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Bebop Spoken There

Spasmo Brown: “Jazz is an ice cream sandwich! It's the Fourth of July! It's a girl with a waterbed!”. (Syncopated Times, July, 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

17346 (and counting) posts since we started blogging 16 years ago. 630 of them this year alone and, so far, 35 this month (Sept. 11).

From This Moment On ...

September

Mon 16: Swing Manouche @ Yamaha Music School, Blyth. 1:00pm. £9.00.
Mon 16: Harmony Brass @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Mon 16: John Hallam with the James Birkett Trio @ The Black Bull, Blaydon. 8:00pm. £10.00. A Blaydon Jazz Club 40th anniversary concert!

Tue 17: Vieux Carré Hot 4 @ The Victoria & Albert Inn, Seaton Delaval. 12:30pm. £13.00. Tel: 0191 237 3697. ‘Indian Summer Afternoon Tea’.
Tue 17: Jason Isaacs @ St James’ STACK, Newcastle. 3:00-5:00pm. Free.
Tue 17: Jam session @ The Black Swan, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free. House trio: Joe Steels (guitar); Paul Grainger (double bass); Abbie Finn (drums).

Wed 18: Vieux Carré Jazzmen @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Wed 18: Darlington Big Band @ Darlington & Simpson Rolling Mills Social Club, Darlington. 7:00pm. Free. Rehearsal session (open to the public).
Wed 18: Take it to the Bridge @ The Globe, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free.
Wed 18: Hot Club of Heaton @ Elder Beer, Heaton, Newcastle. 8:00pm. A ‘third Wednesday in the month’ session.

Thu 19: Vieux Carré Jazzmen @ The Holystone, Whitley Road, North Tyneside. 1:00pm. Free.
Thu 19: Merlin Roxby @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 8:00pm. Ragtime piano. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig.
Thu 19: Tees Hot Club @ Dorman’s Club, Middlesborough. 8:30pm. Free. THC with guests Kevin Eland, Dan Johnson, Jeremy McMurray, Ron Smith.

Fri 20: Lindsay Hannon’s Tom Waits for No Man @ Gala Theatre, Durham. 1:00pm. £8.00.
Fri 20: Rob Hall & Chick Lyall @ The Lit & Phil, Newcastle. 1:00pm. Free (donations). SOLD OUT!
Fri 20: Classic Swing @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 20: Rendezvous Jazz @ The Monkseaton Arms. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 20: New Orleans Preservation Jazz Band @ The Oxbridge Hotel, Stockton. 1:00pm. £5.00.
Fri 20: Leeway @ 1719, Hendon, Sunderland. 7:30pm. The Old Black Cat Jazz Club. CANCELLED!
Fri 20: Gaz Hughes Trio @ Traveller’s Rest, Darlington. 8:00pm. Opus 4 Jazz Club.

Sat 21: Jason Isaacs @ Seaburn STACK, Seaburn. 1:00-2:45pm. Free.
Sat 21: Baghdaddies @ Two by Two, Albion Row, Byker, Newcastle NE6 1RQ. 6:00pm.
Sat 21: Jude Murphy & Alan Law @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 8:00pm. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig.

Sun 22: More Jam @ The Globe, Newcastle. 2:00pm. Free.
Sun 22: Jason Isaacs @ St James’ STACK, Newcastle. 2:30-4:30pm. Free.
Sun 22: Dulcie May Moreno Quartet @ Queen’s Hall, Hexham. 3:00pm.
Sun 22: 4B @ The Ticket Office, Whitley Bay. 3:00pm. Free.
Sun 22: Richard Herdman @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 7:00pm. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig.
Sun 22: Remy CB Band @ Blues Underground, Nelson St., Newcastle. 8:30pm. Free. Remi, 2024 Newcastle Uni graduate, superb soul/blues voice!

Friday, September 08, 2023

Merlin Roxby @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle - August 31

Merlin Roxby (piano)

Because of my appreciation of the musical assessment skills of Russell, one of BSHs expert and indefatigable reviewers, I know that when he says there is a musician or band worth checking out then thats a sure fire tip. He particularly has the ability to sniff out quality new and young musicians whether they are busking on the street, taking a back seat role in a jam session or playing to select audiences (sic) in a small bar. So when he started to mention a young piano player who has a residency at the Prohibition Bar in Pink Lane and that he specialised in ragtime and stride piano styles (some of my long time favourite piano music) then I knew I had to go and have a listen.

I got into stride and boogie woogie piano playing as a teenager because there was a local pianist who was a great fan of Meade Lux Lewis and Albert Ammons as well as James P Johnson and Fats Waller. I managed to persuade a schoolmate whose father had some of the original 78s to lend them to me. I must admit I was slow giving them back and happened to leave school with them.

Around Central Station and its environs is not an area I frequent a great deal, particularly at night, so I hadnt actually been in the Prohibition Bar since it became itself after taking over from the Jazz Café. I wasnt sure what to expect when I entered the Bar - a louche 1920s' vibe maybe?

To my eyes the inside hadnt changed very much from Jazz Café days except the large wooden bar counter which always seemed to me to take up far too much of the room has been replaced by a much smaller version tucked away at one side. But as there is  now a stage at the back there seems to be no more space for customers than there was before. However, space for customers was not a particular problem on this night and a few of those that were there might possibly have qualified as louche but in a 2020s rather than 1920s way.

I dont know what the opposite of louche is but looking at the piano player he might have been getting pretty close to it. A nice, serious young man my mother would have said as Mr Roxby was completely focused on the piano and the tune he was playing. The film The Sting had introduced me to Scott Joplins music via the playing of Joshua Rifkin and that encouraged me to go to the musical source. Here was someone playing Maple Leaf Rag, The Entertainer and maybe a few more Joplin tunes expertly and authentically. Then some stride pieces and others that I couldnt place stylistically but were of the appropriate genre (although I did recognise the theme from Top Cat). Also it sounded to me as if a fine boogie woogie piece slipped into the second set.

Roxbys performance style is rather unusual in that he plays tune after tune without introductions or comment. He quickly flicks through a voluminous file of music sheets in front of him picking out his next piece and begins playing without further ado. I have to say I like this. It makes a change from numerous performers (of all kinds) at Sage Gateshead who ramble on and inevitably say at some point "Its great to be in Newcastle".

To my ears Roxby is a fine piano player who has dedicated himself to playing the music of the 1920s and 30s as authentically as possible and is doing it very well (without confining himself to that). Where else could one hear this music on a regular basis?  And it is worth hearing.

A name to conjure with, maybe, but certainly a piano player to check out and listen to.

Also a tip of my fedora to Prohibition Bar for giving him the opportunity to play on a regular basis. JC

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