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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.

Friday, October 15, 2010

A Breath of Fresh Air at The Fell with the NEW CENTURY RAGTIME ORCHESTRA

Jim McBriarty, Alan Marshall, Gavin Lee, Steve Andrews (reeds).
Tom Cook, Caroline Stephen (cornets)
Don Fairley (tmb). Neville Hartley (pno), Phil Rutherford (sousa), Keith Stephen (gtr/bjo), Emma Fisk (vln), Steve Doyle (dms) - Caroline Stephen (nee Irwin) - (vocal).
After last night's 'Free Fiasco' (from my point of view - others may view the Emperors new wardrobe differently) tonight was an antidote and, in some respects, a very pleasing one.
The New Century gang had a couple of deps in but, when one of them is Emma Fisk and the other is Stevie Doyle, I had no complaints - would you?
The band were in good fettle and it was great to drop back in time and enjoy Duke's The Mooche, Caroline singing Am I Blue? and You'd Be Surprised, Jim crooning, among others, Paddling Madeline Home. Gavin playing an ancient simple system clarinet and sounding good.
The first set over I applauded as loudly and as lustily as anyone in the VERY well attended room.
What I love about the Fell, apart from the jazz, is the audience who just love to dance and a dancing audience creates such a good feel.
Nobody danced Thursday night!
Now the downside.
Ron Pollard, who has run Jazz At The Fell for over 16 years, announced that he was faced with losing the venue as the Cricket Club weren't happy. I'm not going to go into details - that is up to Ron to make a further statement either here or/and on the club's own website.
If this happens it would pose questions that demand answers.
Throughout the region venues such as The Fell, Blaydon, Ashington, The Corner House, Jazz Café, the Chilli, the Saville Exchange, and others promote weekly/monthly sessions often with name guest artists/bands yet operate with little or no outside funding. Is this right? Should arts funding not begin at grass roots level rather than the limited appeal of some of the imported acts?
In a perfect world we should have both but, as perfect worlds are hard to come by, wouldn't it make sense to cut down on some of the 'lossleaders' and support the groundfloor?
You may argue that The Splinter series at the Bridge and at Darlington Arts does that but they are but two venues joined at the hip - if you'll pardon the pun.
These are just some thoughts that crossed my mind as I went from the ridiculous to the sublime.
Lance

1 comment :

Roly said...

I think you make some fair points Lance. Food for thought and an opportunity for local jazz fans views. Anyway it was a grand night at The Fell - what a lovely enterprise the NCRO is. I know what a lot of work goes into this. All credit to Dave Kerr, who is constantly researching early jazz and working on new arrangements, to Phil Rutherford who manages the gig/promo side of things and all the others who are dedicated to their music. If there was some way of allocating a bursary to help with costs it would be fitting I think. There are hardly any bands like this around any more and it takes a heck of a lot of organising. They deserve it!
Roly

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