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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

17602 (and counting) posts since we started blogging 16 years ago. 876 of them this year alone and, so far, 21 this month (Dec. 11).

From This Moment On ...

December

Fri 13: Dean Stockdale Trio @ Auckland Castle, Bishop Auckland. 1:00pm. £8.00.
Fri 13: Classic Swing @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 13: Rendezvous Jazz @ The Monkseaton Arms. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 13: New Orleans Preservation Jazz Band @ The Oxbridge Hotel, Stockton. 1:00pm. £5.00.
Fri 13: Bellavana @ Revoluçion de Cuba, Newcastle. 3:00-5:00pm. Free.
Fri 13: Joe Steels Trio @ The Pele, Corbridge. 7:00pm. Free.
Fri 13: Customs House Big Band @ Stocksfield Community Association. 7:00pm. Featuring Ruth Lambert.
Fri 13: Paul Edis & Friends: A Jazzy Xmas @ St Cuthbert’s Centre, Crook. 7:30pm. £15.00.
Fri 13: Strictly Smokin’ Big Band @ Gosforth Civic Theatre, Newcastle. 8:00pm (doors 7:30pm). £19.00. + bf. First night of two.
Fri 13: Fiona's Jazz Express @ Flash House Brewing Co., Northumberland St., North Shields NE30 1DS. 8:00pm. Free. Featuring: Fiona Finden (tenor sax); Stu Finden (flugelhorn); Lara Hopper (trumpet); Keith Barrett (guitar); Andrew Porritt (double bass); Neil Hopper (drums).
Fri 13: Ransom Van @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 8:00pm. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig.
Fri 13: Boys of Brass @ Hoochie Coochie, Newcastle. 9:00pm. £10.00.

Sat 14: Jambone @ The Glasshouse, Gateshead. 6:15pm. Free but ticketed.
Sat 14: Abbie Finn Trio @ The Vault, Darlington. 7:00pm.
Sat 14: Red Kites Jazz @ Staiths Café, Autumn Dr., Gateshead. 7:00pm. Free.
Sat 14 Lapwing Jazz Trio @ Three Sheets to the Wind, Alnwick. 7:00pm. Free.
Sat 14: Strictly Smokin’ Big Band @ Gosforth Civic Theatre, Newcastle. 8:00pm (doors 7:30pm). £19.00. + bf. Second night of two.
Sat 14: Papa G’s Troves @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 8:00pm. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig.

Sun 15: Musicians Unlimited @ Jackson’s Wharf, Hartlepool. 12 noon. £8.50. Xmas party feat. Musicians Unlimited + Customs House Big Band. SOLD OUT!
Sun 15: Paul Edis & Friends: A Jazzy Xmas @ The Glasshouse, Gateshead. 2:00pm.
Sun 15: 4B @ The Ticket Office, Whitley Bay. 3:00pm. Free.
Sun 15: Mitch Laddie Band @ Tyne Bar, Ouseburn, Newcastle. 4:00pm. Free. Superb blues power trio.
Sun 15: Leeway @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 7:00pm. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig.
Sun 15: Tweed River Jazz Band @ Barrels Ale House, Berwick. 7:00pm. Free.
Sun 15: Paul Edis & Friends: A Jazzy Xmas @ The Glasshouse, Gateshead. 8:00pm.
Sun 15: Alligator Gumbo @ The Globe, Newcastle. 8:00pm.

Mon 16: Harmony Brass @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Mon 16: Vieux Carré Jazzmen @ The Wheatsheaf, Benton Sq., Whitley Road, Palmersville NE12 9SU. Tel: 0191 266 8137. 12 noon. £9.95. ‘Festive Turkey Dinner’. Book now: 0191 266 8137.
Mon 16: Paul Edis & Friends: A Jazzy Xmas @ The Fire Station, Sunderland. 7:30pm.

Tue 17: Paul Edis & Friends: A Jazzy Xmas @ Queen’s Hall, Hexham. 7:30pm.
Tue 17: BBC Big Band @ The Glasshouse, Gateshead. 7:30pm. ‘A Swinging Xmas’.
Tue 17: Jam session @ The Black Swan, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free. House trio: Alan Law, Paul Grainger, Abbie Finn.
Tue 17: Bellavana @ Revoluçion de Cuba, Newcastle. 7:45-9:35pm. Free.

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 Hot 4 @ Spanish City, Whitley Bay. 12 noon. £27.00. (inc. three -course meal).
Thu 19: Jazz Appreciation North East @ Brunswick Methodist Church, Newcastle NE1 7BJ. 2:00pm. £4.00. ‘Christmas comes, but once a year: seasonal tracks & annual quiz’.
Thu 19: Jude Murphy & Dan Stanley @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 8:00pm. Free. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig.
Thu 19: Tees Hot Club @ Dorman’s Club, Middlesbrough. 8:30pm. Free. Guests: Josh Bentham (sax); Dan Johnson (sax); Graham Thompson (keys); Adrian Beadnell (bass).

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, December 08, 2024

Middlesbrough Jazz & Blues Orchestra @ Dorman's Jazz Club, Middlesbrough - Dec.5

Christine Britland (MD); Harriet Macrae, Frank Britland, Neil Brodie, Alison MacKay (trumpets); Jonathan Tyndale, Eleanor 'Nell' Gammon, James Joy, John Mackay, Tony Slater, Dave Bowman (trombones); Richard Jones, Dave Vaughan, Mark Marsden (alto sax) Dave Bell, Ben Hastings (tenor sax); Paula Bailey (baritone sax); Garry Hadfield (keys); Dave Fisher (guitar); Ron Smith (bass); Sean Steel (drums); Barry Davis, Dave Vaughan, Eleanor 'Nell'  Gammon (vocals)

The 20-piece band + vocalists led by trombonist Christine Britland played a mixed and well thought out selection of numbers, many with a distinctive Christmas theme, to a good sized and enthusiastic audience.

Starting the night with their signature tune Strike up the Band and the medium swing number Brown Baggin' it clearly showed that this is a well-rehearsed band.

Barry Davis came up to sing Billy Hayes' Blue Christmas famously sung by Elvis Presley. With both band and audience participation, Barry then sang Minnie The Moocher.

The rhythm section provided a driving Latin feel for the brass sections to play a fine version of Tank, which included a bari sax solo from Paula Bailey, and was followed by the  Sammy Nestico arrangement  of Queen Bee.

What A Wonderful World with its fine trumpet work was beautifully played and included an impressive vocal from Dave Vaughan. Dave then went on to sing the Newley and Bricusse show song Feeling Good first performed by Cy Grant.

Two instrumentals Sleigh Ride and Struttin' with Some Barbecue were followed by Barry singing Silver Bells and the Irving Berlin standard Blue Skies. Larry Barton's Area 51 was really swinging and included a trumpet solo from Neil Brodie and a fine sax solo.

The intro to Tweet Fatigue by the sax section led to trumpet and sax solos and rich ensemble playing given a lot of depth by the 'bones.

An impressive big band version of Moondance, with a fine trombone solo from Dave Bowman, before Barry sang another seasonal song - The Man with the Bag bringing the first set to a close.

The second set opened with a medley of Christmas songs that ended appropriately enough, albeit somewhat prematurely, with Auld Lang Syne.

Baker Street with the traditional sax solo from Ben Hastings was followed by Barry singing Jim Croce's Bad, Bad Leroy Brown and another swinging and driving number - Ain't That a Kick in the Head?

American Patrol was well played in true Glenn Miller style before returning to the Christmas theme with Frosty the Snowman. A pleasant surprise came when Nell from the trombone section stepped up for the first time in front of a big band to sing Santa Baby.

The Sammy Nestico arrangement of Hayburner included some fine piano work from Garry Hadfield. Fat Cat came next with its booting sax solo and drum work from Sean Steel.

An interesting orchestral arrangement of the Shirley Bassey number Hey Big Spender  sung by Barry was followed by You're Nobody 'til Somebody Loves You.
Then two more Christmas numbers Let it Snow, Let it Snow, Let it Snow and a reprise of Sleigh Ride before Dave sang Stray Cat Strut with its drum intro and solid sax solo from Richard Jones.

A final Christmas song, Santa Claus is Coming to Town, featured a vocal duet from Barry and Dave which was supposed to finish the night but, by popular demand, an encore in the shape of The Jazz Police was a great cracking big band number to bring the night to a close.

Always a pleasure to have this band of talented musicians entertaining us at Christmas as they have done so for so many years. I must apologise for missing some of the soloists' contributions as I was unable to identify them all. Good luck to trombonist/singer Nell the youngest member and one of Christine's star pupils with her ABRSM grade 8 performance exam on trombone.

The band will be playing  at Dorman's again in June as part of a war remembrance event and in 1940s' style and fashion.

Many thanks as usual to the staff of Dorman's Club in enabling us to run the jazz club so successfully. Ron Hampton

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