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Bebop Spoken There

John McLaughlin: '' A Love Supreme coincided with my search for meaning in life". (DownBeat, March 2025).

The Things They Say!

This is a good opportunity to say thanks to BSH for their support of the jazz scene in the North East (and beyond) - it's no exaggeration to say that if it wasn't for them many, many fine musicians, bands and projects across a huge cross section of jazz wouldn't be getting reviewed at all, because we're in the "desolate"(!) North. (M & SSBB on F/book 23/12/24)

Postage

17864 (and counting) posts since we started blogging 17 years ago. 185 of them this year alone and, so far,32 this month (March10).

From This Moment On ...

MARCH 2025.

Tues 11: Solea @ Earthlings, the Healing Café, 94 Buckingham St., Newcastle, NE4 5QR. 7:00-8:45pm. Food available if ordered before 6:30pm. New band: Johannes Dalhuijsen (tenor sax, bass clarinet); Richard Herdman (guitar); Nick Bagnall (bass guitar); John Hirst (drums).
Tue 11: Giles Strong Quartet @ Newcastle House Hotel, Rothbury. 7:30pm.

Wed 12: Vieux Carré Jazzmen @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Wed 12: Jam session @ The Tannery, Gilesgate, Hexham. 7:00-9:00pm. Free.
Wed 12: Darlington Big Band @ Darlington & Simpson Rolling Mills Social Club, Darlington. 7:00pm. Free. Rehearsal session (open to the public).
Wed 12: Take it to the Bridge @ The Globe, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free.

Thu 13: The Exu + Matt Cliffe @ Cobalt Studios, Newcastle. 7:00pm.
Thu 13: Oh La La! @ Allendale Village Hall, Northumberland. 7:30pm. £12.00.; £6.00. child. Fifi La Mer (accordion, vocals), Oliver Wilby (reeds).
Thu 13: Fiona Finden’s Jazz Express @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 8:00pm. Free. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig.

Fri 14: Pete Tanton’s Chet Set @ Auckland Castle, Bishop Auckland. 1:00pm. £8.00.
Fri 14: Paul Taylor @ Jesmond Library, Newcastle. 1:00-2:00pm. £5.00. at the door. Second Friday in the month lunchtime concert series.
Fri 14: Classic Swing @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 14: Rendezvous Jazz @ The Monkseaton Arms. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 14: New Orleans Preservation Jazz Band @ The Oxbridge Hotel, Stockton. 1:00pm. £5.00.
Fri 14: Jason Isaacs @ St. James’ STACK, Newcastle. 4:00-6:00pm. Free. Vocalist Isaacs working with backing tapes.
Fri 14: Brass Funkeys + Dilutey Juice @ Cobalt Studios, Newcastle. 7:00pm. £12.00., £10.00., £8.00.
Fri 14: Oh La La! @ Edmundbyers Village Hall, Co. Durham. 7:30pm. £12.00.; £10.00. (additional £5.00. supper option, ordered in advance). Fifi La Mer (accordion, vocals), Oliver Wilby (reeds).
Fri 14: The Collective @ Pilgrim, Newcastle. 7:30pm. £8.50.
Fri 14: Bridget Metcalfe Quintet @ St George’s Venue, Park Road, Hartlepool. 7:30pm.

Sat 15: Hot Teapots @ St Augustine’s Parish Centre, Darlington. 12:30pm.
Sat 15: Creakin’ Bones @ Billy Bootleggers. Ouseburn, Newcastle. 4:00pm. Free.
Sat 15: Joseph Carville Trio @ The Vault, Darlington. 7:00pm. Free.
Sat 15: Is This Jazz? @ Cobalt Studios, Newcastle. 7:00pm. Tickets: www.eventbrite.co.uk. Performances by Mu Quintet, Jinjé, A Brief Utopia, John Pope & Co + André Marmot (author of Unapologetic Expression: The Inside Story of the UK Jazz Explosion) in conversation + DJ sets ‘til 3:00am. ‘A Festival of New Jazz’.
Sat 15: Vintage Explosion @ The Cluny, Newcastle. 7:30pm. SOLD OUT!
Sat 15: Alligator Gumbo @ The Forum, Darlington. 7:30pm. £15.00.
Sat 15: One Night Standards @ The White Room, Stanley. 8:00pm. £8.67 (inc. bf). Note - previously advertised Salty Dogs cancelled.
Sat 15: Howlin’ Mat @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 8:00pm. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig. Blues guitar.

Sun 16: Jason Isaacs @ STACK, Exchange Sq., Middlesbrough. 1:00-2:45pm. Free. Vocalist Isaacs working with backing tapes.
Sun 16: Paul Skerritt @ Hibou Blanc, Newcastle. 2:00pm. Free. Vocalist Skerritt working with backing tapes.
Sun 16: 4B @ The Ticket Office, Whitley Bay. 3:00pm. Free.
Sun 16: Pearl Blossoms @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 7:00pm. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig. Ragtime.
Sun 16: Hot 8 Brass Band @ Wylam Brewery. 7:30pm. ‘Big Tuba Tour’.
Sun 16: ARQ @ The Globe, Newcastle. 8:00pm.
Sun 16: Air4ce @ The Cluny, Newcastle. 8:30pm (8:00pm doors). £12.00.; £10.00. Tom Atkinson’s all-star band (line-up inc. Lindsay Hannon & Sue Ferris).
Sun 16: Jazz Jam @ Fabio’s, Saddler St., Durham. 8:00pm. Free. A Durham University Jazz Society promotion. All welcome.

Mon 17: Harmony Brass @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Mon 17: Jamie Toms Quartet @ The Black Bull, Blaydon. 8:00pm. £10.00.

Reviewers wanted

Whilst BSH attempts to cover as many gigs, festivals and albums as possible, to make the site even more comprehensive we need more 'boots on the ground' to cover the albums seeking review - a large percentage of which never get heard - report on gigs or just to air your views on anything jazz related. Interested? then please get in touch. Contact details are on the blog. Look forward to hearing from you. Lance

Thursday, December 04, 2008

Favourite - Richie Kamuca by Roly Veitch

I suppose we all have favourite players - someone who's playing just registers with you in a special way. One of mine is tenorist Richie Kamuca. He was not an innovator - he was one of those players content to develop his own personal style within existing frameworks - a west coast type tenor with a strong Pres influence. Apparently, he was a very sensitive, lovely guy with a great love of all jazz music and loved by the musicians/fans who knew him.

I first discovered Richie in the 70s due to my liking for Dave Frishberg's music. I bought a Concorde album 'Drop me off in Harlem' which also featured Kamuca (duetting with Frishberg) and in a trio format with Ray Brown/Herb Ellis. A great album sadly not available on CD. Then I bought 'Richie' - an emotional album made when he was terminally ill. Richie died of cancer aged only 46, back in 1977. It features some lovely intimate music and delightful guitar from Mundell Lowe. Nick Ceroli and Monty Budwig complete the quartet. A very moving album!

Kamuca worked with all the west coast greats and also with Herman & Kenton. Herman described him as his prettiest tenor player - when you consider the other great tenor players in those herds that is high praise. I'm just hoping someday Mosaic issue a box set of all the best Kamuca stuff and pay him the tribute he deserves.

When I walked into the Side Café a few months back and heard Vasilis Xenopoulos start up, for some reason, my immediate thoughts were 'Kamuca'. It just seems like here is a present-day version, at least in my imagination. Not that Vasi sounds like Kamuca but there was just the same sort of feeling about it. That night when he played with the Paul Edis Trio was a bit special. So, in summary, I would recommend anyone who likes that Pres/Sims/Cohn/Getz tradition of tenor playing to check out Richie's moving, sincere and beautiful playing and also get along to check out Vasi next time he is up here.
Roly

4 comments :

Lance said...

A very good description of a fine musician. I recall seeing him with Shelly Manne at Newcastle City Hall March 1960. You'd have loved that concert - Jim Hall was on the bill with Jimmy Giuffre and he also played in the group that backed Ella.
Getting back to Richie, I first heard him on record when he blew half a chorus in the middle of Tormé's "Lady is a Tramp". He said more in those 16 bars than some guys do in 16 choruses!

Anonymous said...

For years, Art Pepper and Johnny Hodges were my favs in jazz. Then one day about 6 months ago, (I know, I know, what took me so long), someone posted "Bill Perkins & Richie Kamuca - Tenors Head On (1956) @320" - and I downloaded it.
Well, I have been on the hunt for anything & everything "Kamuca" ever since. I still cannot believe what his playing does to my soul. I have never heard anyone who moved me more.
Anyway, I'm posting to say that I agree with you about this wonderful man and his music, who has touched me so deeply. Thanks for sharing your own thoughts about Richie with all of us ...

Anonymous said...

Just listened to a snippet of " My one & only love" by him. As a non musician I had never heard of him, but I am here to say that you guys all know a great musician when you hear one,and I know a great tune, so thank you for introducing me to some lovely sounds!

Anonymous said...

Interesting that Matt is so moved by Richie - that's just how I feel. It's funny how one player can really touch you like that. After all there are other greats - Zoot Sims, Al Cohn (saw him with son Joe at C/House) & Getz of course. But Kamuca just seems to play with deeper emotion - well it registers that way with me anyway.
Bix also had the same effect on me.

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