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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

17444 (and counting) posts since we started blogging 16 years ago. 718 of them this year alone and, so far, 100 this month (Oct. 10).

From This Moment On ...

October

Sun 13: Am Jam @ The Globe, Newcastle. 2:00pm. Free.
Sun 13: Emma Wilson @ Tyne Bar, Newcastle. 4:00pm. Free. Blues.
Sun 13: Catfish Keith @ The Cluny. 7:00pm. Country blues.
Sun 13: Lindsay Hannon + Eleanor Adams @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 7:00pm. A 'Jar on the Bar' gig. Note, this is a change to the previously advertised gig.
Sun 13: Dulcie May Moreno Quartet @ The Globe, Newcastle. 8:00pm.
Sun 13: Jazz Jam @ Fabio’s, Saddler St., Durham. 8:00pm. Free. A DUJS event. All welcome.

Mon 14: Harmony Brass @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Mon 14: Black is the Color of My Voice @ Hippodrome, Darlington. 7:30pm. Apphia Campbell’s one-woman show inspired by Nina Simone, performed by Nicholle Cherrie.

Tue 15: Jam session @ The Black Swan, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free. House trio: Alan Law (piano), Paul Grainger (double bass), Bailey Rudd (drums).

Wed 16: Vieux Carré Jazzmen @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Wed 16: Cath Stephens’ improvisation workshop @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 4:30-6:00pm. Collaborative group focusing on vocal improvisations.
Wed 16: Darlington Big Band @ Darlington & Simpson Rolling Mills Social Club, Darlington. 7:00pm. Free. Rehearsal session (open to the public).
Wed 16: Take it to the Bridge @ The Globe, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free.

Thu 17: Vieux Carré Jazzmen @ The Holystone, Whitley Road, North Tyneside. 1:00pm. Free.
Thu 17: Olivia Cuttill Quintet @ King’s Hall, Newcastle University. 1:15pm. Free.
Thu 17: Moonlight Serenade Orchestra UK: Glenn Miller & Big Band Spectacular @ Phoenix Theatre, Blyth. 7:30pm.
Thu 17: Merlin Roxby @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 8:00pm. Free. Ragtime piano. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig.
Thu 17: Niffi Osiyemi Trio @ The Harbour View, Sunderland. 8:00pm. Free.
Thu 17: Tees Hot Club @ Dorman’s Club, Middlesborough. Guests Jeremy McMurray (keys); Richie Emmerson (tenor sax); Mark Toomey (alto sax); Adrian Beadnell (bass). 8:30pm. Free.

Fri 18: Classic Swing @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 18: Rendezvous Jazz @ The Monkseaton Arms. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 18: New Orleans Preservation Jazz Band @ The Oxbridge Hotel, Stockton. 1:00pm. £5.00.
Fri 18: Hot Club du Nord @ St Cuthbert’s, Crook. 7:30pm.
Fri 18: Chet Set @ Seventeen Nineteen, Hendon, Sunderland. 7:30pm. Pete Tanton & co.
Fri 18: Michael Woods @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. Doors 7:30pm (upstairs). A Hoodoo Blues dance & social event. £10.00. class & social (£10.00., £7.50., £5.00. social only). Michael Woods (country blues guitar) on stage 9:00pm.
Fri 18: East Coast Swing Band @ Hexham Abbey. 7:30pm. £9.00.
Fri 18: Ben Crosland Quartet @ Traveller’s Rest, Darlington. 8:00pm. Opus 4 Jazz Club.
Fri 18: Durham University Jazz Society’s ‘High Standards’ @ Music Dept. Music Room, Divinity House, Palace Green, Durham University DH1 3RS. 8:009-30pm. Tel: 0191 334 1419. £7.00., £5.00.
Fri 18: Ray Stubbs R&B All Stars @ Blues Underground, Nelson St., Newcastle. 9:00pm. Free.

Sat 19: Sat 19: Paula Jackman’s Jazz Masters @ St Augustine’s Parish Centre, Darlington. 12:30pm. Darlington New Orleans Jazz Club.
Jeff Hewer Trio @ The Vault, Darlington. 7:00pm. Free.
Sat 19: Howlin’ Mat @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 8:00pm. Country blues guitar & vocals. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig.

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

Wednesday, April 17, 2024

Another jam packed Black Swan jam session - April 16

It starts at seven thirty, doors at seven, it's going to be busy, let's get there for half past six. Turning into Newcastle Arts Centre's courtyard the queue was beginning to form. One whole hour before the down beat, what's going on? The Black Swan jam session is what you could call a success! 

This evening's house trio comprised guitar virtuoso Mr Bradley Johnston, jam session MC, Mr Paul Grainger and post-grad student drummer, Mr Bailey Rudd. Three numbers to set the ball rolling - Bird's Little Suede Shoes, Johnny Green's Body and Soul and Frank Loesser's I've Never Been in Love Before. Nicely warmed up, MC Grainger opened the floor. First up, Jan Spencelayh. Accompanied by John Rowland's tenor sax, Jan sang a classic - You Turned the Tables on Me. Excellent. 

Kris Finney had been absent for a while. Good to see him put in an appearance and, as ever, make a solid contribution behind the traps. Alex Shipsey is another welcome face at the jam session. Whatever the tune, Alex is on it. Trumpeter Stuart Fowler was in the house, minus his horn. But wait, taking a seat at the house keyboard, Stuart proved to be more than canny. Becky Tuck sang 'S Wonderful, accompanied by one S. Fowler at the piano. The wonders of a jam session! Guitarist Liam Oliver and drummer Freddie Richards were knocking around, they made their mark, likewise the dependable Owen Jones. MC P. Grainger likes it when not one, not two, but three bass players turn up! Remi Coulthard-Boardman sang (falsetto to boot) Moondance with Esther Coombes on board playing alto sax (later clarinet). 

Now then, sometimes at a jam session, just occasionally, something happens. Something wonderful, that is. Newcastle University students Conor Emery (trombone) and Olly Styles (tenor sax) formed a frontline supported by Stuart (keyboards), Bradley (guitar), Jamie Watkins (bass) and, wait for it, drummer John Hirst. Oh, yes! Conor and Olly set about tearing it up on Manteca. In their late teens/early twenties*, this was, as they say, 'something else'. Absolutely barnstorming stuff! And, there's more, John Hirst's drum solo would have brought the house down at Ronnie's. Stupendous!                  

As if that wasn't enough, Paul Skerritt**, enjoying a night out, led the finale. All hands on deck for It Don't Mean a Thing and a showstopping Let the Good Times Roll

In some quarters you'll hear comments along the lines of 'in my day..', 'jazz isn't what it used to be...' etc. Well, the 'in my day' types should go hear Conor Emery and Olly Styles (and hundreds of other young musicians throughout the country) and they'll have their eyes and ears opened.

** A week on Friday (April 26) Paul Skerritt will be in concert in Hall Two at the Glasshouse (formerly Sage Gateshead). Paul's 'backing band' (!) will be the fantastic Danny Miller Big Band. Seats have been selling really well, don't delay, book today at: www.theglasshouseicm.org. Russell    

Bradley Johnston (guitar); Paul Grainger (double bass); Bailey Rudd  (drums) + Jan Spencelayh (vocals); John Rowland (tenor sax); Kris Finney (drums); Conor Emery (trombone); Olly Styles (tenor sax); Alex Shipsey (bass guitar); Kate O'Niell (vocals); Edgar Bell (trumpet); Stuart Fowler (piano); Becky Tuck (vocals); Esther Coombes (alto sax, clarinet); Freddie Richards (drums); Ian Drever (vocals); Liam Oliver (guitar); Remi Coulthard-Boardman (vocals); Owen Jones (double bass); Jacob Egglestone (guitar); Jamie Watkins (bass guitar); Josh Weir (drums); Alec Gamble (guitar); Johannes Dalhuijsen (bass clarinet); ? (piano); ? (vocals); John Hirst (drums); Paul Skerritt (vocals)

2 comments :

NeilC said...

Is it simply that the gig has outgrown the capacity of the current venue and it's time for somewhere larger to accommodate the demand?

Lance said...

There is also the downstairs room which is bigger yet not utilised for the jams.

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