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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.

Saturday, February 06, 2010

R.I.P. SIR JOHN DANKWORTH

To say I'm shocked and saddened at hearing of the death of Johnny Dankworth is an understatement.
His music and I go back a long way and, even now, 60 years later, I have to be honest and admit that I've still not got around to thinking of him as Sir John or even plain and simple John. To me, and just about every modern jazz fan of a certain age, he will always be Johnny Dankworth.
In the 1950s the Johnny Dankworth Seven were frequent visitors to Newcastle and I recall seeing the band many times at the Odeon Cinema - in those days live music was allowed on a Sunday but the latest films weren't so the Odeon and the Essoldo featured Band Shows by all the top bands of the day.
The Seven also appeared at the City Hall and, believe it or not, the Memorial Hall (The Mem) in Wallsend.
The Dankworth Seven would be high on any list I drew up of the best British bands.
When the small group folded Johnny introduced the first of his many big bands. I seem to recall his was the first band where each section wore different, very bright, coloured jackets.
Although he was a forward thinker the Dankworth bands always swung and bore comparison with any band anywhere.
Other memories I recall were of a Festival Hall concert with the London Philharmonic Orchestra where he, and the band, performed a work by himself and Mattius Seiber 'Improvisations For Jazz Band & Symphony Orchestra'.
Another time at the Festival Hall the band backed the phenomenal trumpet player Maynard Ferguson whilst back in Newcastle he did the business at the City Hall behind Anita O'Day.
In the 1980s he fronted a quintet for a Channel 4 broadcast that included son Alec on bass. This was recorded at Newcastle University Theatre and was split with Art Blakey's Jazz Messengers.
There were other concerts I attended although, unfortunately, I missed his last appearance at the Sage Gateshead Jazz Festival 2 years ago.
He was one of those people, like Ronnie Scott and Humph, who you think will be with us for ever but although he's gone the music will live on. I'm already reaching for some vinyl of those Esquire tracks by the Seven.
Sincere condolences to Dame Cleo, Jacqui and Alec Dankworth.
Lance.
Sir John Dankworth died today (Feb 6) in hospital aged 82.

6 comments :

Liz said...

How sad, my special memory of John was when we went to their home Wavendon & to their theatre in the grounds, called the Stables. It was a Sondheim special & he & Cleo were hosting it. What a place that is! Of course I too remember the band shows (as we called them) on Sunday nights at the Rialto, York, owned & run by Jack Prendergast father of Barry, aka John Barry
Liz

Lance said...

What is even more poignant Liz is that tonight was the 40th anniversary of the Stables and a special concert was arranged for this evening.
I don't know if it went ahead.

Russell said...

Hi Lance

Like Liz I visited Wavendon (very nice too - quite a set-up!) and heard Dankworth play alongside the likes of Barney Kessel and 'Lockjaw Davis' with support from Allan Ganley, Dave Green and on one occasion a young Alec Dankworth. Closer to home, in fact just up the road, I too, like Lance, heard Dankworth in an amazing double bill with Blakey's Messengers. It was in the Gulbenkian Studio at the back of the then University Theatre.

Russell

Russell said...

Hi Lance

The Dankworth's website - www.quarternotes.com - has published a press release. Click on Tour Info then click on The Stables 40th Anniversary Celebrations.

Russell

Laurie Brown said...

John was also a good bass player!I played the Cindy-ella show at the New Arts Theatre in London. It was a black take off of Cinderella with Cleo Laine Cy Grant Liz Welch and Gearge Browne (1963 wow!!)
Looking around for some reason I saw John Gunn our bassist sitting
in the front row he should have been standing behind me instead there was John Dankworth happily
plucking away unknown by the band!

Lance said...

My favourite Dankworth story goes back to the 1960s when he was charged with speeding.
Sir John's defence was that he couldn't have been speeding as the engine was running in the key of Ab which told him he was in third gear doing about 30 mph.
He was found guilty and fined £10.
So I suppose his defence was a less than perfect pitch.

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