Bebop Spoken There

Christian McBride: ''I believe we are living in a historically embarrassing moment in American history.'' - Downbeat December 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

18061 (and counting) posts since we started blogging 17 years ago. 1025 of them this year alone and, so far, 39 this month (Dec. 14).

From This Moment On ...

DECEMBER 2025

Mon 15: Harmony Brass @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.

Tue 16: Paul Skerritt @ Chakh Dhoom, Jesmond, Newcastle. 7:00pm. Indian restaurant. Skerritt w. backing tapes.
Tue 16: A Jazzy Xmas @ Queen’s Hall, Hexham. 7:30pm. Paul Edis (MD, piano); Jo Harrop (vocals); Kyran Matthews (tenor sax, soprano sax); Faye Thompson (alto sax, clarinet); Sue Ferris (flute, piccolo); Graham Hardy (trumpet, flugelhorn); Jason Holcomb (trombone);Emma Fisk (violin); Andy Champion (double bass); Matt MacKellar (drums).
Tue 16: Jam session @ The Black Swan, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free. House trio: Stu Collingwood, Paul Grainger, Tim Johnston.

Wed 17: Vieux Carré Jazzmen @ Spanish City, Whitley Bay. 12 noon. £29.00 (inc. bf). ‘Festive Lunch’. VCJ on stage 12 noon (three sets 'til 4:00pm).
Wed 17: Lazy River Band @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free. Veronica Perrin, Chris Perrin, John Farragher, Phil Rutherford
Wed 17: Darlington Big Band @ Darlington & Simpson Rolling Mills Social Club, Darlington. 7:00pm. Free. Rehearsal session (open to the public).
Wed 17: Paul Skerritt @ Middlesbrough Town Hall. 7:00pm. Skerritt w. backing tapes.
Wed 17: A Jazzy Xmas @ Fire Station, Sunderland. 7:30pm. Paul Edis (MD, piano); Jo Harrop (vocals); Kyran Matthews (tenor sax, soprano sax); Faye Thompson (alto sax, clarinet); Sue Ferris (flute, piccolo); Graham Hardy (trumpet, flugelhorn); Jason Holcomb (trombone);Emma Fisk (violin); Andy Champion (double bass); Matt MacKellar (drums).
Wed 17: Take it to the Bridge @ The Globe, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free.

Thu 18: Paul Skerritt @ YOLO, Ponteland. 7:00pm. ‘Swing & Jazz Night’. Skerritt w. backing tapes.
Thu 18: Joe Steels & Friends @ The Pele, Corbridge. 7:30pm. Free (donations).

Fri 19: Fraser Urquhart @ The Lit & Phil, Newcastle. 1:00pm. £8.00. SOLD OUT! .
Fri 19: Classic Swing @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free..
Fri 19: Rendezvous Jazz @ The Monkseaton Arms. 1:00pm. Free..
Fri 19: New Orleans Preservation Jazz Band @ The Oxbridge Hotel, Stockton. 1:00pm. £5.00..
Fri 19: Castillo Nuevo @ Hotel Gotham, Newcastle. 5:00pm. Free. .
Fri 19: Alexia Gardner @ FIKA Art Gallery, Morpeth. 6:30pm. Gardner, Alan Law, Jude Murphy..
Fri 19: Paul Skerritt @ Middlesbrough Town Hall. 7:00pm. Skerritt w. backing tapes. .
Fri 19: Giles Strong Quartet @ Sunderland Minster. 7:30pm. Old Black Cat Jazz Club..
Fri 19: Creakin’ Bones & the Xmas Dinners @ The White Room, Stanley. 7:45pm. £13.01 (inc. bf)..
Fri 19: Mark Toomey Quintet @ The Traveller’s Rest, Darlington. 8:00pm. Opus 4 Jazz Club.

Sat 20: Jazz Attack @ The Glasshouse, Gateshead. 11:00am. Free.
Sat 20: Alexia Gardner @ FIKA Art Gallery, Morpeth. 6:30pm. Gardner, Alan Law, Jude Murphy. SOLD OUT!
Sat 20: Joseph Carville Trio @ The Vault, Darlington. 7:00pm. Free. CANCELLED!
Sat 20: Ray Stubbs R&B All Stars @ Billy Bootleggers, Ouseburn, Newcastle. 7:00pm. Free.
Sat 20: Hoodoo Blues @ The Globe, Newcastle. 7:15pm (doors). £14.25, £11.55. Dance class, social dancing, live music & Xmas Party. Live music from 9:00pm - Ruth Lambert, Giles Strong, Ian Paterson & John Bradford (jazz and blues).
Sat 20: John Pope Quintet @ Blank Studios, Newcastle. 7:30-8:30pm. £7.70 (inc. bf). Album recording session.

Sun 21: New ’58 Jazz Collective @ Jackosn’s Wharf, Hartlepool. 1:00pm. Free.
Sun 21: Paul Skerritt @ Hibou Blanc, Newcastle. 2:00pm. ‘Xmas Swingalong’. Skerritt w. backing tapes.
Sun 21: Ruth Lambert Trio @ Juke Shed, Union Quay, North Shields. 3:00-5:00pm. Free.
Sun 21: 4B @ The Ticket Office, Whitley Bay. 3:00pm. Free.
Sun 21: Strictly Smokin’ Big Band @ o2 City Hall, Newcastle. 6:00pm. £35.80., £33.25., £31.00.
Sun 21: The Globe Xmas Party @ The Globe, Newcastle. 7:00pm. Free. Live music.
Sun 21: Tweed River Jazz Band @ The Barrels Ale House, Berwick. 7:30pm. Free.

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

Saturday, May 02, 2009

Info on Syd Warren Wanted.

I received the following EMail, I'm sure we can help Maxene:
Hello, I wonder if you can help me. My dad was Syd Warren, tenor sax player in the north east for many years. My dad sadly passed away almost 14 years ago.I was wondering if you had any photos of him as, unfortunately, I have lost contact with his second wife. When my dad was 15 he played at the Oxford Galleries in Newcastle, I can remember as a child a photo of him in a big band, I think the Band Leader was George Evans but I am not sure. I would be really grateful if you could come up with anything of him. About twenty years ago he made a record with Scott Adair, Colin Haikney, Kay Rouselle, Derek Dixon, and Ray Harley. I have just recently started listening to it and the memories come flooding back of his playing and happy times. I wondered if any of them are still with us. Can you help me with that? I would love to hear from you and I know it is a tall order.
Kind regards
Maxene Wells .
Maxene, I've tried to EMail you but the server was having none of it. I've put a few photos together here. There may be more to follow. In the above photo Syd (tenor) is with American trombone player Jiggs Whigham, Derek Dixon (bs) & Willie Payne (gtr).

11 comments :

Maxene said...

Just a big thank you for the photos of my dad Syd Warren, they are great, what lovely memories to see him again.
A big thank you.
Kind regards
Maxene Wells

Maureen said...

I worked with Maxene's Mum, Cathy Warren, in the late '50s/early '60s at Eve Brown Fashions on Northumberland Street, Newcastle, where I was a window dresser and Cathy senior sales on the ladies' coat department.
Many times I was baby-sitter to Maxene at their home in Wellfield, Whitley Bay, so that Cathy could accompany Syd to one of his gigs or to a party afterwards. The last time would have probably been early 1961 with my husband (then my fiance) and I remember many Saturday nights dancing to the George Evan's big band, with Syd on saxophone, at the Oxford Galleries.

Lance said...

I recall the jazz club at The Rex, Whitley Bay, on Sunday evenings. To get there, involved a bus ride, a walk through the pedestrian tunnel, then two further bus journeys but it was worth it to hear Syd playing Rosolino's "Blue Daniel". Strangely, I can't recall who else was in the band - perhaps someone can enlighten me?

jon said...

Syd was my flute teacher from 1986 until I finished school in 1992. I'd have lessons once a week at school where his patience with struggling beginners was amazing. He would occassionally pick up his flute and fly off into a jazz warm-up to which I'd just sit back and wonder if I'd ever be that good. He also used to lead a group of woodwind students every Saturday morning at Mortimer School (South Shields) and later at Laygate primary. When we were up to scratch we joined the other kids and staff in the Stage Band and performed with local professionals. I can remember George Evans coming along to play at one concert (my sister was loaned his bass saxophone which lived in a box the size of a coffin). We even performed charity concerts, one with Johnny Heanan singing Sinatra classics in The New Tyne Theatre, Newcastle.

Syd was a great teacher and excellent musician. It was great to see pictures of him here. I'm forever grateful that he taught me the flute and I'm glad to say that i still play now, although without the confidence and skill that Syd had on flute, clarinet and saxophone!

Lance said...

Great memories from Jon. Any more of Syd's pupils out there?

Anonymous said...

what was the title of the record sid played with scott adair

Peter Fraser said...

I was one of Syds pupils on the saxophone. When I first started Maxine used to sit with her fingers in her ears. I knew Syd a long time in fact the last time I saw him was when he opened the Carousel Club in Chester le Street . I left to work in london as a music copyist and was a regular at Ronnie Scott's i used to do work for them. I saw most of the ham shanks tenor sax players and you can take it from me they were not as good as Syd Warren. I came home for the weekend and my mother told me Syd had passed away.
Peter Fraser Blyth Northumberland

John Cox said...

Also know that a good friend of his was [the late] Stan Coates.

John Cox said...

Forgot to mention. Hedworth Lane primary school and Boldon Comprehensive.

John Cox said...

Syd was my clarinet/sax teacher from 1983-92 when music was still free. Played in Laygate big band with him when I left school too. If it wasn't for him I wouldn't have had my passion for music. Eternally grateful. Great guy and an absolutely awesome musician.

Anonymous said...

Just reminiscing and came across this post!

Like Jon, Mr Warren was my clarinet and sax teacher from 1984 until I went to university at Boldon Comp and Saturday big band sessions.
We still kept in touch and played together at Gosforth Park Hotel and Park Hotel Tynemouth. He did so much for young musicians and I still have a gold saxophone necklace he gave me.
His funeral was very musical!
A friend, Ian Trewhella, also a fellow student, bought his tenor sax and I believe he will still own it! I have his saxophone stand.
Sadly no photos but very happy memories!

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