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Bebop Spoken There

Simon Spillett: “ Bebop and hard bop came naturally to him [Tubby Hayes]". Morning Star, March 28, 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

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.
Fri 29: True Colours @ Barrels Ale House, Berwick. 9:00pm. Blues, jazz & swing.

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.

Thu 04: FILM: Soul @ Forum Cinema, Hexham. 2:00pm. Jazz-themed film animation.
Thu 04: Vieux Carré Jazzmen @ The Holystone, Whitley Road, North Tyneside. 1:00pm. Free.
Thu 04: Funky Drummer @ The Globe, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free.
Thu 04: Eva Fox & the Jazz Guys @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 8:00pm. Free. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig.
Thu 04: Tees Hot Club @ Dorman’s Club, Middlesbrough. 8:30pm.

Tuesday, February 17, 2009

A 'Sage' Decision. Sir Richard Rodney Bennett & Claire Martin

And gentlemen in England now a-bed shall think themselves cursed that they were not here (Hank Cinq). The quotation from The Bard is apt - to have missed this gig is almost akin to the life incomplete.
So I was standing in the bleachers? So what? Perfect for sound and vision and, with the help of my new Italian socks, thanks Liz, and the mesmeric appeal of the two superstars, my feet didn't hurt a bit! Plus the cash I saved allowed me to buy a CD without feeling guilty - as if!
The first set was devoted to the songs of Cy Coleman and, although I have to admit my lack of familiarity with many of them, I found this voyage of discovery enhanced rather than detracted from their charm.
Claire can handle just about any kind of lyric whilst Sir Richard provides more than mere support. This was a meeting of equals reminiscent of those other great couplings such as Ella and Ellis Larkins, Sinatra and Bill Miller, Tony Bennett and Bill Evans - that kind of empathy shone through. As an afterthought - add Becky Kilgore and Dave Frishberg.
Sir Richard's own vocal chops suggest the subtle, insinuating, appeal of Chet Baker; at times almost whispering the lyric.
The second set saw our girl excel on "Can't We Be Friends" - cleverly allowing the tune to temporarily segue into "Just Friends". A breathtakingly poignant vocal duet blended Claire's take on "The Very Thought of You" with Sir Rich.'s "I Thought About You"; the lyric's, I almost said sentences, ran concurrently, with the emphasis swinging from one tune to the other.
So many songs I'm running out of space and superlatives to mention them all save to say that as well as lesser known gems from the gasbook there were also nods in the direction of Dusty Springfield, Elvis Costello and Curtis Stigers.
The final "Some Cats Know" - a number I first heard Peggy Lee sing in maybe the '80s - also gelled. So much so I wondered if the composers, Leiber and Stoller, shouldn't have been Leider and Stoller for that's what the evening was all about - Leider.
Perhaps I, or rather they, have invented a new genré Leider Jazz.
Lance

2 comments :

Anonymous said...

Excellent review Lance, you led us though the programme with your usual expertise. There should be more of our type of music at the Sage. Whenever I get the new brochure it always seems to be obscure stuff, leading me to wonder how well attended some of these events are.
Thank you - Liz

Anonymous said...

This was reasonably well-attended without being the sell-out it should have been. However, Claire did say that they'd sold more CDs at the Sage than anywhere else on the tour. So I guess it was a quality audience.

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