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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.

Monday, April 27, 2015

Darlington Jazz Festival. April 25: Bruce Adams & Al Wood with the Durham Alumni Big Band + Durham County Youth Big Band

(Review by Russell).
The Central Hall in the Dolphin Centre has been described as a palais de danse. Built on civic pride, ornate chandeliers illuminate the grand setting as concertgoers ascend the red carpeted staircase. Function suite tables dressed in linen table cloths, flowers decorating a candlelit scene. A posh ‘do’? Nothing of the sort, this was a big band session Darlington-style!
All seats (265 of them) were sold. The Durham County Youth Big Band opened the show with a Matt Roberts’ arrangement of Mercy! Mercy! Mercy! The young musicians on the stage won applause for each and every solo effort. An abundance of talented, enthusiastic musicians were heard in all sections of the band. A Sammy Nestico arrangement of Satin Doll held no fears and a rousing St Louis Blues got the audience going. The band played This Can’t Be Love a matter of three weeks after seeing the parts for the first time at one of its regular rehearsal nights. This public premiere on such an auspicious occasion could have fallen apart but the Durham County Youth Big Band rose to the task in fine style.
The Durham County Alumni Big Band is the band to which many of the youthful players will undoubtedly graduate. The senior band took to the stage in ‘black tie’ attire. The two guest artists working with the band – Bruce Adams and Al Wood – were similarly booted and suited. Al Wood, multi instrumentalist and life-long educator put the band through its paces, expecting the best and that’s what he got. So many highlights; Alex Baker on Lady Day (magisterial), Neal Hefti’s Cute featuring Stephen Fletcher’s fine brushwork, pianist
Dean ‘Basie’ Stockdale spot-on with All of Me and Hank Mobley’s Funk in Deep Freeze putting the rhythm section to work with Adams and Wood. Trumpeter Jonny Dunn made his way down to the front of stage to give it a blast on Take the A Train. A blast!
Of course the star guests stepped-up. A Marty Paich arrangement of Bernie’s Tune heard Al wood at his best on alto. Bruce Adams played trumpet and flugelhorn. On the latter he impressed with a powerful solo on Black Orpheus and an exquisite Moonlight in Vermont in contrast to his trumpet excursions. Now, these were something else! The decibel count rose on Once I Had a Secret Love (rattling the chandeliers) and superb stratospheric work on At Last (metaphorically) brought the house down. Two numbers made the night. First, trumpeter Matthew Robinson joined Adams to play What’s New? Nerves of steel, young Robinson did himself proud. Mr Adams shook hands with Mr. Robinson - that says it all. Finally, trumpeter Tom Hill had the task of standing toe to toe with Adams on Memoiries of You. Adams played impossibly high stuff. Would the young man be able to respond? A heart-stopping moment…then Hill nailed it! Adams, impressed, shot for the stars. Could Hill do it again? You bet! The two of them went way beyond the stars time and again. A handshake. You wouldn’t believe the applause. For the first and only time during the evening Adams spoke to the audience. He said the future of jazz was in safe hands with young musicians of this calibre snapping at his heels. A grand night, grand surroundings, Darlington Jazz Festival just gets better and better.   
Russell.

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