(Obituary by Lance)
Just heard the sad news that saxophone player Stan Coates died on Monday evening.Stan was a well respected sax player, arranger and educator. I recall him as Director of Music (or some similar title) for South Tyneside Council.
Although perhaps best known as a baritone sax player, when I first met him he was playing alto doubling violin at the New Crown Hotel in South Shields where he played on a Sunday evening with Eddie Tindle's Band. I was playing in one of the hotel's lesser rooms but, during the break, he would come through (slumming) and we'd chat about mouthpieces and reeds - all those things that sax players talk about. Through this I got to know him quite well. Later, when I worked in a Newcastle music store (J.G.Windows) I had further dealings with him and always found him easy to get along with.
Although he played in many bands his most enduring association was with Ray Chester in whose band, for many years, he held down the baritone chair. Stan also had a fruitful association with George Evans when the former Geraldo tenor player returned to Newcastle.
In recent years Stan organised his own big band often making trips to London to acquire new arrangements. The loss of his wife Pat - was it last year? - saw his own health deteriorating and he spent his latter days in a nursing home.
A musician and a gentleman Stan Coates will be sadly missed.
Lance.
PS: There are many musicians out there who knew Stan better than I did who may like to contribute there own memories.
PPS: Here's the photo of Jos Q, with Harry Atkinson (t), Sid Warren, Stan, Ken Treacher (sax), Albert Hayward (b) and Dawson Hakin (d) - Carstairs.
PPS: Here's the photo of Jos Q, with Harry Atkinson (t), Sid Warren, Stan, Ken Treacher (sax), Albert Hayward (b) and Dawson Hakin (d) - Carstairs.
9 comments :
Very upset to hear about Stan. He was a thoroughly nice man with a wicked sense of humour. I worked with him many times over the years and enjoyed his wry comments. When a certain bandleader employed me,he proceeded to do all the singing himself and Stan said with a twinkle -- 'you realise you were paid £6 per song tonight'! He was meticulous in melody but had a bit of a problem if you improvised.He loved singers and the songs of the greats and was well up with new talent. When 'incidents' occurred Stan would lean forward from the far left of the sax section and look at me at the far right on the vocalist's chair with a raised eyebrow. It became difficult to sing when it was my 'turn'. He had a ladies garter around the bell of his baritone lol.
How many more old friends are we going to lose?
I played my first ever "proper" gig for Eddie Tindle at the New Crown in 1969 or '70, depping for Stan, who was alternating as Eddie's sax player at that time with the late Tony Myers. Over the years I met him and saw him play in many different bands, and he was always unfailingly kind and helpful. An excellent and knowledgeable saxophonist, and a nice man who will be sorely missed.
I knew Stan for many years, particularly through his encyclopaedic knowledge of dance band music and musicians. He would love to identify musicians in my photograph collection and was highly amused when I found a picture of Jos Q Atkinson's band with him playing tenor ... it was one gig he couldn't remember!
When I formed the Sweet And Hot Orchestra for National Music Day in 1993 he was very supportive. Some time later he passed over a big pile of what he termed "Mickey Mouse stuff" - 1930s to 1950s stock arrangements he had rescued from a number of bands. When I enlarged the band Stan played 4th ( which meant that he had to bring clarinet, alto, tenor and bari, plus flute on occasion ).
Always available with advice, and the odd pithy comment, he brought his own high standards to the band and we enjoyed our forays into Dance Band history. Sadly we never got round to getting his memories and photographs on paper.
The world of music is dimished by his passing.
One of South Shields finest teachers who was responsible for setting hundreds of Stanhope School pupils on the road to a successful career and life. He commanded absolute respect from his charges - he expected nothing but the highest of standards in everything, just as he himself, gave total commitment to his school. Oh how the kids and education today could do with a Stan Coates. An inspirational teacher of the highest order who will be forever remembered in the hearts of so many pupils who owe him so much. Never to be forgotten!
Just attended the funeral and celebration of the life of Stan Coates (Music Advisor) South Tyneside.
One of "the old school" of class teaching and a firm believer that you would only get on in life if you worked hard.
The amount of children he taught and influenced must be colossal....especially those who had a talent for music.He set up the two stage bands that were inaugurated from humble beginnings by the LEA in the mid 70's.
Stan ran his own big band after retiring to keep his interest going... meeting each month in Meadowfield Social Club.
A reunion and tribute concert is being planned for early next year(2013).....TBA....watch press for details
I have just heard of the death of Stan Coates. I was in his 4A class at Stanhope Road Juniors in 1968 and he was the best teacher I ever had, more than that he was a mentor and friend. We kept in touch all those years and my respect and admiration for him never diminished. I went to see him in hospital on 30th September and whilst he looked very frail, the voice, the mind and the sense of humour were very much still intact. A marvelous man and I will miss him terribly. RIP my friend; reunited with Pat.
I recently came across your excellent website and in the course of exploring it discovered the news of the relatively recent passing of Stan Coates.
Your warm tribute to Stan along with those of other friends was exactly as I remember him, although our acquaintanceship was some considerable time ago. I was in my late teens and a friend of Stan's daughter/stepdaughter Jane.
I was brought up in Sunderland but Jane and I played in lots of ensembles, most notably in a wind quintet at the Marine College in Shields of all places! Jane and I Iost contact at the college/ university junction but I would very much like to make contact again not least in the light of her parents passing on.
I am wondering if you or anyone you know may have contact details of Jane or any of Stan's surviving family?
I have just recently retired from a life of music after thirty eight years in the French Horn section of the Orchestra of Welsh National Opera. My surviving family still live in Sunderland but sadly I have lost most of my Geordie musical connections.
If you are able to offer any assistance in my quest I will be more than grateful.
Many congratulations on the sterling job you are obviously doing for jazz in the North East.
Are you the David Shillaw who went to Bede School from 1964 onwards? If you are, I remember you playing the French horn and I think you lived in Nilverton Avenue. Glad to see you kept it up!!!!!
To Steve Andrew Yes you have remembered me correctly....although at the time I lived in Hipsburn Drive. Bede School seems a very long time ago!!
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