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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.

Saturday, April 27, 2013

SNJO "The Incredible Stan Kenton". Queen's Hall, Edinburgh. April 25.


Tommy Smith (pictured). (md/ten), Konrad Wiszniewski (ten), Ruaridh Pattison, Martin Kershaw (alt), Bill Fleming (bar); Ryan Quigley, Cameron Jay, Tom MacNiven, James Marr, Lorne Cowieson (tpts); Chris Grieve, Phil O'Malley, Kevin Garrity, Kieran McLeod, Michael Owers; Steve Hamilton (pno), Calum Gourlay (bs), Alyn Cosker (dms).
(Review by Lance)
If the Scottish National Jazz Orchestra's In The Spirit of Duke is currently a front runner for my CD of the Year then this concert could well be my Gig of the Year!
Kenton had his fans and his detractors over the years and some of his works did seem to be somewhat beyond the pale at the time. However, listening to them in retrospect, even the abstract things like City of Glass are now well within reach. What was never in doubt was that when the Kenton band decided to swing they certainly could generate that elusive quality.
Tonight's performance concentrated very much on that aspect of the Kenton bible and it was right on the money!
Artistry in Percussion (Cosker), Cherokee, featuring the amazing Ruaridh Pattison on alto. Scottish young jazz musician of 2011 Pattison rolled through the changes with the fluency of an Art Pepper or a  Pete King. Bernie's Tune (Gourlay), Interlude (Hamilton), a magnificent Spring is Here by leader Tommy, Mulligan's Swinghouse and a surprise String of Pearls. I misheard the announcement as String of Perils and, upon reflection, it might have been an appropriate title as they took Glenn Miller to places the Major never dreamed existed!
At this point I stopped taking notes as wave after wave of sound engulfed me. Various blasts by Quigley on Intermission Riff and Peanut Vendor. Martin Kershaw and Konrad holding their own on Fascinating Rhythm and I've Got You Under My Skin, Bill Fleming's Rhapsody in Blue, Concerto to end all Concertos. The trombones, the trumpets  - man this was like open day at the distillery!
And there was more - so so much more but space and time precludes it so you'll just have to catch the band tonight (Saturday) at Glasgow or tomorrow at Stirling.
Viva Kenton! Viva SNJO!
Lance.
PS: SNJO Bring In The Spirit of Duke to the Gala Theatre Durham on July 8 - don't miss it.
STOP PRESS! All About Jazz name Tommy Smith as their Jazzman of the Day!

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