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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.

Friday, September 02, 2016

Square One @ Durham Ushaw Jazz Festival - August 28


Peter Johnstone (piano), Joe Williamson (guitar), David Bowden (bass guitar) & Stephen Henderson (drums)
(Review by Steve T/Photos courtesy of Gordon Carlton)
With FDT and the Lawrence brothers behind, and Ben now ‘out’ as an aspiring Jazz keyboardist, I imagined that, with Whiplash, this could be them in a few years.
Circumstances beyond their control meant they played the theatre rather than the lounge which the just over thirty would have comfortably filled. No matter, the theatre is such a splendid room it still looked okay and, if you choose Jazz as a profession, you have to get used to empty seats.
Five impressive originals: two from bassist David Bowden, and one each from guitarist Joe Williamson, keyboardist Peter Johnson and Drummer Stephen Henderson.
Immediate comparisons are the classic Jazz Rock bands and the more instrumental progressive rock bands but with far less bombast. Effective changes in tempo and juxtaposition between quieter moments and moments of real power, with some fantastic building to get from one to the other, and a couple of classical oriented interludes on piano reflecting the pianists own continuing musical education in classical piano.
The final piece was Puppet Love, which was more obviously rocky, with riffs and things before settling into a funk groove, Bowden on bass as successful as any of his contemporaries on the solid body guitar variety of his instrument more widely associated with funk.
They declined the invitation to play an encore, leaving us to buy their current EP (with an album forthcoming) to hear more from them and myself, Ben Lawrence and others duly did.
They’re all Glasgow alumni and are solid musicians with none obviously stronger or weaker than the rest. With two Scottish natives and a Londoner I spoke to Darlo lad Joe Williamson to alleviate any potential language barrier.
Unsurprisingly, his major guitar influences are Mike Walker (currently an Impossible Gentleman), John Schofield and Pat Metheny, in that order, as well as the blues. The centrality of melody comes in large part from folk music and particularly from drummer Henderson, with Steely Dan and Oz Noy their major influences in this regard.  
We wish this young band every success in the future and hope to see them back in the North East soon.
More housekeeping tasks to take care of so I only caught a few bursts of the New Century Ragtime Orchestra. Not really my thing but I spoke to loads of people afterwards who thought they were terrific, leader Steve Andrews even rivalling Alan Barnes in the joke stakes.
Steve T

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