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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, September 01, 2010

A Funny Valentine by Mike Maran. Chet Baker lives and dies at Live Theatre, Newcastle

Mike Maran (narrator/playwright), Colin Steele (tpt), Robert Pettigrew (pno). I saw this same show at Darlington Arts Centre last year – I loved it then and, I prophetically stated that it was ideal for a venue such as Live Theatre. It was – and I think that the near full house this Live Theatre/Jazz North East co-promotion attracted would agree with me! It's a tale of tragedy and pathos yet with a touch of humour. There have been many books written about Chet Baker – this takes the meat out of them all and serves it up well done. You don't have to be a jazzer – although it helps – to enjoy it. The truth is that it is there to be savoured and absorbed even if you've never heard or heard of Chet Baker. Narrator Mike Maran has honed his role to perfection. The pace and precision with which the words and the actions entwine with the music is on a par with the way, in real life, the music of Chet and Gerry Mulligan complemented each other or Colin Steele (left) and Robert Pettigrew (right) did tonight. Close your eyes – you're listening to Chet. Open them and it's Colin. The cool, slight edge to his tone, is magical in its clonic likeness. Behind Colin, Robert Pettigrew played some magical fill-ins. Not just comping but counter melodies that added colour to the ofttimes bleak story line. I asked Robert, afterwards at the bar, why he wasn't better known in the jazz world. He confessed that, whilst jazz is his preferred music, most of his work is in theatre land so – there you go! To sum up, if you weren't there tonight, I feel a little sad for you. However, all is not lost – My Funny Valentine is being performed at the Scarborough Jazz Festival on Sunday September 26 at 7:00pm. Lance.

4 comments :

Hil said...

I thought it a truly memorable evening. The music was so beautiful and thoughtfully performed it brought a tear to my eye on more than one occasion.

If you get the opportunity to see "My Funny Valentine" please do so.

A great big thank you to "Live Theatre" and Paul Bream, for allowing us lucky, fortunate people the privilege of sharing this magical experience.

P.S. I adore Italy and was amazed to hear the name of Lucca,(one of the places Chet was imprisoned) a walled city in Tuscany which I visited 2 yrs ago (on my own) Its a beautiful place which I fell immediately in love with.
oh! Hilary what a silly old sentimental fool you are.:o)

cptfinch said...

loved it. The narrator was funny and entertaining. I learned more about the great Chet from this.

Ann Alex said...

Lance Liddle, Theatre Critic (better than some of them in the newspapers!) Ann Alex

Lance said...

Nice comment Hilary - I know what you mean about the emotional aspect of the music.
Just one point though and I am sure Paul Bream will concur. The production was presented by Jazz North East (a team of which PB is a part of) and Live Theatre.

Thank you Ann - may I quote you on my CV when I send it off to The Sunday Times?

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