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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, December 24, 2013

Sting: When The Last Ship Sails. BBC1 Sunday December 22.

Sting (vcls/ gtr/bs/narration); Jimmy Nail (vcl); Jo Lawry (vcl); Kathryn Tickell (vln/North-pipes); Peter Tickell (vln/man); Julian Sutton (melodion); Ira Coleman (bs); Joe Bonadio (dms); Dominic Miller (gtrs); The Wilson Family (vcls); Rob Mathes (MD/pno/gtr/vcl).
(Review by Lance).
This was good! It wasn't jazz - it wasn't intended to be. It was folksy and, musically, better suited for review by Ann Alex rather than myself. However, as AA probably never worked in a shipyard and I spent my early wage-earning years loosely connected to the then ginormous industry, perhaps she will excuse me for pulling rank!
Filmed in a small New York theatre - yes, not the New York near Whitley Bay but in the Big Apple itself - the show featured songs from Wallsend-born Sting's forthcoming play, When The Last Ship Sails. Now, irrespective of whether you have been deafened by a caulker or got a flash (eye damage not sexual) from a welder it doesn't matter. The music overrides these things and indeed brings them to the understanding of the layman.
The songs are good and well performed by Sting and fellow Geordie Jimmy Nail along with the lovely Jo Lawry, the equally lovely Kathryn Tickell and a cast of fellow male north-easteners.
I'm saying it isn't jazz but, somehow, even when Sting talks you think jazz - he has a cadence to his voice that he didn't get from living in Wallsend. Or maybe he did. I recall gigs at the Memorial Hall in Wallsend by Johnny Dankworth and Mick Mulligan as well as a few local jazz bands. These gigs were whilst Sting was still a toddlin' Gordon but perhaps they left something in the air that hung around and settled on the then Master Sumner and inspired him to become the worldwide phenomenon that he eventually did.
I can't wait to see the actual play but, in the meantime, the show's got a few iplayer days left. Perfect Xmas day viewing!
Lance.

3 comments :

Anonymous said...

Outstanding diamond of a duet for me was Jo Lawry and Sting singing
Practical Arrangement.

Lance said...

Anonymous comment published at Editor's discretion.

Ponteland McGriff said...

I like some of it, but the more Lionel Barty bits get on my nerves. However I suppose they're obligatory for Musical Theatre.
I agree about the duet - amazing 2 part harmony.
Another cavil: his accent is somewhere in the Atlantic between Morpeth and Manhattan.

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