Total Pageviews

Bebop Spoken There

Simon Spillett: “ Bebop and hard bop came naturally to him [Tubby Hayes]". Morning Star, March 28, 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

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.
Fri 29: True Colours @ Barrels Ale House, Berwick. 9:00pm. Blues, jazz & swing.

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.

Thu 04: FILM: Soul @ Forum Cinema, Hexham. 2:00pm. Jazz-themed film animation.
Thu 04: Vieux Carré Jazzmen @ The Holystone, Whitley Road, North Tyneside. 1:00pm. Free.
Thu 04: Funky Drummer @ The Globe, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free.
Thu 04: Eva Fox & the Jazz Guys @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 8:00pm. Free. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig.
Thu 04: Tees Hot Club @ Dorman’s Club, Middlesbrough. 8:30pm.

Saturday, July 16, 2016

Gerry Richardson Quartet @ Gala Theatre, Durham - July 15

Gerry Richardson (organ/vocal); Rod Sinclair (guitar); Paul Smith (drums); Garry Linsley (alto).
(Review by Steve T/Photo courtesy of Paul Edis).
For the first time in ages, empty seats at the Gala, down to about seventy. Nothing whatsoever to do with the band but on-going traffic chaos in Durham and the holiday season with nothing on in August.
I turned up at the end of the second piece Everybody's Cryin' Mercy   having missed Mel Tormé’s Comin’ Home Baby, a big hit on the acid/Jazz dance scene championed by DJ Giles Peterson in the eighties and nineties.
Steve Kuhn’s Chicken Feathers to settle into and a bit of a panic when he seemed to omit Soul Shadows from the programme in favour of All About McGriff. His tribute to Jimmy McGriff - widely considered second only to Jimmy Smith on Hammond, though I prefer Larry Young at least to either - it actually reminded me of our own Alan Price, who both Richardson and Smith have worked with.
Relief when he introduced Soul Shadows as a history of jazz song by Crusader Joe Sample and long-term songwriting partner Will Jennings (Randy Crawford, BB King).
No mean feat to replicate the wonderfully distinctive, warm, soulful voice of Bill Withers but - excepting DJ Rogers - this was as good as you're gonna get, with a slight ellipsis in the chorus and Linley’s alto substituting for the (underrated, soulful, post-Trane) tenor of Wilton Felder superbly.
It was during Duke’s Just Squeeze Me I remembered we didn't have a bass, Richardson doing a grand job maintaining both parts keeping the bass simple without ever missing during comping and soloing.
African Sunset followed, another Richardson original, and all concerned, but particularly Sinclair, displayed real feel for West African music.
With time running out he jettisoned another original and Gil Scott Heron’s Lady Day and John Coltrane from the programme going straight to Jimmy Smith’s Back at the Chicken Shack. When I saw his Big Idea nine-piece a while back I felt they were a great dance band and once again it felt like people should be heading for a dancefloor. Perhaps if they play again I'll take Mrs T and kids and fulfil our obligation to humiliate the latter with our moves.
Soloing was great throughout from all concerned but Sinclair, occupying the blues end of North East Jazz guitarists, saved his most gut-bucket solo ‘til the last piece and the leader raised a rousing, roaring solo to bring it all to a close.
Another great set at the Gala on a Friday afternoon and a suitably enthusiastic and appreciative audience. 
Steve T. 

No comments :

Blog Archive