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Bebop Spoken There

Marcella Puppini (in concert with the Puppini Sisters at Sunderland Fire Station, November 27, 2024): ''We've never played there, but we've looked it up, and it looks amazing.''. (The Northern Echo, November 21, 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

17523 (and counting) posts since we started blogging 16 years ago. 797 of them this year alone and, so far, 35 this month (Nov. 10).

From This Moment On ...

November

Fri 22: Vieux Carré Jazzmen @ The White Swan, Ovingham. 12:30-3:30pm. Line-up: Chris Perrin (clarinet, tenor sax); Phil Rutherford (sousaphone); David Gray (trombone, trumpet, vocals); Brian Bennett (banjo). To book a table tel: 01661 833188.
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: East Coast Swing Band @ The Exchange, North Shields. 7:30pm.
Fri 22: Dilutey Juice @ Independent, Sunderland. 7:30pm. £10.00. + £1.00. bf.
Fri 22: Archipelago @ Poprecs, High St. West, Sunderland. 7:00pm. £10.00. Multi-bill, Archipelago on stage 8:00pm. A Boundaries Festival event.
Fri 22: Groovetrain @ Hoochie Coochie, Newcastle. £15.00. + bf. 8:45pm (7:30pm doors).

Sat 23: Vieux Carré Jazzmen @ Spanish City, Whitley Bay. 11:00-1:00pm. £6.00. at the door, £4.00. advance. Tel: 0191 691 7090. A Spanish City ‘Xmas Market’ event in the Champagne Bar.
Sat 23: Durham Alumni Big Band @ Number One Bar, Skinnergate, Darlington. 11:00am-12:30pm. Free (donations, fill up the bucket!).
Sat 23: Washboard Resonators @ Claypath Deli, Durham. 7:00pm. £12.00.
Sat 23: Paul Skerritt Big Band @ Westovian Theatre, South Shields. 7:30pm.

Sun 24: Vieux Carré Jazzmen @ Spanish City, Whitley Bay. 11:00-1:00pm. £6.00. at the door, £4.00. advance. Tel: 0191 691 7090. A Spanish City ‘Xmas Market’ event in the Champagne Bar.
Sun 24: Musicians Unlimited @ Jackson’s Wharf, Hartlepool. 1:00pm. Free.
Sun 24: More Jam @ The Globe, Newcastle. 2:00pm. Free.
Sun 24: Paul Skerritt @ Hibou Blanc, Newcastle. 2:00pm. Free. Skerritt (solo) performing with backing tapes.
Sun 24: Greg Abate w. Dean Stockdale Trio @ Queen’s Hall, Hexham. 3:00pm.
Sun 24: Ruth Lambert Trio @ The Juke Shed, Union Quay, North Shields. 3:00pm. Free.
Sun 24: Washboard Resonators @ Georgian Theatre, Stockton. 3:00pm. £8.00.
Sun 24: 4B @ The Ticket Office, Whitley Bay. 3:00pm. Free.
Sun 24: Groovetrain @ Hoochie Coochie, Newcastle. £15.00. + bf. 5:15pm (4:00pm doors). SOLD OUT!
Sun 24: Jazz Jam Sandwich! @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 7:00pm. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig.
Sun 24: Greg Abate w. Dean Stockdale Trio @ The Globe. 8:00pm.
Sun 24: Lighthouse Trio @ The Glasshouse, Gateshead. 8:00pm.

Mon 25: Harmony Brass @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Mon 25: Vieux Carré Jazzmen @ The Wheatsheaf, Benton Sq., Whitley Road, Palmersville NE12 9SU. Tel: 0191 266 8137. 1:00pm. Free.

Tue 26: Alexia Gardner Quintet @ The Black Swan, Newcastle. 7:30pm (7:00pm doors). £12.00.; £10.00. advance.

Wed 27: Vieux Carré Jazzmen @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Wed 27: Jason Isaacs @ St James’ STACK, Newcastle. 5:00-7:00pm. Free. Vocalist Isaacs working with backing tapes.
Wed 27: Darlington Big Band @ Darlington & Simpson Rolling Mills Social Club, Darlington. 7:00pm. Free. Rehearsal session (open to the public).
Wed 27: Puppini Sisters @ The Fire Station, Sunderland. 7:30pm.
Wed 27: Take it to the Bridge @ The Globe, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free.

Thu 28: Vieux Carré Jazzmen @ The Holystone, Whitley Road, North Tyneside. 1:00pm. Free.
Thu 28: Paul Skerritt @ Ashington High Street. 5:45pm. Xmas lights switch-on.
Thu 28: Mick Cantwell Band @ The Harbour View, Roker, Sunderland. 8:00pm. Free. Superb blues singer!
Thu 28: Tees Hot Club @ Dorman’s Club, Middlesborough. 8:30pm. Free.

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    

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