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Bebop Spoken There

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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.

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.

Friday, October 21, 2016

Alan Glen Trio @ The Empty Shop. October 20

Alan Glen (piano), John Pope (double bass) & Paul Wight (drums)
(Review by Russell) 
The Empty Shop is something of a misnomer. Walk up the stairs to the first floor space on one of its regular jazz nights and invariably the place will be heaving. A return visit featuring the north east’s master pianist Alan Glen proved to be no exception. As Glen began his set the ‘house full’ signs were being hung on the doors. Empty shop? Closed shop, more like!
Mr Glen lets the music do the talking: Love for Sale, Stella by Starlight, Love is a Many Splendoured Thing, the GAS book. Accompanying our softly spoken pianist were John Pope and Paul Wight; a firmly established working trio consistently attracting audiences wherever they play. Durham’s Empty Shop would reject any notion that it has adopted a ‘shabby chic’ look, it’s proudly shabby. Floor boards, paint splattered chairs…and jazz.
Durham University’s students frequent Empty Shop and, by and large, listen. In years to come they’ll fondly remember hearing Alan Glen. They’ll apply the yardstick: Not quite as good as Alan Glen, but decent enough, when listening to the latest ‘buzz’ name. It’s a simple matter…the material. Tried and tested, Glen explores tunes he’s played a million times, yet he surprises – perhaps surprising himself – in finding something new, a chord progression, a nuanced rephrasing. Old hands (there were a few) and Durham’s ‘Bright Young Things’ heard affable drummer Paul Wight knock around fours East of the Sun and West of the Moon, bassist John Pope, grabbed a number of solos during the evening (his sound ‘just so’) and Mr Glen came up with a new composition –  Easy Go received its world premier public performance. We’ll be hearing it again, it’s in the Glen pad, and in due course will vie for Gasser status. Tune Up closed a classy first set.

The Newcastle Jazz Co-op ‘curated’ session resumed with more Miles (Solar), Beautiful Love (JP soloing), a thoughtful Glen intro to A Nightingale Sang in Berkeley Square and a robust take on Bye Bye Blackbird. Two staples – Four and All Blues (JP and PW doing the business) – framed a sensitive reading of Rolling Sid with Wight dedicating the tune to the late Ray Truscott, a musician who worked many times with Alan Glen. The night drew to a close but not before an encore. Glen suggested Autumn Leaves. The audience showed its appreciation. We departed into the autumnal night.      
    
Bebop Spoken Here’s Durham correspondent Tony Eales confirmed that a new term time only Sunday evening jam session will start this coming Sunday (October 23) led by some of Durham University’s music (and non-music) students. It starts at eight o’clock and it’s free admission. All comers are welcome – sitters-in and listeners.


The next Jazz Co-op Jazz Session at Empty Shop on November 3 presents one of the few remaining opportunities to catch Tyneside-based pianist Francesco Falcioni. It’s sure to be another sold out occasion, indeed, a farewell occasion, as Falcioni is heading south to the bright lights of London.                                 

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