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Bebop Spoken There

Simon Spillett: “ Bebop and hard bop came naturally to him [Tubby Hayes]". Morning Star, March 28, 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

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.
Fri 29: True Colours @ Barrels Ale House, Berwick. 9:00pm. Blues, jazz & swing.

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.

Thu 04: FILM: Soul @ Forum Cinema, Hexham. 2:00pm. Jazz-themed film animation.
Thu 04: Vieux Carré Jazzmen @ The Holystone, Whitley Road, North Tyneside. 1:00pm. Free.
Thu 04: Funky Drummer @ The Globe, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free.
Thu 04: Eva Fox & the Jazz Guys @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 8:00pm. Free. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig.
Thu 04: Tees Hot Club @ Dorman’s Club, Middlesbrough. 8:30pm.

Sunday, February 05, 2017

Royal Northern Sinfonia : The Cole Porter Songbook @ Sage Gateshead



Royal Norther Sinfonia conducted by Roderick Dunk w. Anna O'Byrne; Caroline Sheen; Damian Humbley: Jon Boydon.
(Review by Lance).
This was absolutely superb - not a jazz gig, not even slightly, but as a showcase for, perhaps the greatest songwriter the world has ever known, it couldn't be bettered.
Guest conductor, Dunk, pointed out that he loved hearing Frank or Ella singing Porter and the wonderful arrangements of Nelson Riddle, Billy May etc. but, this afternoon was about hearing the songs as they were originally performed on Broadway.
The songs, we know, are great. They provide a launching pad for all jazz musicians, and singers past and present. However, this afternoon it was the words, the lyrics, that totally captured me. Songs that I've listened to for years suddenly had new lyrics whilst the humour, the double entendre, of some of the others made me wonder how I'd missed them the first (and subsequent) times around! As Jon Boydon sang Brush Up Your Shakespeare, the incredibly clever and funny number from Kiss Me Kate I wondered if in, say 500 years time, someone will write a tune called Brush Up Your Cole Porter? They should and next week would be better than half a millennium away.  
This was all about Broadway and, as everyone knows, The Great White Way's motto is 'The Show Must Go On'. Today proved it.
David Thaxton had to pull out due to family illness and Damian Humbley stepped in.
Damian had drove/flew/trained/biked/walked [delete as appropriate] 300 miles, for a 10;30am rehearsal the previous day and gave a performance that suggested it was just another day at the office! Fantastic!
Amazingly, Boydon, who'd been on the gig a little longer did fluff a couple of lines but I doubt if anyone else noticed. It didn't lose him any points and, of the two guys, he was the jazzier.
The girls were gorgeous and they had voices to match. Anna O'Byrne, Australian opera singer, sang with the range expected of someone whose career has encompassed leads in such diverse vehicles as the Magic Flute and Sweeney Todd.
Caroline Sheen, the sassier of the two - think Garland/Merman - completed the quartet. Her Why Can't You Behave?most certainly would have had me behaving.
This was one non-stop concert and, much as I love the John Wilson shows, this was every bit as good!
Thank you, Sage, thank you, Cole Porter.
Earlier, on the concourse, James Birkett led his aspirants through a short set that heartened me for the future.
Lance.

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