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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.

Wednesday, August 31, 2016

Zoë Gilby Quartet @ Ushaw Durham Jazz Festival. August 26

 Zoë Gilby (vocals), Mark Williams (guitar), Andy Champion (double bass) & Richard Brown (drums)
(Review by Russell/photos by John Marlor)
Plush, deep Chesterfields. Plenty of them. Wood panelling, plush, deep carpets, this is the Francis Thompson Room. Impressive, the previous occupants at Ushaw College certainly lived well! Today, the room, with its full bar service, is an ideal, informal gig venue. The Friday evening concert presented one of Britain’s finest jazz singers – Zoë Gilby.
On a warm summer’s evening, Gilby began with a question: Is It Me? The first of several original compositions, it was an indication of the quality of writing and performance that it stood comparison with many tunes considered standards. Gilby has a stage presence of which some aspirants could learn much: a consummate performer, fully engaged with the music making of those sharing the stand with her. Gilby’s established band is top quality: Mark Williams, guitar, is a supreme accompanist and unrivalled in his solo excursions. A bass and drums partnership comprising Andy Champion and Richard Brown is as secure as any on the scene with Champion possessing amazing chops and Brown the epitome of taste and sensitivity.
Phil Lynott’s folksy Dublin came with a story – Gilby happened to meet, as one does, the mother of the late P. Lynott in the Irish capital. A chance meeting, of course, but one that led to the song being part of the set. Another original number, a waltz, In It Together then a reprise of our vocalist’s Pannonica set with a sparkling Straight No Chaser featuring M. Williams and A. Champion, not forgetting Gilby’s tongue-twisting lyrics!
The personal permeated the performance. The story of a Red Headed Girl from the North East of Nowhere opened with Champion’s resonant bass playing and the story unfolded – a time of carefree living, of living the life. The subject of Gilby’s tale just happened to be present on the evening. An interval conversation between Gilby and Ushaw Durham Jazz Festival’s artist in residence Dave Barden established a mutual appreciation of musician Tom Waits. Perhaps T. Waits overheard the conversation…a Barden portrait of the man in question took pride of place in the room as part of an exhibition of the artist’s work!

Second set. Guess what? T. Waits’ Way Down in the Hole! Vocal dexterity, instrumental facility, top class! Top class and tasteful apply to Mark Williams’ playing on Your Words and Gilby’s way-down-the-range vocal. Drummer Richard Brown’s mesmerising intro to Caravan  set up Messrs Williams and Champion to run riot. Thirties noir, all about object d’art, the base desires of the working class filtered through the prism of Patrick Hamilton on Midnight Bell.

And so to the finale, and what a finale. Red City – sand, souk and the sounds of the souk. A fixture in Zoë Gilby’s set, this Ushaw Durham performance was something else. By a County Durham country mile Gilby produced a magnificent, committed performance.           
Russell.            

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