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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.

Sunday, October 06, 2013

Bill Harper Remembers Part 2.

I actually got to play with Bruce Adams at a Festival in Nantes 2008. Lockjaw Davis was probably the first major saxophonist for me at the Corner House. Sid's sextet was playing & I could see Lockjaw standing at the bar with his glass of milk & brandy, listening to the band. When we came off I went over to him & politely asked what he wished to play for his opener to which he replied "I'll think of something when we get up there" to which I raised the possibility that I might not know it,& he replied "So you don't know it--- what the hell-- there's 1000's of tunes, we'll play something else-- now don't you give me a hard time & put me off my drink-- I heard you play, we'll be OK. The gig was fine which had a nice moment when he called Bye Bye Blackbird to which I asked "usual key of F? No! Eb he said. Derek Dixon said "Eh!" not hearing clearly & Lockjaw said "you got a problem in Eb?" "No said Dicker, which of course he hadn't. OK  said Lockjaw, but if I hear any wrong notes I'll have you back in the office in the morning!"
I always enjoyed working with Buddy Tate who was a real gentleman & Spike Robinson, in spite of failing health always had different & interesting material but gave you a free hand to interpret his tunes which were never mundane or hackneyed. But is there a better reed man than Alan Barnes anywhere on the planet? I'd never heard him play tenor before but he does so on Spike Heatley's "One for Clifford"(2004) & is absolutely astounding. Anne & I have worked with him on numerous occasions & find him to be the most accommodating of musicians who loves a challenge. He would play on Anne's arrangements with no rehearsal, note perfect, great solos on material he couldn't possibly have even heard before. A world class musician!!! That's not to take away anything away from my all time fave tenor Scott Hamilton, plus Harry Allen & the superb Ken Peplowski on clarinet all of whom were a delight to work with on many occasions.
I have fond memories of the mini tour I did with Ken & Mark Nightingale which was fabulous but boy did they keep you on your toes. Mark kept arriving at each gig with new arrangements & compositions that he had done over night & with no opportunity to rehearse you had to be on your mettle. Ken pulled out an Al Cohn original based on the changes of Limehouse Blues & gave a lead sheet to Mark & asked "will this be OK"? Mark gave it a quick glance & said "Yes it's fine". I glanced over Mark's shoulder at his chart & couldn't believe my eyes-- it wasn't a trombone part at all & had to be transposed on site-- but also the notation was incredibly difficult to read, particularly at the breakneck speed required. I was given a private recording of the gig & the two front line were in perfect unison. Mark never missed a note on a tune he had never seen or heard before & when I asked him how difficult it had been to play, he said, "well, it wasn't very  trombone friendly"--the biggest understatement I've ever heard in my life. Also Ken did a feature on All This & Heaven Too which was absolutely gorgeous !! It confirmed for me that his tone & technique were pure perfection!(end part 2)
Bill Harper.
(Photo shows Bill Harper accompanying Red Rodney.)

2 comments :

Anonymous said...

Any info on Derek Dixon were was he from

Anne DeVere said...

Derek Dixon lived in South Shields - Westoe Road.

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