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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, February 24, 2018

James Taylor Quartet @ Hooochie Coochie - February 23

James Taylor (Hammond/vocals); Ralph Wyld (vibes); Andrew McKinney (bass guitar); Pat Illingworth (drums).
(Review by Lance).
Warren Thomson was smiling and Hoochie Coochie's Crown Prince had every right to crack a grin. The room was packed to near capacity and the James Taylor Quartet had just laid down  90 minutes of the jazziest, funkiest, take no prisoner grooves to be heard at the venue since their last visit. 
They hit the deck with Jesus Christ Superstar which I gather is their theme song although, in truth, it bore little resemblance to the Lloyd Webber original (I'm pleased to say). Taylor attacked the defenceless B3 with such ferocity that, had it been an animal, the RSPCA would have been called in! This was quite an opener and set the tone for the rest of the evening. Booker T's Green Onions followed along with other numbers, some of which I recognised and some of which I didn't. Who cared? A rose by any other name etc.

Of course, it wasn't all forearm smashes. Across the stage, Ralph Wyld, one of, if not the, best vibes players in the country brought a touch of sanity to the proceedings with some of the most swinging vibes playing you're ever likely to hear this side of Lionel Hampton's grave.
Sitting, not unobtrusively, at the back of the stage, drummer Illingworth gave it the 'seven shades' treatment. After Thursday night, at The Globe, I thought nothing would top Marton Juhasz with the Alan Benzie Trio but Illingworth raised the bar to an even higher level. Barry Black with the Customs House Big Band has it all to do tonight!
On bass guitar, Andrew McKinney - playing hooky from BIM where he is head of the bass department - kept his head holding it all together but, when let loose, proved to be as outré as the other three.
There was much audience participation with lots of choral work from the floor, arm-waving, hand - clapping, counting up to ten in English, French and German (don't ask me!) Taylor had a few vocals, none of which threatened Ed Sheeran, I don't suppose he'd want them to. He's a showman and one helluva musician.
Come back soon!
Lance.
PS: Other numbers included the themes from the movie Blow Out and the tv series Starsky and Hutch. The audience was just old enough to remember them.

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