Total Pageviews

Bebop Spoken There

Orrin Evans: “Now, getting a teaching spot is the new record deal”. (DownBeat, November, 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

17487 (and counting) posts since we started blogging 16 years ago. 761 of them this year alone and, so far, 66 this month (Oct. 30).

From This Moment On ...

November

Tue 05: Vieux Carré Jazzmen @ The Victoria & Albert Inn, Seaton Delaval NE25 0AT. 12:30pm. £12.00. ‘Guy Fawkes Steak & Ale Pie & Pea Lunch’. To book tel: 0191 237 3697.
Tue 05: Customs House Big Band @ The Masonic Hall, North St., Ferryhill DL17 8HX. 7:00pm. Free.
Tue 05: Jam session @ The Black Swan, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free. House trio: Stu Collingwood, Paul Grainger, Abbie Finn.

Wed 06: Vieux Carré Jazzmen @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Wed 06: Darlington Big Band @ Darlington & Simpson Rolling Mills Social Club, Darlington. 7:00pm. Free. Rehearsal session (open to the public).
Wed 06: The Horne Section’s Hit Show @ Tyne Theatre, Newcastle. 7:30pm.
Wed 06: Take it to the Bridge @ The Globe, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free.

Thu 07: Jazz Appreciation North East/Gateshead Jazz Appreciation Society @ Brunswick Methodist Church, Newcastle NE1 7BJ. 2:00pm. £4.00. ‘George - named musicians, vocalists & composers (Chisholm, Duke, Lewis, Shearing, Benson, Melly, Gershwin et al)’.
Thu 07: Aki Remally: The Gil Scott-Heron Songbook @ Gosforth Civic Theatre, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Remally (guitar, vocals); Fraser Urquhart (piano); Tom Wilkinson (bass); Max Popp (drums).
Thu 07: Rat Pack Live @ Whitley Bay Playhouse. 7:30pm.
Thu 07: Mo Scott @ The Mill Tavern, Hebburn. 8:30pm. Free.
Thu 07: Tees Hot Club @ Dorman’s Club, Middlesborough. 8:30pm. Free. Guest band night with the new Pensacola Boulevard: Josh Bentham (trumpet!); Donna Hewitt (clarinet); Ron Smith (bass); Graham Thompson (keys); Mark Hawkins (drums); Django ZaZou (trombone); Vicky Jackson (vocals).

Fri 08: Classic Swing @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 08: Rendezvous Jazz @ The Monkseaton Arms. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 08: New Orleans Preservation Jazz Band @ The Oxbridge Hotel, Stockton. 1:00pm. £5.00.
Fri 08: Joe Steels Trio @ The Pele, Corbridge. 7:00pm.
Fri 08: TC & the Groove Family + Swannek + Knats @ Cobalt Studios, Newcastle. 7:00pm.

Sat 09: Moscow Drug Club @ Hamsterley Village Hall, Co. Durham DL13 3QF. 7:30pm. £15.00.
Sat 09: Anth Purdy @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 8:00pm. Free. ‘Swing Jazz Guitar’. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig.

Sun 10: The New ’58 Jazz Collective @ Jackson’s Wharf, Hartlepool. 1:00pm. Free. A ‘second Sunday in the month’ residency.
Sun 10: Panharmonia @ Central Bar, Gateshead. 2:00pm. £6.00.
Sun 10: Am Jam @ The Globe, Newcastle. 2:00pm. Free.
Sun 10: 4B @ The Ticket Office, Whitley Bay. 3:00pm. Free.
Sun 10: Jude Murphy, Steve Chambers & Sid White @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 7:00pm. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig.
Sun 10: Moscow Drug Club @ Lesbury Village Hall, nr. Alnwick NE66 3PP. 7:30pm. £15.00.
Sun 10: SH#RP Collective @ The Globe, Newcastle. 8:00pm.

Tue 12: Matthew Forster Quartet @ Newcastle House Hotel, Rothbury. 7:30pm.
Tue 12: Phil’s Elastic Band @ The Forum, Darlington. 7:30pm. Free, but ticketed, book online.

Reviewers wanted

Whilst BSH attempts to cover as many gigs, festivals and albums as possible, to make the site even more comprehensive we need more 'boots on the ground' to cover the albums seeking review - a large percentage of which never get heard - report on gigs or just to air your views on anything jazz related. Interested? then please get in touch. Contact details are on the blog. Look forward to hearing from you. Lance

Monday, October 23, 2023

Quentin Collins & Matt Roberts with the Durham Alumni Big Band @ Northgate United Reformed Church, Darlington - Oct. 22

Quentin Collins (trumpet); Matt Roberts (MD, trumpet) with the Durham Alumni Big Band: Shaune Eland (MD), Ian Robinson, Jonny Dunn, Kevin Eland, Andrew Meadowcroft (trumpets); Alistair White, Terry O'Hern, Andrew Kirtley, ? (trombones); Dan Johnson, Barbara Fagin (tenor sax); Steve McGarvie (alto sax, soprano sax, keyboards); Kirsty Dunn (alto sax); Danielle Drew (baritone sax); Shaun Henderson (guitar); Ted Pearce (keyboards); Amy Baker (bass); Stephen Fletcher (drums)

The mighty Durham Alumni Big Band has been inactive for sometime. Post-pandemic plans were in place to present a concert featuring the music of Freddie Hubbard. Various factors conspired against a spring time date and it was only now, on a cold but bright, autumnal day, that the Alumni and its star guests could get together in the same room. 

The United Reformed Church on Northgate in Darlington is undergoing major renovation work, however, church authorities were in a position to make available its rather splendid building. The Alumni took up the offer and spent the afternoon running through the concert programme with trumpeters Quentin Collins and Matt Roberts. As the doors opened at six o'clock the 'house full' signs were in place. Yes, it had been a while but the Durham Alumni Big Band - with guests - were back!

MD Shaune Eland's top class band opened proceedings with George Gershwin - Cuban Overture (Steve McGarvie, alto sax, Jonny Dunn, trumpet, the featured soloists), Summertime (Ian Robinson, trumpet, Dan Johnson, tenor sax) and a Gordon Goodwin arrangement of I Got Plenty o' Nuttin' featuring a short, but scintillating blast from returning local hero, Matt Roberts. 

It was time to introduce Quentin Collins. Less than twenty four hours earlier, at the invitation of Jo Harrop, Collins was performing at Hampstead Jazz Club, London. Here in Darlington the London based trumpeter stood out front of the Alumni. George Cables' Camel Rise from Freddie Hubbard's 1974 album High Society opened the show and what a show it was to be! Trumpet on its stand, Collins blew flugelhorn - and how! Fleet-of-finger doesn't tell half the story. In possession of an astounding technique, Collins' solo generated sparks which cascaded across the room. And this was just the opener! 

Cold Turkey from Freddie Hubbard's 1970 Red Clay recording featured the Alumni in a free-ish Ornette/Trane opening section (they were having fun), after which Collins reached for the stratosphere in a sustained solo effort of breath-taking (literally and metaphorically) virtuosity. It was time for the Alumni to take a breather, well, most of them, as we heard Collins working in small group format with the DABB's ace rhythm section - Steve McGarvie, keyboards (pianist Ted Pearce taking a well-earned 'five'), the fabulous Amy Baker, bass, and drummer Stephen Fletcher - on Birdlike (Hubbard's nod to Charlie Parker and Donald Byrd). 

The interval. The 'jazz economy' raffle offered numerous prizes, not one of them made its way to Tyneside. A natter with PB, TE, DS and others, another BYOB bottle (Spitfire) and before long the second set was upon us.

Ian Robinson stepped out of the trumpet section, joined by Steve McGarvie (soprano sax) to reprise his arrangement of Pavane (which was well received at the Great North Big Band Jazz Festival earlier this year). BSH noted Quentin Collins listened intently, duly applauding with the rest of us at its end. Excellent. Collins playing trumpet or flugelhorn, it's musicianship of the highest order. This evening, two numbers on flugelhorn - Steve Waterman's arrangement of Little Sunflower and, from '79, Hubbard's Love Connection - were but two highlights among many. On the latter, tenor saxophonist Dan Johnson made yet another incisive contribution, a great foil to Collins. Throughout the evening the Alumni's many soloists stepped up, including Jonny Dunn (trumpet), Dan Johnson (tenor) and Steve McGarvie (principally playing alto sax). The ensemble itself played a blinder. Matt Roberts knows just how good these guys are, now his mate, up from London, fellow trumpeter Collins will, no doubt, be singing the praises of the Durham Alumni Big Band. More concerts are in the pipeline, watch this space. Russell    

No comments :

Blog Archive