Met up with James Carr this lunchtime at The Porthole, North Shields. James is the son of legendary (North East and far beyond) trumpet player Bobby Carr.We chatted about his dad as, although only 10 when Bobby died, James remembers him vividly
As indeed we all do.
Just about all the band, and a few of the customers, knew Bobby - had played gigs with him - and were a font of memories. One story centred around an argument between Bobby and a pianist at the Oxford Galleries.
It had almost come to blows 'cept Bobby didn't want a busted lip so he kept his hands in front of his mouth and the pianoman didn't want to damage his hands so he kept them behind his back! I don't think anyone was hurt apart from the Oxford Book of Everyday English Usage - if such a book exists!
James showed me certificates of Bobby winning trumpet awards with the Ronnie Callaghan Octet in the annual Melody Maker Dance Band Contests (1952/53) plus photos with Norman Wisdom at a Royal Command Show and many more.
James plans to scan me these items so watch this space. He was, needless to say, overwhelmed that so many people remembered and spoke so highly of his dad.
Lance.
PS:Can anyone remember who was with Bobby that fateful winter night when he suffered a heart attack pushing the car in the snow at Peterlee?
PPS:Who is/was the artist "BN" who sketched Bobby in 1974?
5 comments :
As I recall, it was the late tenor player, Eric Pollard who was with Bobby when he died. somewhere down near Peterlee, I think.
As I recall,this was in late 1979 or early 1980 and Bobby was working for the alto player Cecil Strain.Cecil lived in Washington and ran a 5/6 piece busking band which worked regularly at Easington club which is where they were probably making for that night.I had worked for Cecil for some time and had recently left the band.I don't know if he was travelling with Bobby or separately.I can't remember Eric in the band but I think the piano player was possibly called Donnelly
This is probably a bit late as I only came across this website today.I must have been only about 21 or 22 when I first came across Bobby at the Rex Hotel Whitley Bay. This would be middle 60's. Sunday night was jazz night upstairs in a back room somewhere. First thing to say is that he was every bit as good as all the tributes say (and better) Bobby was a world class jazzman and consumate musician.
I was star struck !!!! and the rest of the band were top class too. I remember Sid Warren (tnr), Jackie Denton (drms),Derek Dixon (bs), Jimmie Willets or Alistair Atkinson or Jack Sheldon (pno). Sometimes Arthur Mowatt on alto or vibes and Dave Murphy on bass. Jackie was so loud that when he went to London you could still hear him. I think "popeye" Billy Young took the chair after that.
Every Sunday I would be there early watching them set up and chatting with them. One night the bass player didn't turn up and Bobby came to me and asked if would be able to play bass on the guitar. Well I didn't need asking twice and after that night I was able to play with them every Sunday. I remember most of them were not keen on having a young raw guitarist messing things up but Bobby was my champion and persuaded them. He said "let him play and if he doesn't know what to do he will just shut up". And so it was we became friends and I got to play in the best band of the day with his mentorship ( well him and Jimmie Willets).
My memory is a bit hazy but I think at the time he lived with his wife the former Liz Brown in a downstairs flat in Queen Alexander Road North Shields. I have a memory that they were always short of money and my wife and I would occasionally visit and be sure to bring lots of food with us. He was the most open and generous guy and always keen to help young musicians like myself. Of course he was also a bit of a "Jack the Lad" and all those stories are true for sure but when he picked up that trumpet he became almost godlike.
I too was regular at the Wheatsheaf in New York and I remember one Thursday Bobby came in quite late in the evening and sat at the back far away from the band. (I remember Hughie and Leo from those days). He opened the case and got out the trumpet, patiently waiting while all us amateurs did our bit. When he began to play it was almost magical. It was said of Django Rheinhardt that he was incapable of playing a bad note. Well........Bobby was another one like that. I am 70 yrs old now and he remains one the most important people to have been in my life. A true legend....RIP Bobby Carr Trumpet Player
Mike, for more on Bobby Carr and other north east legends go to the RH column and Pages then click on "Memories of Jazz in the North East".
Thanks Lance. Can you find out if anyone remembers Jimmie Willets. He would dep on piano sometimes at the Rex and he taught me a lot. We did some gigs together and would practice at the Black Horse Monkseaton. His family had a business on the fish quay in North Shields
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