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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.

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, March 09, 2018

Elkie Brooks @ Sage Gateshead - March 8 - Take 2

Elkie Brooks (vocal); Andrew Murray (keys); Rufus Ruffell (guitar); Brian Badham (bass guitar); Mike Smith (tenor sax/synth); Fraz Knapp (drums)
(Review by Ann Alex)
A great night indeed, as Lance said, with level 1 of Sage full, and Elkie giving about 150%. This lady can sing it all, ballads, rock, blues, soul, country, and I’m told that she also does a mean GASbook song, though there was no jazz in this gig. The voice is gutsy, bluesy, with long notes and much gospel style vibrato on some notes. She didn’t need backing singers as some clever electronic wizardry enabled Elkie to sing with herself, mostly as call and response, on some songs. She told us that she’d thoroughly enjoyed the evening and she meant it. She even apologised for the concert rescheduling, caused by throat problems. So we clapped along when encouraged by the drummer, and there was a standing ovation at the end of the evening. There was a touch of humour when an audience member shouted something which Elkie mistook as rude. She began to admonish the person diplomatically before a band member put her in the picture. ‘Get them up was what he’d shouted’ she was told.
Talking of the band, they were well up to their game and had many short solos. The drummer related well to the crowd, the sax was quite jazzy, the guitars flowed well, and the keys came into their own especially during the encore with a moving love song, with just voice and keys. Elkie appreciatively introduced each musician during her well-known song Pearl’s A Singer, then promptly picked up a tambourine herself.
Some of the songs featured were from her latest CD, Elkie Brooks – Pearls – The Very Best Of. I didn’t get the names of all the songs, which were not announced, but included was Do Right Man(?); Sunshine After The Rain; Fool If You Think It’s Over; To Make You Feel My Love; Gasoline Alley: Nights In White Satin; Lilac Wine; Love Ain’t  Something You Can Get For Free; Don’t Cry Out Loud; No More The Fool; Pearl’s A Singer. The second half of the show was louder, bluesier, with lively flashing lights – then suddenly a black stage. The audience demanded an encore, which was the love song with keys only (A Song For You?), then the whole band for Purple Rain; We’ve Got Tonight.
Another very successful Sage gig, thanks to Ms Brooks and her band.
Ann Alex

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