Did you know Ralph Hutchinson?

Newcastle born trombonist Ralph Hutchinson's career stretched from Newcastle to Glasgow to Chicago playing at the Oxford Galleries in Newcastle, the Tommy Sampson Band in Glasgow and with Muggsy Spanier in Chicago.

The above brief synopsis has been posted a couple of times in - 2011 and 2021- the reason for posting again is that one of our site visitors is curious to contact anyone who knew him over his 83 years (Ralph died in 2008).

Can anyone help? Lance

Happy Birthday Kenny Burrell - 95 today

© Lance

The great jazz guitarist Kenny Burrell is 95 today. Jazz fans world wide will surely wish him well. I recall seeing him at the North Sea Jazz Festival back in 1984. He was in the illustrious company of Dizzy Gillespie, James Moody, Slide Hampton, Walter Davis Jr., Jimmy Woode and Nasyr Abdul Al-Khabyyr. Fast company indeed! Not surprisingly, it was a festival highlight.

Apart from Canadian  drummer Al-Khabyyr, now 68, I suspect that Kenny is the only other survivor - long may it be so. Lance

Press Release: Molley announces six dates at Edinburgh Fringe

© Greg MacVean

Saxophonist Brian Molley leads his quartet in two separate runs at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe. Promising to bring the heat of Rio’s carnival to the Jazz Bar, from Friday 14 to Sunday  August 16 Molley’s group will reimagine Brazilian classics including Corcovado, Desafinado and The Girl from Ipanema.

One of the Scottish jazz scene’s most travelled outfits, Molley’s quartet prepared for this celebration of the great samba and bossa nova composers with a successful tour of Brazil late last year.

Press release:The 2026 Mercury Prize 12 ‘Albums of the Year’

The north east has two nominations in the 2026 Mercury Prize sort list: Knats and Jade are amongst the twelve hoping to emulate last year's winner Sam Fender. The twelve are listed below:

Dave - ‘The Boy Who Played the Harp’

Dove Ellis - ‘Blizzard’

Florence + The Machine - ‘Everybody Scream’

JADE - ‘THAT’S SHOWBIZ BABY!’

Knats - ‘A Great Day In Newcastle’

Kojey Radical - ‘Don't Look Down’

Nia Archives - ‘Emotional Junglist’

Olivia Dean - ‘The Art of Loving’

Paul McCartney - ‘The Boys of Dungeon Lane’

RAYE - ‘THIS MUSIC MAY CONTAIN HOPE.’

Suede - ‘Antidepressants’

War Child Records - ‘HELP(2)’

The Ishy Aasgaard Quintet @ Llandudno Jazz Club - July 27

© Richard Morris

Ishy Aasgaard (trombone) Neil Yates (trumpet, tenor sax); Misha Gray (piano); Josh Cavanagh-Brierley (double bass); Johnny Hunter (drums)

It is not often a trombone player leads a five piece ensemble but this concert provided one of the rising stars of jazz trombone, Ishy Aasgaard, the opportunity of leading this very classy group of musicians. Although still studying under Giacomo Smith and others at the Royal Academy of Music his trombone virtuosity tonight was exceptional. He also selected a wonderful set list which enabled all to display their skills. 

Album review: Emily Kuhn - Feathered Things (Desafio Candente Records)

Emily Kuhn (trumpet); Meghan Stagl (piano, vocals); Erik Skov (guitar); Kitt Lyles (bass); Gustavo Cortiñas (drums)

Eight original compositions by Kuhn drawn from her imagery of feathers, flight, fire and snow to explore themes of hope and resilience. Truly an ambitious project that was well beyond the bounds of my own imagery - old bebopper that I am.

Nevertheless, ignoring all the P.R. mullarkey, there are compelling moments and certainly Kuhn has a beautiful sound. The tone, rich and resonant, could well have been recorded in a high ceilinged cathedral. It brought to mind The Last Post being played at the graveside of the fallen. The opening chorus of Telephone is just such a moment where the tonal clarity, totally unaccompanied, crosses genres setting an instrumental benchmark for any trumpet player.

Dana Masters: Upstairs @ Ronnie Scott's - July 14

Courtesy of Glenn Wright

Dana Masters (vocals); Cian Boylan (piano); Freddie Gavita (trumpet)

There are few better places to spend a sweltering summer evening than Upstairs at Ronnie Scott's. While the historic main room downstairs remains the beating heart of the club, Upstairs has developed a character entirely its own. On a night when London temperatures remained stubbornly in the high twenties, the wonderfully efficient air conditioning was appreciated almost as much as the music itself. Cool, intimate and wonderfully relaxed, there isn't a bad seat in the house. Whether seated just a few feet from the stage or leaning against the bar watching Ronnie Scott's expert staff effortlessly mixing cocktails while Masters' effortlessly expressive voice filled the room, every audience member felt part of the performance.

R.I.P. Jim McKeown (? - July 29, 2026)

I've just received the sad news of the passing of Scottish born, Forest Hall based, Dixieland drummer Jimmy "the brush" McKeown.

Over the years, Jim enhanced local New Orleans styled bands such as Maureen Hall's Rendezvous Jazz (pictured), Jazz in the Afternoon, and many others with his discreet, yet effective drumming.

His jovial personality will be sadly missed by all who knew him. Lance

R.I.P. René Urtreger (1934 -July 16, 1926)

The passing of  René Urtreger  brought back many memories of listening to albums by Buck Clayton, Don Byas, Lionel Hampton, Lester Young and fellow Frenchman Guy Lafitte. Urtreger was invariably first call when an American ex-pat bagged a record date and needed a pianist.

Amongst those albums and the one I've probably played more than any of the others is Miles' soundtrack to Ascenseur Pour L'Echafaud with Urtreger. Listening to it late at night on some foreign radio station I could almost imagine I was in Paris. At the time I probably didn't know it was Urtreger on piano but I sensed his importance to what Miles was laying down.

René Urtreger died just ten days after his 92nd birthday.

R.I.P - Lance

Dean Masser Quartet @ the Moor Club, Stockport - July 26

© Jeff Pritchard

Dean Masser (tenor sax); Richard Wetherall (keyboards); Joshua Cavanagh-Brierley (double bass); Dave Walsh (drums).

I've  done so many reviews on Dean that I'm running out of words to describe his playing. Likewise Richard Wetherall who is also seen at many of the Moor Club gigs.  These two musicians attracted a larger than normal turnout and I noticed many friends and plenty of regular jazz fans amongst the audience. 

A person who is making a name for himself in the north west and elsewhere is bass player Joshua C-B.  He has been most impressive on every gig I've seen him on. Dave Walsh is well known as an educator and is also one of a few drummers that are always in demand. I liked his brush work on the wonderful ballad You've Changed which happens to be a favourite tune of mine.