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Bebop Spoken There

Wendell Brunious: "Because the blues is not 1,4 and 5 or 1,4,5,2,1. You could wake up with a flat tyre or a headache this morning, that's the blues, man" - (DownBeat, Oct. 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

15878 (and counting) posts since we started blogging 15 years ago. 885 of them this year alone and, so far, 83 this month (Sept. 30).

From This Moment On ...

October

Tue 03: Paul Skerritt @ The Rabbit Hole, Hallgarth St., Durham DH1 3AT. 7:00pm. Paul Skerritt's (solo) weekly residency.
Tue 03: Jam session @ The Black Swan, Newcastle. 7:30pm. House trio: Michael Young (piano); Paul Grainger (double bass); Sid White (drums). CANCELLED!

Wed 04: Vieux Carré Jazzmen @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm.
Wed 04: Darlington Big Band @ Darlington & Simpson Rolling Mills Social Club, Darlington. 7:00pm. Rehearsal session (open to the public).
Wed 04: Paul Skerritt @ Vespa Italian Bar & Steakhouse, Primrose Hill, Jarrow. From 7:00pm. To book a table - 0191 483 3355.
Wed 04: Take it to the Bridge @ The Globe, Newcastle. 7:30pm.

Thu 05: Vieux Carré Jazzmen @ The Holystone, Whitley Road, North Tyneside. 1:00pm. Free.
Thu 05: Sound the Trumpets @ King's Hall, Newcastle University. 1:15pm. Free.
Thu 05: Hot Club du Nord @ The Lubetkin Theatre, Peterlee. 7:00pm. £10.00. POSTPONED!
Thu 05: Thursday Night Prayer Meeting @ The Globe, Newcastle. 7:30pm.
Thu 05: Tommy Bentz Trio + Mark Croft Duo + George Shovlin & George Lamb @ The Harbour View, Sunderland. 8:00pm. Free. Harbour View Speakeasy's USA blues double bill + Shovlin & Lamb!
Thu 05: Merlin Roxby @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 8:00pm. Ragtime piano. A 'Jar on the Bar' gig.
Thu 05: Tees Hot Club @ Dorman's Club, Middlesbrough. 9:00pm.

Fri 06: Alcyona Mick @ Lit & Phil, Newcastle. 1:00pm. A Newcastle Festival of Jazz & Improvised Music event.
Fri 06: Classic Swing @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm.
Fri 06: New Orleans Preservation Jazz Band @ Oxbridge Hotel, Stockton. 1:00pm. £5.00.
Fri 06: Rendezvous Jazz @ The Monkseaton Arms, Monkseaton. 1:00pm.
Fri 06: WORKSHOP: Philosophy of Arts & Entertainment @ Lit & Phil, Newcastle. 2:00pm. A Newcastle Festival of Jazz & Improvised Music event.
Fri 06: Balo @ Lit & Phil, Newcastle. 6:20pm. A Newcastle Festival of Jazz & Improvised Music event.
Fri 06: Paul Skerritt @ 3Sixty Champagne Lounge, Hadrian’s Tower, Newcastle. From 7:00pm. To book a table - 0191 933 8591.
Fri 06: Lexer/Mayes/Noble + Semay Wu + Miman @ Lit & Phil, Newcastle. 7:20pm. A Newcastle Festival of Jazz & Improvised Music event.
Fri 06: Dulcie May Moreno @ The Vault, Hexham. 7:30pm. £20.00. Book in advance. Moreno with Alan Law, Paul Grainger & John Bradford.
Fri 06: Dean Stockdale Quartet @ Saltburn Community Hall. 7:30pm. 'Celebrating Oscar'.
Fri 06: Nu Brass Sounds: Big Brass Bash @ Billy Bootlegger’s, Newcastle. 8:00pm. Free.
Fri 06: King Bees @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 8:00pm. Blind Pig Blues Club. A 'Jar on the Bar' gig.

Sat 07: WORKSHOP: Philosophy of Arts & Entertainment @ Lit & Phil, Newcastle. 10:15am. A Newcastle Festival of Jazz & Improvised Music event.
Sat 07: Hot Club du Nord @ St Augustine's Parish Centre, Darlington. 12:30pm.
Sat 07: Bugge & Niccols + Moore & Fairhall @ Lit & Phil, Newcastle. 1:00pm. A Newcastle Festival of Jazz & Improvised Music event.
Sat 07: Play Jazz! workshop @ The Globe, Newcastle. 1:30pm. Tutor: Steve Glendinning - All the Things You Are. £25.00. Enrol at: www.jazz.coop.
Sat 07: Abbie Finn Trio @ The Vault, Darlington. 6:00pm. Free.
Sat 07: Rie Nakajima @ Lit & Phil, Newcastle. 6:20pm. A Newcastle Festival of Jazz & Improvised Music event.
Sat 07: Paul Skerritt @ 3Sixty Champagne Lounge, Hadrian’s Tower, Newcastle. From 7:00pm. To book a table - 0191 933 8591.
Sat 07: Samuel Blaser Trio + Toxvaerd & Zeeberg + Muramatsu & Welch @ Lit & Phil, Newcastle. 7:20pm. A Newcastle Festival of Jazz & Improvised Music event.
Sat 07: Anth Purdy @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 8:00pm.
Sat 07: Rendezvous Jazz @ Red Lion, Earsdon. 8:00pm. £3.00.

Sun 08: Zoë Gilby Quintet + Ubunye @ The Globe, Newcastle. 2:00pm. Line-up inc. Tony Kofi. A Newcastle Festival of Jazz & Improvised Music event.
Sun 08: Tommy Bentz Band @ Tyne Bar, Newcastle. 4:00pm. Free. USA blues band.

Mon 09: Harmony Brass @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm.
Mon 09: Cherise Adams-Burnett @ The Grove, Byker, Newcastle. 7:30pm. .

Tue 10: Abbie Finn Trio @ Forum Music Centre, Darlington. 7:30pm.

Thursday, March 09, 2023

The Ed Richardson Big Band plays Atomic Basie & more @ Ronnie Scott's - Mar. 6

This one had been in the diary for a while. A couple of days in London (Spice of Life Monday lunchtime, a bookshop or two, Ronnie's in the evening, a blockbuster exhibition the next day), a favourable weather forecast, let's go! Monday evening, Ronnie Scott's, the Ed Richardson Big Band plays 'Atomic Basie & more'. Count Basie, a stellar big band, a superstar vocalist, a winning combination!

This Frith Street engagement sold out several weeks ago. And no surprise there given that drummer Ed Richardson would be leading an all-star big band. Each chair in the band was occupied by an A-lister: Joe Webb as Basie, Pete Horsfall and Freddie Gavita in the trumpet section, Callum Au (that's Callum Au, master arranger) and Dan Higham in the 'bones, Kansas Smitty's Giacomo Smith and Leo (no relation) Richardson in the reeds. Oh, yes, add the name Georgia Cécile to the line-up. Stellar? You bet! 

The place was buzzing as audience and musicians caught up for a chat before the down beat. The evening's MC, Paul Pace, introduced Ed Richardson and the ensemble. The excitement was palpable as the band tore into The Kid from Red Bank. Close your eyes, this was the Basie band in full flow. Absolutely terrific. Freddie Gavita and Pete Horsfall duetted on, yes, Duet. Graeme Blevins (tenor sax) and Joe Webb featured on After Supper, Webb again, alongside Giacomo Smith, on Flight of the Foo Birds. The set list more or less followed the album's running order, next up, Teddy the Toad, then Pete Horsfall in the spotlight on Midnight Blue

Nights like this are special, the listener hanging on every note. Ronnie's patrons were particularly attentive this evening. And at this juncture Ed Richardson introduced a special guest, his father, drummer Andy Richardson. Son Ed happily stepped aside to allow father Andy to join the band on Splanky. How good was that?! It's like a Wimbledon champion on Centre Court inviting a family member to serve at match point. Richardson Senior can play, that's for sure. What a thrill it must have been for him. Son Ed videoed the moment.

Giacomo Smith, playing alto sax, featured on Fantail, a muted, graceful Pete Horsfall captured the essence of Li'l Darlin' and then, to close, Joe Webb (Basie) brought in Whirly-Bird. They stood up - that's tenor men Graeme Blevins and Leo Richardson (Frank Foster and Lockjaw Davis) - to blow and blow and blow, the trumpets soaring and swooping as one. Wonderful.

Second set: The '& more' set. Numbers from various albums (April in ParisSinatra at the SandsElla and Basie) heard the ensemble continue where it left off, that is, in superb form. Dan Higham and Freddie Gavita stood in the spotlight on Blues in Hoss' Flat, Gavita again on Shiny Stockings, classic Basie. Time for Ed Richardson to introduce the band's guest star. Strolling onto stage, the one and only, Georgia Cécile. I'm Beginning to See the Light sang Georgia. Our London resident Glaswegian remained exactly where she was for a swinging Honeysuckle Rose. Star quality, pure and simple. And from the Ella and Basie album, Georgia sang On the Sunny Side of the Street. It had been a marvellous, memorable evening. It's likely Ronnie Scott's will want to do it again. If it happens be sure to book early! Russell                          
    
The Ed Richardson Big Band: Tom Walsh, George Hogg, Pete Horsfall, Freddie Gavita (trumpets); Giacomo Smith, Simon Marsh, Leo Richardson, Graeme Blevins, Jess Holder (reeds); Alistair White, Callum Au, Dan Higham, Barry Clements (trombones); Joe Webb (piano); Oli Mason (guitar); Ferg Ireland (double bass); Ed Richardson (drums); Georgia Cécile (vocals) + Andy Richardson (drums)

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