Bebop Spoken There

Jools Holland (on his 2026 spring/summer tour): ''With the mighty [R&B] Orchestra, our wonderful boogie woogie singers, and the brilliant Joe Webb opening the shows [including Darlington Hippodrome, June 19], we're in for some very special evenings of music.'' The Northern Echo February 5, 2026

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

18263 (and counting) posts since we started blogging 18 years ago. 117 of them this year alone and, so far this month (Feb. 6), 17

From This Moment On ...

February

Sat 07: The Big Easy @ St Augustine’s Parish Centre, Darlington. 12:30pm. £10.00. Darlington New Orleans Jazz Club.
Sat 07: Tees Bay Swing Band @ The Blacksmith’s Arms, Hartlepool. 1:30-3:30pm. Free. Open rehearsal.
Sat 07: Play Jazz! workshop @ The Globe, Newcastle. 1:30pm. £27.50. Tutor: Steve Glendinning. St Thomas & Bésame Mucho. Enrol at: learning@jazz.coop.
Sat 07: Side Cafe Oᴙkestar @ Café Under the Spire, Gateshead. 6:30pm. Table reservations: 0191 477 3970.
Sat 07: Rendezvous Jazz @ The Red Lion, Earsdon. 8:00pm. £3.00.

Sun 08: Swing Tyne @ The Cluny, Newcastle. 12 noon (doors). Donations. Swing dance taster class (12:30pm) + Hot Club de Heaton (live performance). Non dancers welcome.
Sun 08: Am Jam @ The Globe, Newcastle. 2:00pm. Free.
Sun 08: 4B @ The Ticket Office, Whitley Bay. 3:00pm. Free.
Sun 08: Gerry Richardson’s Big Idea @ The Globe, Newcastle. 8:00pm.

Mon 09: Mark Williams Trio @ Yamaha Music School, Blyth. 1:00pm.
Mon 09: Harmony Brass @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.

Tue 10: Jazz Jam Sandwich @ The Black Swan, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free.

Wed 11: Vieux Carré Jazzmen @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Wed 11: Jam Session @ The Tannery, Hexham. 7:00pm. Free.
Wed 11: Darlington Big Band @ Darlington & Simpson Rolling Mills Social Club, Darlington.. Free. Rehearsal session (open to the public).
Wed 11: Take it to the Bridge @ The Globe, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free.

Thu 12: Indigo Jazz Voices @ The Globe, Newcastle. 7:45pm. £5.00.

Fri 13: Noel Dennis Quartet @ Bishop Auckland Methodist Church. 1:00pm . £9.00. Dennis (trumpet, flugelhorn); Rick Laughlin (piano); Mick Shoulder (double bass); Tim Johnston (drums).
Fri 13: Joe Steels @ Jesmond Library, Newcastle. 1:00pm. £5.00.
Fri 13: Classic Swing @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 13: Rendezvous Jazz @ The Monkseaton Arms. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 13: New Orleans Preservation Jazz Band @ The Oxbridge Hotel, Stockton. 1:00pm. £5.00.
Fri 13: Castillo Nuevo Trio @ Hotel Gotham, Newcastle. 5:30pm. Free.
Fri 13: Lindsay Hannon: Tom Waits for No Man @ Arc, Stockton. 8:00pm.
Fri 13: Tom Remon & John Moriarty @ The Ship Isis, Silksworth Row, Sunderland SR1 3QJ. 7:00pm. £10.00 + £1.00 bf.

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

Monday, February 28, 2011

Alex Welsh photo details wanted.

Alan Rudd sent me this photo of the Alex Welsh Band taken, he thinks in the early '70s, at a local (north east) venue. Alan isn't sure of the complete line-up and would like some help as to trombone, banjo, date and location. Trombone - ? Bass - Harvey Weston Cornet - Alex Welsh Drums - Lennie Hastings Saxes - Al Gay ? Banjo - ? Piano - Fred Hunt. Can anyone help? Lance.

10 comments :

Lance said...

The vibes down front indicate that it might be Roger Nobes on drums.

John T said...

The unmistakable Jim Douglas is the banjo/gtr.
Trombone the late, great Campbell Burnap.

Roly said...

I heard a great Welsh concert at The County, opposite Central Station. Not sure of date - late
70s or early 80s maybe. It included Roy Williams, John Barnes, Fred Hunt, Jim Douglas.
A wonderful band and the stuff of British jazz legend.
Those Welsh/Hunt duets were sublime.
The late Randolph Heads was a big fan and knew them all, had all the albums etc.
There was the story of the band going into BBC through security and a security guard asking who they were. It's the Alex Welsh Band said an indignant Alex - oh I need some ID Mr Welshband said the guard.
Roly

Ann Alex said...

Roly, from Ann Alex
I'm at home laughing out loud at your story. It's 11.20 at night and I think the neighbours will apply to have me sectioned shortly!

carstairs said...

OOyah! OOyah! It's not Lennie on the drums. Roger Nobes
Campbell on tromb; Jim Douglas g; Al Gay Tenor; Alex playing a King MASTER cornet - maybe the one Wild Bill gave him?
I used to go to the Fishmonger's Arms in Wood Green on Sunday Nights in the days when Roy Crimmins played trombone. Great player but when Roy Williams took over ........

Ken said...

I think that this picture was taken in the late 70's or early 80's during the last years of the Welsh Band - the line up is Campbell Burnap (trombone), Jim Douglas (guitar), Alex, Roger Nobes(drums), Al Gay (saxes/clarinet), Pete Skivington (bass guitar) and Fred Hunt (piano).

terry said...

obviousley Alex on cornet,Jim Douglas on guitar and wthout a doubt the great Al Gay on sax and clarinet.Can anyone tell me the wherabouts of Al,we were friends with him for some years but lost contact,just sending christmas cards,this year the post office returned my new years card that I sent him marked gone away.My greatest fears are that he is no longer with us.Does anyone know?
Terry

Lionel Leighton said...

I would also like to know the wherabouts of Al Gay. He's my cousin and I haven't been in contact since I spoke to him on the phone when my mother died (his aunt Lilian)in 1979. The last I knew he was in Flitwick nr. Luton Befordshire. Al Gay wasn't his birth name. It was Albert Goldstein.

Lionel Leighton

Anonymous said...

!FISHMONGERS c1960...BIG AL...but wasnt alex a tuesday man...along with alternatives sandy brown and bruce turner...great club...shame ken colyer wasnt a regular...enter tottenham jazz club...mike cotton...good then...

Wayne1963 said...

Can anyone tell the reason, or meaning behind the shouts of "OOyah! OOyah!" (If there is one)

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