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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.

Thursday, July 19, 2012

Anna Luca and her band, Library Theatre, South Shields, Wednesday July 18.

Anna Luca (vocals/keys); Christian Moorhen (percussion); Johans ? (electric bass guitar)
(Review by Ann Alex.)
This gig was a real bargain at £7.50 per ticket, which included a finger buffet, wine and the company of the Mayor of South Tyneside (Eileen Leask, my cousin, I couldn’t help mentioning that), and also a raffle ticket for an extra £1. The event was in aid of the Mayor’s charities so we were supporting good causes as well. The music was very enjoyable, not really jazz, but mostly sweet-voiced original songs from this very talented singer.
The content and singing style were somewhat reminiscent of Madeleine Peroux or Janis Ian. The guitarist was well skilled and the percussionist was fascinating to watch. It was a cut-down version of the conventional jazz kit, with ethnic instruments added. So we had the large wooden box which the player slaps and beats, and this also doubled as a bass drum. There were bells, shakey eggs, handclapping, and lots of brush work on the cymbals and snare drum. The latter was covered with a tea towel to dampen the sound. And the communication between drummer and singer was superb, presumably because they are married to each other. Nice work if you can get it.
That song was not on the menu, but we were treated to many love songs, such as Beautiful Love (not the Victor Young song from 1931 nor the 2006 song by "The Afters" but an original by Anna); songs about the singer’s fears and experiences, such as Listen and Wait (Anna said she is a person who acts too impulsively); The Harbour; Blue Hour (a beautiful song in German about twilight in Cologne). Promised Land included a delicate piano break and skilled work on the bass drum. Berlin, Berlin gave us an articulate pen picture of that city. We had a version of the Oasis song Wonderwall, with a skilfully adapted tune; Dark Thoughts with a Happy Mind had been written recently since the band had been at South Shields, as part of the exchange with South Shields twin town, Wuppertal, in Germany. The gig ended with an amusing encore, which Anna had written just before she and Christian married, You Can Keep What’s Yours and I Can Keep What’s Mine, about hanging on to your individuality, which seems like good advice.
Ann Alex

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