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Bebop Spoken There

Ambrose Akinmusire: “ I am certainly always aware of what the masses are doing. And when I see too many people going one way, I'm going another way - even when I don't know what's over that way". DownBeat, March, 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

Tue 19: Jam session @ The Black Swan, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free. House trio: Michael Young, Paul Grainger, Tim Johnston.

Wed 20: Vieux Carré Jazzmen @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Wed 20: Darlington Big Band @ Darlington & Simpson Rolling Mills Social Club, Darlington. 7:00pm. Free. Rehearsal session (open to the public).
Wed 20: Take it to the Bridge @ The Globe, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free.

Thu 21: Vieux Carré Jazzmen @ The Holystone, Whitley Road, North Tyneside. 1:00pm. Free.
Thu 21: Castillo Neuvo Trio + Conor Emery & His ‘Bones Band @ The Grove, Ouseburn, Newcastle. 7:30pm (7:00pm doors). £10.00. (£7.00. student).
Thu 21: Remi Banklyn + Chris Corcoran Trio @ The Globe, Newcastle. 8:00pm. £12.50. Chicago blues. An International Guitar Foundation promotion.
Thu 21: Merlin Roxby @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 8:00pm. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig. Ragtime piano.
Thu 21: Tees Hot Club @ Dorman’s Club, Middlesbrough. 8:30pm.

Fri 22: Vasilis Xenopoulos & Paul Edis @ The Gala, Durham. 1:00pm. £8.00. SOLD OUT!
Fri 22: Classic Swing @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 22: Rendezvous Jazz @ The Monkseaton Arms. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 22: New Orleans Preservation Jazz Band @ The Oxbridge Hotel, Stockton. 1:00pm. £5.00.
Fri 22: Nauta + Remy CB + Last Orders @ Hoochie Coochie, Newcastle. 8:30pm (7:30pm doors). Free.
Fri 22: Vasilis Xenopoulos-Paul Edis Quartet @ Traveller’s Rest, Darlington. 8:00pm. £15.00. Opus 4 Jazz Club.
Fri 22: Redwell @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 8:00pm. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig.

Sat 23: Jambone @ The Glasshouse, Gateshead. 6:30pm. Free (ticketed). End of term performance in the Northern Rock Foundation Hall.
Sat 23: Milne-Glendinning Band @ The Vault, Darlington. 7:00pm. Free.
Sat 23: Red Kites Jazz @ Rowlands Gill Community Centre NE39 1JB. 7:00pm. Tickets: £12.00. (gibsidecommunityfarm@gmail.com). A ‘Build a Barn’ fundraiser. BYOB, tea/coffee available.
Sat 23: New Century Ragtime Orchestra @ Gosforth Civic Theatre, Newcastle. 7:30pm. £20.00. + bf (book in person at venue - no booking fee!). Featuring pianist Martin Litton.
Sat 23: Pete Tanton’s Cuba Libre @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 8:00pm. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig.

Sun 24: Musicians Unlimited @ Park Inn, Hartlepool. 1:00pm. Free.
Sun 24: More Jam @ The Globe, Newcastle. 2:30pm. Free.
Sun 24: Luis Verde @ Queen’s Hall, Hexham. 3:00pm. Verde (alto sax); Joe Steels (guitar); John Pope (double bass); John Hirst (drums). Alto sax brilliance!
Sun 24: Elsie Franklin @ The Globe, Newcastle. 3:00pm. £10.00. Country blues. An International Guitar Foundation promotion.
Sun 24: 4B @ The Ticket Office, Whitley Bay Metro Station. 3:00pm. Free.
Sun 24: Las Vegas Live with the Rat Pack @ The Forum, Billingham.
Sun 24: Ian Millar & Dominic Spencer @ Otterburn Memorial Hall. 7:30pm. £12.00.
Sun 24: Lindsay Hannon: Tom Waits for No Man @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 7:00pm. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig. Note start time - 7:00pm.
Sun 24: Bold Big Band @ The Globe, Newcastle. 8:00pm.

Mon 25: Harmony Brass @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Mon 25: Michael Young Trio @ The Engine Room, Sunderland. 6:30pm. Free.

Thursday, January 29, 2015

Take it to the Bridge @ The Chillingham. January 28

Dave Weisser (trumpet & vocals), Don Forbes (trumpet), Rachel Richman (alto saxophone), Barry Ascroft (keyboards), Ray Truscott (electric bass), Norman Redhead (drums) & Matthew MacKellar (drums).
(Review by Russell)
Alice in Wonderland. Stop! said workshop leader Dave Weisser. A false start. The ‘E’ is missing, I can’t play the melody said Barry Ascroft. How reassuring to know that some things are for ever! Take it to the Bridge keeps on keeping on at the Chillingham, come rain or come snow.
Snow flakes skirting the Chilli, someone called a couple of Jobim tunes – the wonderful juxtaposition wasn’t lost (a chilly Chillingham to a cooking Copocabana). Jobim didn’t proceed without discussion: Nah, scrap that, come in last beat, fourth bar. You couldn’t make it up! Drummer Norman Redhead had seen and heard it all before, taking it in his stride. Weisser decided to opt out of Joy Spring and Redhead willingly vacated the drum stool to the late arriving Matthew MacKellar (detention at school? – “Not quite my tempo Matthew”).
Trumpeter Don Forbes and Rachel Richman (alto) braved the elements and their arrival signalled something like a band. Wayne Shorter’s One by One upped matters, Forbes in blistering form from the off. MacKellar handled the fours no problem and the revitalised Weisser played good, muted trumpet.
Forbes’ recent gig at the Jazz Café featured a couple of Stan Tracey numbers and it was good to hear them again so soon (Pen Pals and I Lost My Step in Nantucket are so good they could be mistaken for compositions by one of Tracey’s American jazz idols). In an aside Weisser asked Ascroft: How does it [Pen Pals] go again? Quick as a flash Ascroft sang the verse. Bassist Ray Truscott contributed a subtle solo and Mr Weisser added a beautiful vocal coda.
The between-tunes patter is all but legendary; Weisser telling the tale of the time he got the sack after one day into a cruise ship gig. The man should publish his memoirs! The classic story isn’t the sole preserve of DW. Peter, a keen supporter of the music, informed Bebop Spoken Here of his recent encounter with a motorcycle and sidecar (rider with flapping headgear) and a basket of pigeons…I’ll have a pint of what he’s drinking!
MacKellar’s use of brushes on Stella by Starlight belied his youth and the veteran Weisser came up with the verse (as always). When Sonny Gets Blue didn’t go without mishap – a trailing lead caught underfoot almost brought music stands and microphones crashing to the floor. Weisser informed us he must get down to the pound shop to get some better tape. No expense spared! The tune featured a round of solos, MacKellar’s brushwork and Richman on alto accompanying Weisser’s lyrics. Pianist Barry Ascroft wrote Rascal aboard ship (cruise as opposed to convict) many moons ago about an onboard rascal. He couldn’t remember who. No matter, he and the band played it. It was better than good. So many tunes (it’s a surprise the session gets through as many with all the interruptions…go down to the bar and by the time you return the next tune will yet to have started). A good session went out on Beautiful Love and Isn’t it Romantic? Next week at the Chillingham promises who knows what!            
Russell.                            

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