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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.

Sunday, March 17, 2013

Martin Litton and Nick Gill: Customs House: Friday March 15, 2013


Nick Gill/Martin Litton (pianos)
(Review by Ann Alex.)
It was as if we were at a Harlem rent party or a New Orleans bordello, the tunes and anecdotes tumbled out from these two gentlemen, dressed for the occasion in smart trousers and grey waistcoat (Martin), and (Nick) in black and red striped blazer, equally stylish trousers and, for the second set, red and white shoes with that (1920’s?) curved pattern, wish I knew what those sort of shoes are called.  Two upright pianos, diagonally back to back, presumably so that the players could communicate, although both players went solo as well.  Marvellous, lively, up and at ‘em rags and stride. I was a bit frustrated – I wanted to dance! 
Jelly Roll Morton's  Big Fat Ham, a tune where the ladies of the brothel had to try to kick a ham suspended from the ceiling when dancing; Ellington’s Swampy River, a composition with a tango section in the middle and all sorts else going on; Manhattan Rag, (Hoagy Carmichael) with it’s music box effect; Fats Waller’s Handful Of Keys, played fast, which, Martin said, was meant to be a challenge to the skills of the pianist who was to follow after.
Nick chose the Roger’s piano and Martin remained at the Knight before the pianistic pugilists slugged it out on the well-known Maple Leaf Rag. A split decision but no one could decide which way!
The mood and style changed quite suddenly as they moved into some gasbook material – Gershwin’s  The Man I Love. Nick trilling away like a Budgie Blues Bird whilst Martin played Mother Hen.
Nick continued alone with a slow version of Joplin’s Gladiolus Rag.  He pointed out that we were uncertain about what speed these rags were originally played at.  There followed Porter’s Begin The Beguine, Nick’s own composition, a ‘novelty’ rag, Splinters; and then, a surprise treat, Nick singing Gershwin’s They All Laughed.  Other delights were the duo’s Honky Tonk Train Blues with its train sounds of whistle and hooter; Nick singing a sensitive Buddy Can You Spare A Dime; his self-penned song about busking - Sing a Song For Sixpence; Joplin’s Rag Time Dance, with our players stamping out the beat;  the  Rachmaninov influenced The War’s Over; Gershwin’s Swanee.  The performance was rounded off with 12th Street Rag and St Louis Blues.  I could have listened to this happy music for the rest of the evening.
The gig had been organised by the late Mike Durham, and Martin paid tribute to Mike.  I like to think that Mike was perhaps listening to all this from another part of the universe.
Ann Alex     

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