Total Pageviews

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

17421 (and counting) posts since we started blogging 16 years ago. 695 of them this year alone and, so far, 100 this month (Sept. 30).

From This Moment On ...

October

Tue 08: ???

Wed 09: Vieux Carré Jazzmen @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free. Wed 09: Jason Isaacs @ St James’ STACK, Newcastle. 5:00-7:00pm. Free.
Wed 09: Darlington Big Band @ Darlington & Simpson Rolling Mills Social Club, Darlington. 7:00pm. Free. Rehearsal session (open to the public).
Wed 09: Take it to the Bridge @ The Globe, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free.
Wed 09: The Tannery Jam Session @ The Tannery, Gilesgate, Hexham. 7:00-9:00pm. Free. A ‘second Wednesday in the month’ jam session.
Wed 09: Shunya, Dudù Kouate & Seb Rochford @ The Cluny, Newcastle. 8:30pm (7:30pm doors). £21.00.

Thu 10: Vieux Carré Jazzmen @ The Holystone, Whitley Road, North Tyneside. 1:00pm. Free.
Thu 10: Gateshead Jazz Appreciation Society @ Brunswick Methodist Church, Newcastle NE1 7BJ. 2:00pm. £4.00. ‘Collaborations - it happened all the time’.
Thu 10: Indigo Jazz Voices w. the Little Big Band @ The Globe, Newcastle. 7:45pm. £5.00.
Thu 10: Side Cafe Orkestar @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 8:00pm. Free. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig.
Thu 10: Tees Hot Club @ Dorman’s Club, Middlesborough. 8:30pm. With guests Donna Hewitt (sax); Bill Watson (trumpet); Graham Thompson (keys); Ron Smith (bass). Free.

Fri 11: Dulcie May Moreno @ The Old Library, Auckland Castle, Bishop Auckland. 1:00pm. £8.00.
Fri 11: The Jazz Quartet + Stratosphonic @ Tynedale Rugby Club, Corbridge. 7:00pm. £15.00. A Rotary Club of Hexham event. The Jazz Quartet (Jude Murphy & co), Stratosphonic (blues/rock).
Fri 11: Joe Steels Trio @ The Pele, Market Place, Corbridge NE45 5AW. 7:30pm. Free.
Fri 11: Crooners @ Tyne Theatre, Newcastle. 7:30pm.
Fri 11: Mo Scott Band @ Blues Underground, Nelson St., Newcastle. 9:00pm. Free.

Sat 12: Milne-Glendinning Band @ The Vault, Darlington. 7:00pm. Free.
Sat 12: Michael Woods @ Victoria Tunnel, Ouseburn, Newcastle. 7:00pm. £12.00. (£10.00. adv.). Country blues guitar & vocals.
Sat 12: Nauta @ Cobalt Studios, Newcastle. 7:00pm. £13.28, £11.16, £9.04. A two-track recording launch gig.
Sat 12: Stuart Turner @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 8:00pm. Rockabilly, rhythm & blues etc. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig.
Sat 12: Lapwing Jazz Trio @ The Ship Inn, Low Newton. 8:00pm. Free. New trio: Paula Whitty, Richard Herdman, Jude Murphy.

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: Cath Stephens & Paul Grainger @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 7:00pm. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig. Stephens & Grainger, one third of a triple bill.
Sun 13: Dulcie May Moreno Quartet @ The Globe, Newcastle. 8:00pm.

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).

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

Sunday, September 22, 2024

Jude Murphy, Alan Law & Friends @ Prohibition Bar - Sept. 21

Jude Murphy (double bass, vocals); Alan Law (piano); Alexia Gardner (vocals); Abbie Finn (drums) + Ray Burns (harmonica) 

Prohibition Bar's initial publicity promised an evening of jazz featuring Jude Murphy and Alan Law. Along the way, Alexia Gardner was invited to join our duo, likewise Abbie Finn. Advertised as an eight o'clock start, arriving at seven, the place was heaving. The word was out, Alexia Gardner was well worth hearing. 

Two high stools at the door were the best available. Sometime later, a couple sitting to the side of the bijou stage, upped and left. A mad scramble ensued...seats secured, seats with a view, it was time for a second bottle of Double Maxim. Ms Gardner is well-travelled, having lived in various parts of the world - the Caribbean, Switzerland, NYC and now, cosmopolitan Morpeth! Opening without fanfare, all eyes were on Alexia Gardner, Cheek to Cheek putting down a marker. Impressive. Autumn LeavesI Got Rhythm, assured, energetic, rhythmic, the jazz telegraph was right, Alexia is the one you've got to hear.

Across the course of two sets, Ms Gardner sang any number of songs, from jazz standards to Ben E. King to Bob Marley. This was a Saturday night on Pink Lane, free admission, it's not uncommon for the casual drinker to be noisily oblivious to what's going down at the far end of the room. Not this evening, a pin-drop crowd hung on to every word. Alan Law, near enough Prohibition Bar's house pianist (just like Keith Crombie's Jazz Caff days), did what we knew he would do, provide the ideal accompaniment to Alexia. Jude Murphy restricted herself to bass-playing duties (flute, alto sax, vocals etc would be for another time), and, part-hidden on the corner stage, drummer Abbie Finn. Playing as well as ever with a hairline fracture to an index finger without missing a beat tells you all you need to know. Ten out of ten.*

Let There Be Love
Moon RiverThe Lady is a TrampRoute 66God Bless the Child (with Ray Burns' harmonica accompaniment), Alexia set about covering all bases, that's for sure. Ben E. King? Yep. Stand By Me with wonderful audience participation (honestly!) and the evening's highlight of highlights, No Woman No Cry. Huge applause, it had been quite an evening. Thoughts turned to when we will next hear Alexia Gardner sing. The odds are, it won't be very long. Details as and when.   

Abbie, get that finger sorted, your hands are the tools of your trade! Russell 

1 comment :

Alexia Benz-Gardner said...

An extraordinary night. We managed to create a up-close-and-personal atmosphere on Saturday night. So eager to do this all over again. Thank you Russell for the glowing review and huge thanks to Jude Murphy and Alan Law for inviting me ! More magic to come! Look about the Toon! Love Alexia

Blog Archive