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Bebop Spoken There

Kurt Elling: ''There's something to learn from every musician you play with''. (DownBeat, December 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

17630 (and counting) posts since we started blogging 16 years ago. 904 of them this year alone and, so far, 49 this month (Dec. 20).

From This Moment On ...

December

Sun 22: Hot Club du Nord @ The Globe, Newcastle. 1:00pm. £15.00. + bf. Xmas party. SOLD OUT!
Sun 22: Red Kites Jazz @ Gibside Chapel, nr. Rowlands Gill. 1:00pm. Admission charge applies.
Sun 22: Paul Skerritt @ Hibou Blanc, Newcastle. 2:00pm. Free. Vocalist Skerritt working with backing tapes.
Sun 22: Ruth Lambert Trio @ The Juke Shed, Union Quay, North Shields. 3:00pm. Free.
Sun 22: 4B @ The Ticket Office, Whitley Bay. 3:00pm. Free.
Sun 22: Revolutionaires @ Tyne Bar, Ouseburn, Newcastle. 4:00pm. Free. Superb rhythm & blues outfit.
Sun 22: Laurence Harrison, Paul Grainger & Mark Robertson @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 7:00pm. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig.
Sun 22: The Globe Xmas Party @ The Globe, Newcastle. 7:00pm. Free. Live music (musicians TBC).
Sun 22: Ray Stubbs R & B All-Stars @ Zerox, Sandhill, Newcastle. 7:00pm (doors).

Mon 23: Harmony Brass @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Mon 23: Vieux Carré Jazzmen @ The Wheatsheaf, Benton Sq., Whitley Road, Palmersville NE12 9SU. Tel: 0191 266 8137. 1:00pm. Free. CANCELLED!
Mon 23: Edison Herbert Trio @ The Vault, Darlington. 4:00pm. Free.
Mon 23: Jason Isaacs @ St. James’ STACK, Newcastle. 4:00-6:00pm. Free. Vocalist Isaacs working with backing tapes.
Mon 23: Milne-Glendinning Band @ The Vault, Darlington. 7:00pm. Free.

Tue 24: Lindsay Hannon & Mark Williams @ Ernest, Ouseburn, Newcastle. 11:00am-1:00pm. Free.
Tue 24: Paul Skerritt @ Mambo Wine & Dine, South Shields. 1:00pm. Free. Vocalist Skerritt working with backing tapes.

Wed 25: Wot? No jazz!

Thu 26: The Boneshakers @ Tyne Bar, Ouseburn, Newcastle. 4:00pm. Free. The 17th annual Boneshakers’ Shindig.

Fri 27: Classic Swing @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 27: Rendezvous Jazz @ The Monkseaton Arms. 1:00pm. Free. Business as usual!.
Fri 27: Jason Isaacs @ Seaburn STACK, Seaburn. 3:30-5:30pm. Free. Vocalist Isaacs working with backing tapes.
Fri 27: Michael Woods @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 8:00pm. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig. Country blues guitar & vocals.

Sat 28: Jason Isaacs @ St. James’ STACK, Newcastle. 11:30am. Free. Vocalist Isaacs working with backing tapes.
Sat 28: Fri 20: Castillo Nuevo @ Revoluçion de Cuba, Newcastle. 5:30pm. Free.
Sat 28: Jude Murphy, Rich Herdman & Giles Strong @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 8:00pm. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig.
Sat 28: Ray Stubbs R & B All-Stars @ Billy Bootlegger’s, Stepney Bank, Newcastle. 9:00pm. 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

Sunday, September 22, 2024

Ros Rigby's birthday bash @ The Old Coal Yard - Sept. 21

I'd been to the Old Coal Yard a couple of years previous and I got lost. I got lost again last night but, somehow, I turned a corner and there it was! I said to myself, "We're not in Byker anymore".

The invited audience, which comprised of la crème de la crème of north east culture and myself, were there for the 75th birthday bash of Ros Rigby OBE.

Ros, known throughout Europe and the UK for her work, among many other callings, in promoting live music, irrespective of genre, at Sage Gateshead (now the Glasshouse) and other venues, greeted those who'd made their way via sat-nav, the stars and sheer good luck, to Byker's best kept secret - the Old Coal Yard.* 

First impression is of just that - an old coal yard. However, it's people who make places and the warmth of the greeting by Ros' daughter Annie far exceeded that of a dozen coal fires. 

Among those present was former trumpet player Clarence Adoo MBE, formerly with the Northern Sinfonia and Tomorrow's Warriors, whose tragic story is well known yet still maintains a career in music with the Paraorchestra. Such is the power of  music and of people like Ros Rigby who reach out to every performer or listener.

Various members of the Northern Monkey Band (pictured) were present but before they assembled on the small stage, there were eulogies from Annie and Ros' son Sam that revealed so many more facets of her illustrious life, a sumptuous buffet and a variety of music from several local (and beyond) legends.

Alistair Anderson, virtuoso of the English concertina, got the ball rolling with a couple of pieces - one dedicated to our birthday girl - before handing over to another north east folk legend - George Welch. George, who seems to have been around forever although he's actually younger than me sang The Herring Song complete with audience participation (how Ann Alex would have loved this).

Needless to say, given Ros' association with Sage Gateshead it was only fitting that the Northern Sinfonia should be represented and who better to fill that role than Bradley Creswick MBE, the former leader of the Northern Sinfonia.

Bradley crosses genres as easily as he changes his socks and, with a virtuoso display of fiddling he somehow incorporated all of those genres into one piece. He brought the house  down.

Truly a 'follow that' moment and it took 2 x trumpets, 2 x trombones, 1 x tenor sax, 1 x tuba, 1 x bass drum and 1 x snare drum to do it. In other words, the Northern Monkey Brass Band.

The dancers danced, the drinkers drank and the listeners listened and if you want to hear The Waters of Tyne like you've never heard it before these are the guys to go to. Alternatively, a lady sitting nearby also knew the song! 

At this point the Metro beckoned and we reluctantly left. As 'Coal' Porter once wrote: what a swell party this is. Happy Birthday Ros. Lance

LINK re Hugh's comment.

*The Old Coal Yard, Elizabeth Street, Byker, Ne6 1JS. DETAILS.

1 comment :

Hugh said...

Lovely report Lance. I have fond memories of Ros Rigby's introductions at gigs in many genres at Sage Gateshead. Talking of genres, there is another cross genre collaboration between Alistair Anderson (Northumbrian pipes), Snake Davis (reeds) and Jon Richardson (double bass) next year in Stocksfield on Friday 31st January. This is my report on their Helmsley gig in January 2024 (https://lance-bebopspokenhere.blogspot.com/2024/01/snake-davis-don-richardson-alistair.html)

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