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Bebop Spoken There

Béla Fleck: “ And that's the great thing about live performances, you take people on a journey. It doesn't have to be like something else they've heard. It's not supposed to be". DownBeat, April, 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

16287 (and counting) posts since we started blogging 16 years ago. 169 of them this year alone and, so far, 41 this month (Mar 18).

From This Moment On ...

March

Thu 28: Vieux Carré Jazzmen @ The Holystone, Whitley Road, North Tyneside. 1:00pm. Free.
Thu 28: Gateshead Jazz Appreciation Society @ Gateshead Central Library, Gateshead. 2:30pm.
Thu 28: Richard Herdman Quartet @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 8:00pm. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig.
Thu 28: Tees Hot Club @ Dorman’s Club, Middlesbrough. 8:30pm. Guests: Josh Bentham (alto sax); Alan Marshall (tenor sax); Neil Brodie (trumpet); Adrian Beadnell (bass); Graham Thompson (keys); Steve Hunter (drums).

Fri 29: FILM: Soul @ The Forum Cinema, Hexham. 12:30pm. Jazz-themed film animation.
Fri 29: Classic Swing @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 29: Rendezvous Jazz @ The Monkseaton Arms. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 29: New Orleans Preservation Jazz Band @ The Oxbridge Hotel, Stockton. 1:00pm. £5.00.
Fri 29: Abbie Finn Trio @ The Vault, Darlington. 6:00pm. Free. POSTPONED!
Fri 29: Thundercat @ Newcastle City Hall.
Fri 29: John Logan @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 8:00pm. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig.

Sat 30: Papa G’s Troves @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 8:00pm. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig.
Sat 30: Pete Tanton’s Cuba Libre @ Whitley Bay Library, York Road, Whitley Bay. 8:00pm.

Sun 31: 4B @ The Ticket Office, Whitley Bay Metro Station. 3:00pm. Free.
Sun 31: Ruth Lambert Trio @ Juke Shed, Union Quay, North Shields NE30 1HJ. 3:00pm. Free. Lambert, Alan Law & Paul Grainger.
Sun 31: Sid Jacobs & Tom Remon @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 7:00pm. Free. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig. USA/London jazz guitar duo.
Sun 31: Bellavana @ The Globe, Newcastle. 8:00pm.

April
Mon 01: Harmony Brass @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Mon 01: Ray Stubbs R&B All Stars @ Billy Bootlegger’s, Ouseburn, Newcastle. 3:00pm. Free.

Tue 02: Jam session @ The Black Swan, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free. House trio: Dean Stockdale, Paul Grainger, Abbie Finn.

Wed 03: Vieux Carré Jazzmen @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Wed 03: Darlington Big Band @ Darlington & Simpson Rolling Mills Social Club, Darlington. 7:00pm. Free. Rehearsal session (open to the public).
Wed 03: Take it to the Bridge @ The Globe, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free.

Wednesday, May 04, 2016

Ann Alex @ Cheltenham Jazz Festival: May 2 – Sort Of

A good thing about spending more time at home is that you get the chance to see and hear more television and radio than usual, hence the Bank Holiday found me listening to 2 hours of items from last weekend’s Cheltenham Jazz Festival, with Jamie Cullum on Radio 2.  His choice of records tended towards the jazz/funk end of the spectrum, and he did interviews with Corrine Baillie Rae and Darius Brubeck. Ms Baillie Rae gave a lively, pleasant interview in an attractive speaking voice, so why was I disappointed when she sang Stop Where You Are from her latest album?  It was because her singing voice sounded unnaturally forced, in a strange restrained tone.  Why do singers do this?  I think she was trying to sound like certain pop singers, and it didn’t work.  Perhaps I shouldn’t criticise other women singers, but really!  She was far more relaxed for her duet with Cullum, Put Your Records On.
Darius Brubeck was quite a different kettle of fish, not so much to say for himself, but excellent music:  Brubeck on piano of course, with Dave O’Higgins on sax, for Before It’s Too Late; then Brubeck with Jamie Cullum singing Body And Soul. Records played included Dave Brubeck’s Take Five (the drumming never fails to entice the listener, and you hear new rhythms each time you listen); Nina Simone’s  I’ll Put A Spell On You; Herbie Hancock from 1978 I Thought It Was You; Ian Shaw Come Fly With Me; Gregory Porter Don’t Lose Your Head Of Steam. And most interestingly, David Bowie, from his Blackstar album, performing with New York jazz musicians, I Can’t Give everything Away, including the prophetic lyrics, ‘skull designs upon my shoes’.
Also recommended on TV are the current Friday evening programmes of Young Musician 2016.  The percussion 2 weeks ago was great fun, some youngsters playing multiple varied drums and vibes.  Last week was brass, trombones, French horns and trumpets, including a trombonist who was shown playing Take the  A Train with Ashby big band. This Friday it’s the strings – maybe some gypsy jazz will come up among the violin sonatas.
Ann Alex

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