I received the following sad news this morning:
"Hi Lance. You may have already heard but Kevin Savin died yesterday (May 12) in Spain. He moved there when he retired some years ago and had spent the last few weeks in a hospice. Kevin was a really good banjo player and played with the Bill Croft Jazzmen during the 1950's before having short spells with various other bands. Unfortunately his committments with his day-time job prevented him from playing on a regular basis, but he never lost interest in the music. He will be sadly missed by all his friends in the UK.
Gordon."
This is indeed sad news. although I'd lost touch with Kevin over the years I have a vivid memory - no 'vivid' isn't the right word, substitute 'hazy' - travelling through France to Northern Spain in Kevin's Caravette destination the San Sebastian Jazz Festival. Kevin did the driving whilst Charlie Carmichael, Ronnie Young and I did the drinking. We'd stop off at French villages to replenish our stocks of food and wine (mainly wine). Although, because he was driving, Kevin was forced to abstain it nevertheless didn't stop him from sharing the laughs and joining in the fun we had along the way.
Lance.
For the past seventeen years we've been updating the world about jazz in the north east of England and updating the north east of England about jazz in the world. WINNER of the Jazz Media Category in the 2018 All Party Parliamentary Jazz Awards. Contact lanceliddle@gmail.com
Total Pageviews
Bebop Spoken There
Sullivan Fortner: ''I always judge it by the bass player: If the bass player is happy, it's going to be a good night". (DownBeat, February 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
17805 (and counting) posts since we started blogging 17 years ago. 126 of them this year alone and, so far, 51 this month (Feb.16).
From This Moment On ...
February 2025
Mon 24: Harmony Brass @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Mon 24: Michael Young Trio @ The Engine Room, Sunderland. 6:30pm. Free.
Tue 25: ?
Wed 26: Vieux Carré Jazzmen @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Wed 26: Darlington Big Band @ Darlington & Simpson Rolling Mills Social Club, Darlington. 7:00pm. Free. Rehearsal session (open to the public).
Wed 26: Take it to the Bridge @ The Globe, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free.
Thu 27: Jamie McCredie @ The Globe, Newcastle. 8:00pm.
Fri 28: Classic Swing @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free. THIS WEEK ONLY JAMES BIRKETT (guitar)!
Fri 28: Luis Verde Quartet @ The Gala, Durham. 1:00pm. £8.00. SOLD OUT!
Fri 28: Spilt Milk @ St. James’ STACK, Newcastle. 7:00-9:00pm. Free. Nolan Brothers (vocal harmonies).
Fri 28: Castillo Nuevo Orquesta @ Pilgrim, Newcastle. 7:30pm (doors). £8.00.
Fri 28: Knats @ Lubber Fiend, Newcastle. 7:30pm. £11.50. (inc bf.). Album launch gig. Support act TBC.
Fri 28: Black is the Color of My Voice @ The Gala, Durham. 7:30pm. Apphia Campbell’s one-woman show inspired by the life of Nina Simone, performed by Florence Odumosu.
Fri 28: Great North Big Band Jazz Festival: Musicians Unlimited @ Park View Community Centre, Chester-le-Street. 8:00pm. £10.00. (Weekend ticket £20.00., available on the door). Day 1/3. Musicians Unlimited in concert.
Fri 28: Redwell @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 8:00pm. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig.
MARCH 2025
Sat 01: Great North Big Band Jazz Festival @ Park View Community Centre, Chester-le-Street. 11:00am. £15.00. Day 2/3.
Sat 01: TJ Johnson Band @ St Augustine’s Parish Centre, Darlington. 12:30pm. £10.00.
Sat 01: Play Jazz! workshop @ The Globe, Newcastle. 1:30pm. £25.00. Tutor: Steve Glendinning. Get your funk on! Enrol at: learning@jazz.coop.
Sat 01: Shunyata Improvisation Group @ The Watch House, Cullercoats. 2:00-3:30pm. Free.
Sat 01: Ray Stubbs R&B All Stars @ Billy Bootleggers. Ouseburn, Newcastle. 4:00pm. Free.
Sat 01: Lapwing Jazz Trio @ Three Sheets to the Wind, Alnwick. 5:15pm or 5:45pm (times tbc). Part of the Alnwick Story Festival's music fringe programme: Free.
Sat 01: Struggle Buggy @ The Peacock, Sunderland. 6:00pm. Blues band.
Sat 01: Edison Herbert Trio @ The Vault, Darlington 7:00pm. Free.
Sat 01: Joseph O’Brien: The Ultimate Tribute to Frank Sinatra @ Fire Station, Sunderland. 7:30pm. O’Brien & seven piece band (inc. Wendy Kirkland, Jim Corry & Pat Sprakes).
Sat 01: Rendezvous Jazz @ Red Lion, Earsdon. 8:00pm. £3.00.
Sat 01: Jack & Jay’s Vintage Songbook @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 8:00pm. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig.
Sun 02: Great North Big Band Jazz Festival @ Park View Community Centre, Chester-le-Street. 11:00am. £10.00. Day 3/3.
Sun 02: Smokin’ Spitfires @ The Cluny, Newcastle. 12:45pm. £7.50.
Sun 02: Nauta @ Central Bar, Gateshead. 2:00pm. £10.00.
Sun 02: Sax Choir @ The Globe, Newcastle. 2:00pm. Free (donations).
Sun 02: Side Café Orkestar @ Café Under the Spire, Derwentwater Road, Gateshead. 2:00pm. Free.
Sun 02: 4B @ The Ticket Office, Whitley Bay. 3:00pm. Free.
Sun 02: Milne Glendinning Band @ The White Room, Stanley. 6:30pm.
Sun 02: Bella by Barlight @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 8:00pm. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig.
Sun 02: Ali Watson Quartet @ The Globe, Newcastle. 8:00pm.
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
Friday, May 13, 2011
Subscribe to:
Post Comments
(
Atom
)
Blog Archive
-
▼
2011
(
899
)
-
▼
May
(
79
)
- What a Swell Party This Was - celebrating Lily Vei...
- Joan Marron
- Martin Taylor News.
- Mikolaj Trzaska Trio @ The Bridge Hotel.May 29th
- Birthday Bash at Blaydon Tonight
- The Budtones @The Jazz Cafe - Saturday 28th May
- Scottish Jazz Awards
- Bard Lives.
- Melody Maker 1926
- Django Bates' Beloved Bird @ The Sage, Gateshead.
- Skywalkin' @ The Central Bar, Gateshead.
- Tommorrow - an Evening of Contrast
- Next Friday at the Saville Exchange.
- The Wigan International Jazz Festival
- Strictly Smokin' Big Band @ The Punchbowl,Jesmond....
- If you happen to be in Barbados - David Carnegie u...
- Maine St. Jazzmen @ Rosie's.
- A Tale of Two Venues - Tommaso Starace Quartet @ (...
- Emma Wilson Broadcast this Sunday
- Erin Dickins Interviewed - A Bebop Spoken Here Exc...
- Important Announcement - Tommasso Starace Quartet ...
- Marianne Faithfull @ The Sage, Gateshead.
- Tonight at The Sage.
- Singers Night - Sheer Delight - Splinter @ The Bri...
- Tonight at The Bridge Hotel, Newcastle
- The End of The World is Nigh.
- Tommaso Starace - amended details.
- R.I.P. Kathy Kirby
- The Impossible Gentlemen
- Maine Street Jazzmen @ Rosie Malone's
- Erin Dickins Nice Girls Don't Stay for Breakfast
- Sandi to play Birmingham.
- Ashington News
- Extra Special Concert @ Blaydon
- Parliament Gets It Right.
- Paul Edis Trio at The Cherry Tree, Monday 16th. Ma...
- River City Jazzmen Query
- RIP Bob Flanigan
- Tonight
- Hannabiell and Midnight Blue @ The Bridge
- Jazz Café Jumps.
- Highlights Of The Victoria Jazz Band at Discovery ...
- From the Jazz Band Ball to the Mambo Inn at Rosie'...
- For David Stephenson
- Hot Antics Pull The Punters @ The Legion.
- New Century News.
- SNAFU
- HOT ANTIC JAZZ BAND Weekend starting tonight
- R.I.P. Kevin Savin
- Alan Wilkinson & the Bergen Connection @ Central B...
- Frank Zappa - I'm a bandleader.
- Vieux Carré Jazzmen @ St Nicks.
- Jazz on 3 Wins Sony Award.
- R.I.P. Alfie Hind
- Frith St. @ The Cherry Tree Restaurant, Jesmond.
- CLARE TEAL ON WOMANS HOUR
- The New Mastersounds
- Special Night @ The Cherry Tree Tonight!
- Splinter Super Subs @ The Bridge.
- Little Mo Band @ Central Bar, Gateshead.
- Maine Street Jazzmen @ Ashington Jazz Club May 4
- News From Neds - "The Kid" Retires.
- An Evening with the Barnharts and Friends. Trinity...
- Michael Janisch's Paradigm Quintet @ The Lit and P...
- Jazz and Jam @ Offshore 44.
- Student Performances @ King's Hall, Newcastle Univ...
- Maine Street Jazzmen (more or less) @ Rosies.
- Offshore 44 is the place to be tonight
- Hartlepool Big Band Sessions Resume.
- Customs House Big Band - Open Rehearsal @ New Crow...
- Michael Janisch's Paradigm Shift Concept this Frid...
- Madeleine Peyroux @ The Sage, Gateshead. Monday Ma...
- Extreme Measures @ The Bridge Hotel. May 1st
- Another Wedding!
- A chance to bid farewell to David Carnegie - Thurs...
- Jazz Rascals launch CD @ Barn Asia
- Jazz Café Jam Session.
- Madeleine Peyroux @ The Sage Tomorrow night (May 2)
- Fiddles on Fire This afternoon
-
▼
May
(
79
)
5 comments :
Hi Lance,
Very sorry to hear this news, it was Kevin who send me a letter, a couple of years ago now, along with my fathers original Besson trumpet, that I have had restored and use, then I had another letter saying he was going to move to Spain.
I will always remember Kevin with Peter Gascoigne and The Vieux Carre Jazzmen,at the Corner House in the very early 80's, and Kevin playing with that smile on his face and Peter telling the audience that he beams like a very bright lighthouse...
God Bless Him...
Colin Aitchison
Hong Kong
I remember his laugh full toned, hearty and loud - it could drown out the band!
A very nice man! I played with him in the Savoy Jazzmen in Durham in 1973/74 at the Redhills Hotel. He was always laughing at something. He only occasionally took a banjo solo (being a gentleman) but very often broke a string when he did - possibly due to the rest of the band turning round to him and chanting in rhythmic fashion "break-a-string, break-a-string, break-a-string......" in time with the solo.
I'm very sorry to hear of his passing.
I fondly remember the campervan trip to San Sebastian and Kevin's incredibly loud laugh.
Having been follicle challenged since an early age, he rejoiced in his role in the Big Band audience as "The North Shields Lighthouse" when I would use the lights glinting on his shiny pate as a reference point for navigating around that crowded University Theatre Bar. (I can't remember who the South Shields Lighthouse was - but there was another chap who always stood at the other side near the door),
Ref Kevin - just close your eyes and you see that big smiley face and just wait for the roaring laugh.
RIP Kevin.
Sorry this is a very belated comment, I am a Welshman who ended up working in Darlington. I met a Kevin Savin who I think was a mobile accountant going to firms / businesses in the area. We started to drink together and he introduced me to Newcastle Brown Ale. He invited me to a club near the arched bridge in Newcastle, to my surprise he appeared on stage playing a banjo, I had a very memorable time the like of which has stayed with me to this day. The man I knew fits the description in your blogs to a tee. If it his him his memory will live on with me until my passing. I am going to put my email on this communication in the hope somebody will confirm his type of employment and maybe a photograph. I have other stories about my trip to Newcastle which show what a lively lad he was.
Carl Bigmore. Newport South Wales. clbigmore@btinternet.com
Post a Comment