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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.

Tuesday, July 09, 2013

SNJO @ Gala Theatre, Durham - In the Spirit of Duke July 8

Tommy Smith (ten/md); Ru Pattison (alt/sop/clt); Martin Kershaw (alt/clt); Konrad Wiszniewski (alt/ten/clt); Bill Fleming (alt/bar/bs. clt/clt); Ryan Quigley, Cameron Jay, Tom McNiven, Lorrie Cowieson (tpt); Kevin Garrity, Phil O'Malley (tmb); Michael Owers (bs. tmb); Brian Kellock (pno); Calum Gourlay (bs); Alyn Cosker (dms).
(Review by Lance)
I knew what to expect - or at least I thought I did. The Scottish National Jazz Orchestra's CD In the Spirit of Duke has never  been far away from the machine and yet, hearing it live added a new dimension and the richness of the saxes combined with the power of the brass and a tightly knit rhythm section made for a band that ticked all the boxes.
Having said that, I found even the abbreviated version of Rhapsody in Blue still a tad (well several tads) too long. Likewise Tommy Smith's showstopping closer the tenor sax marathon  Diminuendo and Crescendo in Blue paying homage to the legendary Newport '56 solo by Paul Gonsalves could also have benefitted from a little more brevity. But these are minor quibbles in an evening that fairly sizzled both musically and weatherwise.
The first set; Black and Tan Fantasy/Creole Love Call - Jack the Bear (featuring Calum Gourlay on bass) - Le Sucrier Velours (gorgeous sax blend) - Daybreak Express (Quigley takes off) - Concerto For Cootie (Tom McNiven as Cootie Williams) - Rhapsody in Blue. Everybody had their say on Rhapsody including Brian Kellock who performed brilliantly all evening.
The queue at the bar was about as long as that queuing at Wimbledon the previous day so Russell and I nipped across the road to "The Duck" which was empty. After a pint of "Cockerhoop" - appropriately named on such an enjoyable evening we got back in time for Kellock to play Kinda Dukish which led into Rockin' in Rhythm with, once more, Quigley flying high.
Ru Pattison came down front for an authentic Johnny Hodges type rendition of Prelude to a Kiss. Last time I heard Ru was on the band's Kenton concert where he played cool modern sounding alto yet here he was in sumptuous Hodges mode!
Sepia Panorama featured Konrad W. Ko Ko, Solitude and Morning Mood and Anitra's Dance both from the Peer Gynt Suite followed, the latter had a tenor blast from the leader as well as displaying his qualities as a raconteur. Mood Indigo, Harlem Airshaft and the rather beautiful Single Petal of a Rose (duet with Kellock and Smith) preceded The Overture from the Nutcracker Suite and finally the inevitable Diminuendo and Crescendo in Blue which wrapped up what had been a memorable concert.
Lance.

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