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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!

Sunday, May 05, 2024

Jeff Barnhart @ The Vault, Darlington - May 4

Jeff Barnhart (piano, vocals); Anne Barnhart (vocals)

Following a most successful lunchtime concert at St Augustine's Parish Centre, Jeff Barnhart wasn't about to leave town anytime soon. Two minutes' walk from the venue lies one of our American visitor's favourite pubs. The place was more than busy and the arrival of Mr B's entourage made it all the more so. A pint or three later it was time to head down to Darlington's Market Square for the second of Barnhart's eagerly anticipated two-gigs-in-a-day. 

The Vault overlooks Darlington's Market Square. This weekend it's the town's 'Food & Drink Festival 2024'. Stalls offering a wide range of goodies were doing good business, meanwhile, our East Row hostelry was doing equally good business. The Vault attracts a wide clientele: drinkers, 'night out' types, party-goers (some dressed up to the nines) and, on this early Saturday evening, a battalion of jazz fans. 

Jeff Barnhart playing a solo piano concert is always a treat, hearing the great man play the venue's 1912 Bechstein promised to be something special. At six o'clock sharp, Barnhart sat at the piano and began to play. It should be said, the majority of the Vault's clientele didn't anticipate a larger than life American pianist being on the premises. It has been known for the decibel count of the Vault's chattering/shouting punters to rival that of an overhead, low-flying aircraft. Mr B would have his work cut out...

The EntertainerSt Louis Blues, a stonking Maple Leaf Rag, Barnhart knew what he was doing, reading the room, pounding out classic numbers, the jazz fans whooping, the drinkers having their heads turned. They were thinking: Who's this guy?! Camera phones lit up. It's difficult applauding with phone in hand, but make no mistake, the ebullient Barnhart's performance was in danger of turning some of this lot into jazz fans! 

Ain't Misbehavin'Blueberry Hill (they were singing along), Mack the Knife (ditto), High SocietySt James' Infirmary (they were still listening), if one musician could conquer (at least momentarily silence) the Vault's patrons it was Mr J. Barnhart. The Tennessee Waltz sung by Barnhart's 'other half', Anne Barnhart, went down well, likewise One of These Days. Closing nigh on two hours' non-stop entertainment, Barnhart went out on a super-charged Tiger Rag. Guess what? Tumultuous applause! Mr B can read a room, alright! An encore won, Mr B said 'goodnight' with one surely everyone knows. Altogether now: Oh, when the saints, go marching in (they/we were singing along), I want to be in that number...Aye, It had been a canny night. Russell

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