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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

15867 (and counting) posts since we started blogging 15 years ago. 874 of them this year alone and, so far, 72 this month (Sept. 25).

From This Moment On ...

September

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.

Thu 28: Vieux Carré Jazzmen @ The Holystone, Whitley Road, North Tyneside. 1:00pm. Free.
Thu 28: Alice Grace Quartet @ King's Hall, Newcastle University. 1:15pm. Free.
Thu 28: Gateshead Jazz Appreciation Society @ Gateshead Central Library, Gateshead. 2:30pm. All welcome.
Thu 28: Faye MacCalman + Snape/Sankey @ Cobalt Studios, Newcastle. 7:00pm.
Thu 28: Zoe Rahman @ Jesmond United Reformed Church, Jesmond, Newcastle. 7:30pm. A Newcastle Festival of Jazz & Improvised Music event.
Thu 28: '58 Jazz Collective @ Hops & Cheese, Hartlepool. 7:30pm.
Thu 28: Speakeasy @ Queen's Hall, Hexham. 7:30pm. £15.00. A Southpaw Dance Company presentation. Dance, audio-visuals, Count Basie, Benny Goodman, swing dancers etc.
Thu 28: Mick Cantwell Band @ Harbour View, Sunderland. 8:00pm. Free. Ace blues band.
Thu 28: Tees Hot Club @ Dorman's Club, Middlesbrough. 9:00pm.

Fri 29: Classic Swing @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm.
Fri 29: New Orleans Preservation Jazz Band @ Oxbridge Hotel, Stockton. 1:00pm. £5.00.
Fri 29: Rendezvous Jazz @ The Monkseaton Arms, Monkseaton. 1:00pm.

Sat 30: John Pope Quintet + Late Girl + Shapeshifters @ Bobik's, Jesmond, Newcastle.
Sat 30: Papa G's Troves @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 8:00pm. A 'Jar on the Bar' gig.

OCTOBER

Sun 01: Smokin' Spitfires @ The Cluny, Newcastle. 12:45pm.
Sun 01: Dulcie May Moreno sings Portrait of Sheila @ Central Bar, Gateshead. 2:00pm. £10.00. Moreno sings Sheila Jordan with Giles Strong, Mick Shoulder & John Bradford.
Sun 01: Middlesbrough Jazz & Blues Orchestra @ Saltburn Community Hall. 2:00pm.
Sun 01: The Easy Rollers @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 7:00pm. £13.70., £11.55.
Sun 01: Brand/Roberts/Champion/Sanders @ Blank Studios, Newcastle. 8:00pm. A Newcastle Festival of Jazz & Improvised Music event.
Sun 01: Papa G's Troves @ The Globe, Newcastle. 8:00pm.

Mon 02: Harmony Brass @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm.
Mon 02: FILM: Wattstax; 50th Anniversary @ Forum Cinema, Hexham. 8:00pm.

Monday, March 06, 2023

Sunday night @ the Globe: Xhosa Cole's Rhythm-a-ting - March 5

(© Sheila Herrick)
Xhosa Cole (tenor sax); Steve Saunders (guitar); Josh Vadiveloo (double bass); Nathan England Jones (drums)

The downstairs jazz bar at the Globe was packed. The anticipation was high and, unlike those Man U fans who went to Anfield, they weren't disappointed.

A tribute to Thelonious Monk without a pianist could, at first glance, be seen as Abbott without Costello, Romeo without Juliet, Bill without Ben - you name it! However, the Rhythm-a-ting project is aimed at honouring the great man's music rather than just running down some of his jazz standards. They did just that whilst, at the same time, avoiding any suggestion of plagiarism.

It was done brilliantly. The four cool dudes on stage, told us before they'd even started that this was no tee shirt, jeans and trainers outfit but a band who'd show respect to the music in both appearance  and execution - and execute it they did! They nailed it!

(© Ken Drew)
The Globe was transformed into the Five Spot, the venue where Monk played and recorded so many sessions and Xhosa had us feeling we ourselves were there back in the day.

However, this was now and the music came across as relevant as it did then.

Cole blows hard and fast although he can be sensitive when sensitivity is needed. I've Got a Crush on You brought tears to my eyes, not just because it was surely the best, live,  instrumental ballad, of the year so far. Not even because it had a personal significance for me going way back, but because it was just so - beautiful.

(© Ken Drew)
Vadiveloo was featured on Ugly Beauty, exchanged fours with Cole on Criss Cross and with Jones on Trinkle Tinkle. Saunders proved to be the perfect foil for Cole with frequent lengthy solos and Jones drove things along unfazed by the sudden changes of tempo.

Other numbers included Epistrophy and a fantastic In Walked Bud. There was also a Cole original - Andy's Shuffle - dedicated to one of his former teachers the late Andy Hamilton arguably Birmingham's greatest ever jazz musician although, on the strength of this performance, that title could be under threat!

The built in 'encore' was Duke's Come Sunday but the audience demanded more and they got it. Unfortunately, I had to leave before the title was revealed. The 27 bus waits for no one - not even Thelonious Sphere Monk. Lance

1 comment :

Russell said...

A memorable gig, simple as that.

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