08: Conor Emery: Jazz Trombone, Stage 3 Final Recital @ Music Studios, Assembly Lane, Newcastle University. 7:00pm. All welcome, the venue is located in the lane behind Blackwell’s, Percy St., Haymarket.
Wed 08: Take it to the Bridge @ The Globe, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free.

Thu 09: Vieux Carré Jazzmen @ The Holystone, Whitley Road, North Tyneside. 1:00pm. Free.
Thu 09: Gateshead Jazz Appreciation Society @ Gateshead Central Library, Gateshead. 2:30pm.
Thu 09: Lewis Watson Quartet + Langdale Youth Jazz Ensemble @ Laurel’s Theatre, Whitley Bay. 8:00pm. £10.00.
Thu 09: Tees Hot Club @ Dorman’s Club, Middlesbrough. 8:30pm. Guests: Josh Bentham (sax); Neil Brodie (trumpet); Dave Archbold (keys); Ron Smith (bass).

Friday, March 24, 2023

Julia Hülsmann and Sunna Gunnlaugs @ Sage Gateshead -March 23

(© Ken Drew)
Julia Hülsmann, Sunna Gunnlaugs (pianos)

The young(ish) blonde lady sitting nearby wondered if this two piano session would be like the Fabulous Baker Boys? I replied with a yes and a no and a maybe.

They weren't boys but, were they fabulous? No. However, they were pretty damn good which is as close to an accolade as this reviewer has ever bestowed upon anyone apart from Daryl Sherman who once kissed me (on the cheek!).

Over in Naples, the England footballers were beating Italy and here, at Sage Gateshead, Iceland were playing (with) Germany - it was a score draw between two pianists totally attuned to each other's musical mindset.

Was it totally improvised or was it the familiarity that comes from well, er, familiarity? Probably a bit of both. Whatever, they do it well.

Although they were all original compositions by these two lovely ladies at times I detected the briefest of hints of a joust twixt Albert Ammons and Pete Johnson or maybe a unification title bout between Cecil Taylor and Keith Jarrett.

(© Ken Drew)
These were only passing fancies and nothing could surpass what Julia and Sunna were putting down. The empathy between the two was obvious. They threw ideas and phrases back and forth to each other and - to the audience.

Apart from a gig at the annual Pizza Express' Piano Festival, this was their only other UK gig which, I suppose is understandable, I mean you're not going to find many jazz venues that have a couple of Steinways just waiting for someone to devalue them. The Steinways weren't devalued tonight!

As an afterthought, there were a lot of jazz gigs on tonight most of which were within close proximity of each other. This got me to wondering as to why the various clubs/promoters don't get together to avoid clashes - just thinkin' Lance

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