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Bebop Spoken There

Ambrose Akinmusire: “ I am certainly always aware of what the masses are doing. And when I see too many people going one way, I'm going another way - even when I don't know what's over that way". DownBeat, March, 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

16287 (and counting) posts since we started blogging 16 years ago. 169 of them this year alone and, so far, 41 this month (Mar 18).

From This Moment On ...

March

Tue 19: Jam session @ The Black Swan, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free. House trio: Michael Young, Paul Grainger, Tim Johnston.

Wed 20: Vieux Carré Jazzmen @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Wed 20: Darlington Big Band @ Darlington & Simpson Rolling Mills Social Club, Darlington. 7:00pm. Free. Rehearsal session (open to the public).
Wed 20: Take it to the Bridge @ The Globe, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free.

Thu 21: Vieux Carré Jazzmen @ The Holystone, Whitley Road, North Tyneside. 1:00pm. Free.
Thu 21: Castillo Neuvo Trio + Conor Emery & His ‘Bones Band @ The Grove, Ouseburn, Newcastle. 7:30pm (7:00pm doors). £10.00. (£7.00. student).
Thu 21: Remi Banklyn + Chris Corcoran Trio @ The Globe, Newcastle. 8:00pm. £12.50. Chicago blues. An International Guitar Foundation promotion.
Thu 21: Merlin Roxby @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 8:00pm. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig. Ragtime piano.
Thu 21: Tees Hot Club @ Dorman’s Club, Middlesbrough. 8:30pm.

Fri 22: Vasilis Xenopoulos & Paul Edis @ The Gala, Durham. 1:00pm. £8.00. SOLD OUT!
Fri 22: Classic Swing @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 22: Rendezvous Jazz @ The Monkseaton Arms. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 22: New Orleans Preservation Jazz Band @ The Oxbridge Hotel, Stockton. 1:00pm. £5.00.
Fri 22: Nauta + Remy CB + Last Orders @ Hoochie Coochie, Newcastle. 8:30pm (7:30pm doors). Free.
Fri 22: Vasilis Xenopoulos-Paul Edis Quartet @ Traveller’s Rest, Darlington. 8:00pm. £15.00. Opus 4 Jazz Club.
Fri 22: Redwell @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 8:00pm. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig.

Sat 23: Jambone @ The Glasshouse, Gateshead. 6:30pm. Free (ticketed). End of term performance in the Northern Rock Foundation Hall.
Sat 23: Milne-Glendinning Band @ The Vault, Darlington. 7:00pm. Free.
Sat 23: Red Kites Jazz @ Rowlands Gill Community Centre NE39 1JB. 7:00pm. Tickets: £12.00. (gibsidecommunityfarm@gmail.com). A ‘Build a Barn’ fundraiser. BYOB, tea/coffee available.
Sat 23: New Century Ragtime Orchestra @ Gosforth Civic Theatre, Newcastle. 7:30pm. £20.00. + bf (book in person at venue - no booking fee!). Featuring pianist Martin Litton.
Sat 23: Pete Tanton’s Cuba Libre @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 8:00pm. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig.

Sun 24: Musicians Unlimited @ Park Inn, Hartlepool. 1:00pm. Free.
Sun 24: More Jam @ The Globe, Newcastle. 2:30pm. Free.
Sun 24: Luis Verde @ Queen’s Hall, Hexham. 3:00pm. Verde (alto sax); Joe Steels (guitar); John Pope (double bass); John Hirst (drums). Alto sax brilliance!
Sun 24: Elsie Franklin @ The Globe, Newcastle. 3:00pm. £10.00. Country blues. An International Guitar Foundation promotion.
Sun 24: 4B @ The Ticket Office, Whitley Bay Metro Station. 3:00pm. Free.
Sun 24: Las Vegas Live with the Rat Pack @ The Forum, Billingham.
Sun 24: Ian Millar & Dominic Spencer @ Otterburn Memorial Hall. 7:30pm. £12.00.
Sun 24: Lindsay Hannon: Tom Waits for No Man @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 7:00pm. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig. Note start time - 7:00pm.
Sun 24: Bold Big Band @ The Globe, Newcastle. 8:00pm.

Mon 25: Harmony Brass @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Mon 25: Michael Young Trio @ The Engine Room, Sunderland. 6:30pm. Free.

Saturday, June 03, 2023

Reflections on N'Warlins

An American work colleague told me she loves the way English people say New Orleans. I’ve adopted – if not an Englishman's - a European’s spelling N’Warlins by Zawinul from a Syndicate cut. The folks  there wish you Happy Festival like we greet each other at Christmas here. The weather reports refer specifically to the Festival.

The first morning we got there early just in case there was any trouble securing passes. All sorted we found a café with four ladies sat outside and occupied the table next to them. Gradually more people arrived and a makeshift bar appeared next to the portaloo we hadn’t previously noticed. Herbie Hancock’s Headhunters album was playing from the café. As the crowds grew a police car arrived and the officer closed the road. An elderly chap arrived with his walker and a bag of weed he’d liberated from his daughter in exchange for three bottles of beer.   

The first day we were there from start to finish but gradually went in a little later each day. Storms on day 2 were all over the news and I thought they may have made the UK news but didn’t. E-Mails home were backed up for a day and the festival opening was delayed by two hours, but the heat remained.

 

Day 3 we went to Congo Square and on day 4 made our first venture into the French Quarter. Bus journeys were like a sitcom and if I didn’t sit with Mrs T some other chap generally would, high fives when he realised we are an item. The bus took us to a streetcar (we desired) which took us to Canal Street where we alighted at Bourbon Street in all its gory.

 

We were warned not to venture there in the early hours but that was never an option - maybe thirty years ago. We criss-crossed it daily, observed the clean-up operation and had a not very good meal there. Music played constantly and most venues had bands changing over regularly throughout the day and night, mostly high quality covers bands with slightly more adventurous repertoires but seldom jazz.

 

We were also warned that Frenchman Street could be sleazy too and more secluded and only wandered up during the day, but at the airport home, heard stories of live sex shows. Maybe thirty years ago.

 

No jazzer is going to miss the Jazz Museum, though probably over-priced at $8. A section on the development of the drum, a section on Kid Ory and lots of pictures of the Festival through the years. I could have spent a fortune in the shop, on CDs, books, T shirts and pictures, eventually coming out with a book on New Orleans Soul – not one of the very biggest cities for soul music but a significant contributor none the less.

 

A cruise up Ole Miss on an old riverboat is essential to any trip to N’Warlins, complete with white Dixie trio complete with all the clichés but man they could play. This was also the scene of my first alcoholic drink since the free bar on the plane out.

 

Much is made of food and drink, especially at the festival, but it seemed more trouble than it's worth, and the vendors seemed to think it was worth a lot. Mrs T is no great foodie and the one occasion we got a meal each, I ended up eating both. I’m assured the ladies' facilities were lovely but the gents were revolting – don’t look down.

 

On the final night we decided to splash out on the most expensive meal we’ve ever had. We found a Cheers type bar in the centre and our very own version of Carla - and a resident jazz group. We had been told it was sax, piano, bass and drums but I'm always pleased to hear a guitarist instead of a piano. Some straight jazz and some mid-seventies Crusaders and instrumental George Benson – they must have known we were coming. Steve T   


ALBUM

3 comments :

Lance said...

I give up Steve - call New Orleans whatever you want to call it. At home people refer to Jarrow and Hebburn as Jarra and Hebbin but that is the local dialect. I'm sure that our tourists (we had three last year) pronounce the names correctly. Irrespective, I've enjoyed your reports from the Crescent City/Big Easy immensely and I'm green with envy (if envy can have a colour) not to have been there.

Russell said...

How many days where you in New Orleans/N'Awlins/N'Warlins/Crescent City/Big Easy before you had a drink?

Steve T said...

I never had a drink at the festival - too hot and too much hassle. A trickster gave me a bottle on the bus (in an attempt to get me in bother) but we couldn't locate a bottle opener so it remained in the hotel fridge when we left. He gave me a can the following night which I drank at the pool. I drank the last two nights - does this mean I'm becoming a grownup.

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