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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.

Tuesday, May 08, 2012

Ernie Watts Quartet/Ronnie Scott All-Stars @ Ronnie Scott's

Ernie Watts (ten); Christof Seenger (pno); Rudi Engel (bs); Heinrich Koebberling (dms).
(Review by Lance)
A near capacity Ronnie's were duly captivated by the astonishing tenor playing of Ernie Watts. Think Hank Mobley, then Coltrane, Brecker and maybe a few others and you're getting the idea. His technique is prodigious but it isn't all technique. Watts can be doing Formula One with the pedal pressed to the floor and then, he's taking a stroll in the park, before revving up the motor again.
I swear he's got six fingers on each hand! This is a guy surely at the pinnacle of his career exploring every tonal inflection and combination lesser mortals can only dream of!

Oasis, the title track of his current CD and nothing to do with the pop group of the same name began as a probing, haunting melody, full of Eastern Promise before exploding in a cascade of notes and sounds. The Wow Factor was high. As it was indeed with pianist Seenger's solos. It was as if Czerny had met Art Tatum at Oscar Peterson's. Later they indulged in some contrapuntal interplay sans bass and drums that topped just about everything.
The Beatles' Blackbird seems to be in vogue among jazzmen these days - Am I the only one who's never heard The Beatles' version?
Johnny Mandell's You Are There was mainly unaccompanied balladry - beautiful.
However, the highlight for me had to be 'Shaw Nuff. This was the solo to end all bebop solos - it went off the edge of the Wow Factor Scale!
Piano, bass and drums did their bit but tonight belonged to Ernie Watts.
Earlier the Ronnie Scott All-Stars opened up. Alex Garnett (alto); Phil Peskett (pno); Sam Burgess (bs); Pedro Segundo (dms).
It too was a lovely set - particularly I Only Have Eyes For You played in 7/4! "Imagine doing a foxtrot with a limp" was how Garnett described it! It was fun. He too is a superb sax player and the closer - Monk's Evidence - set the scene perfectly for what was too follow.
I'd like to have stayed for the Late Set but I was beginning to flag and it had been a long day.
Lance.

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