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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, February 09, 2017

Southport Jazz Festival: Ben Cox Band - February 5

Ben Cox (vocal), Matt Davies (sax), Jamie Safir (piano), Flo Moore (acoustic and electric bass, backing vocals), Will Glaser (drums).
(Review by Steve T/Photos courtesy of Neil Hughes, © Robert Burns)
On paper, this was the one that appealed to me the least and so it proved. Sorry guys and gal but I prefer instrumental Jazz and get my fix of singers mostly from soul.
But what a lovely way to spend a Sunday morning. I thought I'd missed the start but arrived just in time for the introductions and flitted about during Pennies from Heaven, sorting out water for my assortment of pills – the penalty of a misspent youth - trying to find out whether the hotel had forgotten my wake-up call or if I'd slept through it and what to do for breakfast.
Asda pineapple with Lead the Way, an original and not half bad, chatting about all things with Count (Tony) Eales and a lady from the Wigan Jazz Festival, my wife’s hometown though she doesn't eat pies or gamble, but knows the rules for both types of rugby.  
You Turned the Tables on Me, through the prism of Ella Fitzgerald and Joe Pass with cappuccino followed by a much improved Everybody Wants to Rule the World by Tears for Fears, the first time I've heard Flo Moore play electric bass, and doing backing vocals too.
Flo is never less than impressive, ditto the rest of the band, and Cox is a safe pair of hands with an impressive range who handles an audience with ease. If he's more Bublé (dare I offer Olly Murs?) than Sinatra, it was perfect programming for this particular slot and the audience, at just about capacity, relished it.
A Foggy Day in London Town and A Nightingale in Berkeley Square were right up his street. Way of Life features Liane Carol on the record but she sat it out here.
Part two began with Ben and impressive pianist Jamie Safir with the old Motown stalwart How Sweet it Is. A short search for the rest of the band and the walk of shame as the audience jovially delivered a slow hand-clap. 
Round and Round, written for his niece, was a very impressive original followed by one of the Steely Dan hits (I think); something about Back Jack. I Get a Kick was back squarely in his comfort zone before Funny How Time Slips Away, by lots of people but you must check it by Rueben Howell, lush Country Soul and blue-eyed too, at an educated guess.
As I guarded a camera for someone, Liane Carroll finally turned up like a one-woman choir for a rousing finale, her earthy realness proving infectious and spreading through the band, exchanging scatting with Ben, some blue piano, a smoking sax solo, solid drumming and Flo Moore - 'nuff said.
Clearly a highlight of the festival for many.
Steve T.
Photos.

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