Bebop Spoken There

Christian McBride: ''We knew back in the day that Emmet [Cohen] had it.'' (DownBeat July, 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

18699 (and counting) posts since we started blogging 18 years ago. 573 of them this year alone and, so far this month (July 11) 27

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

From This Moment On

July

Tue 14: Vieux Carre Hot 4 @ Victoria & Albert Inn, Seaton Delaval. 12:30pm. £15.00 (reservations: 0191 237 3697). ‘July Jazz Barbecue!’
Tue 14: Crook Little Brass Bash @ Crook Community Centre. 6:00-8:00pm. Free. Durham Brass Festival. Multi-bill of street brass bands.
Tue 14: Barnard Castle Little Brass Bash @ The Witham, Barnard Castle. 6:00-8:00pm. Free. Durham Brass Festival. Multi-bill of street brass bands.
Tue 14: Nomade Swing: Dos Guitars Trio @ Newcastle House Hotel, Rothbury. 7:30pm. £11.00. Tickets from Tully’s, Rothbury. Luco Allievi, Alessandro Brizio, Mariano Gallizio. ‘A Journey Through Swing, Gypsy Jazz, Soul & Pop’.
Tue 14: Jazz Jam Sandwich @ Newcastle Arts Centre. 7:30pm. Free.

Wed 15: Vieux Carré Hot 4 @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Wed 15: Willington Big Brass Bash @ Town Park, Willington. 6:00-9:00pm. Free. Durham Brass Festival. Multi-bill of street brass bands.
Wed 15: Nomade Swing: Dos Guitars Trio @ Café Needle’s Eye, Promenade, Newbiggin-by-the-Sea NE64 6XE. 6:00pm. Free. Luco Allievi, Alessandro Brizio, Mariano Gallizio. ‘A Journey Through Swing, Gypsy Jazz, Soul & Pop’.
Wed 15: Darlington Big Band @ Darlington & Simpson Rolling Mills Social Club, Darlington. 7:00pm. Free. Rehearsal session (open to the public).
Wed 15: Take it to the Bridge @ The Globe, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free.
Wed 15: Side Café Orkestar @ The Cumberland Arms, Byker, Newcastle. 7:30pm. £15.00 (£11.00. adv.); £12.00 concs (£8.00. concs adv.).

Thu 16: Vieux Carré Hot 4 @ The Millstone, Mill Rise, South Gosforth, Newcastle. 1:00pm. Free.
Thu 16: Spennymoor Big Brash Bash @ Jubilee Park, Spennymoor. 6:00-9:00pm. Free. Durham Brass Festival. Multi-bill of street brass bands.
Thu 16: Coxhoe Little Brass Bash @ Village Green (Pit Wheel). 6:00-8:00pm. Free. Durham Brass Festival. Multi-bill of street brass bands.
Thu 16: Nomade Swing: Dos Guitars Trio @ Lollo Rosso, Morpeth. 7:30pm. Free. Luco Allievi, Alessandro Brizio, Mariano Gallizio. ‘A Journey Through Swing, Gypsy Jazz, Soul & Pop’.
Thu 16: Stevie Jay Duo @ Newcastle Arts Centre. 7:30pm. Free. Julija Jacenaite & Steve Glendinning.
Thu 16: DK Harrell @ The Cluny, Newcastle. 7:30pm (doors). £20.00 + bf. USA blues.
Thu 16: Paul Skerritt @ Angels' Share, St George's Terrace, Jesmond, Newcastle NE2 2SX. 8:00pm. Free. Booking advised (0191 200 1975). Skerritt w. backing tapes.

Fri 17: Mejedi Owusu w. Francis Tulip Trio @ The Lit & Phil, Newcastle. 1:00pm. SOLD OUT!
Fri 17: Classic Swing @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 17: Rendezvous Jazz @ The Monkseaton Arms. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 17: New Orleans Preservation Jazz Band @ The Oxbridge Hotel, Stockton. 1:00pm. £5.00.
Fri 17: Seaham Big Brass Bash @ Terrace Green, Seaham. 6:00-9:00pm. Free. Durham Brass Festival. Multi-bill of street brass bands.
Fri 17: Newton Aycliffe Big Brass Bash @ Town Park, Newton Aycliffe. 6:00-9:00pm. Free. Durham Brass Festival. Multi-bill of street brass bands.
Fri 17: Ray Stubbs R&B Allstars @ Billy Bootleggers, Ouseburn, Newcastle. 7:00pm. Free.
Fri 17: Mejedi Owusu w. Francis Tulip Trio @ Sunderland Minster. 7:30pm. Old Black Cat Jazz Club.
Fri 17: Zoë Gilby Quartet @ St Cuthbert’s Centre, Crook. 7:30pm.
Fri 17: Nomade Swing: Dos Guitars Trio @ Repas 7 by Night, Berwick. 8:00pm. Free. Lollo Rosso, Morpeth. 8:00pm. Luco Allievi, Alessandro Brizio, Mariano Gallizio. ‘A Journey Through Swing, Gypsy Jazz, Soul & Pop’.

Sat 18: Streets of Brass @ Market Place, Durham City. 10:00am-4:00pm. Free. Durham Brass Festival. Multi-bill of street brass bands.
Sat 18: Brass Boat Cruise @ Boathouse, Elvet Bridge Jetty, Durham City. Departures at 10:30am, 12 noon, 1:30pm, 3:00pm. £12.00., £10.00., £5.00 (all prices + bf). Durham Brass Festival. Various bands.
Sat 18: Party in the Park @ Wharton Park, Durham City. 5:00-9:00pm. Free. Durham Brass Festival. Multi-bill of street brass bands. Entrance o/s Durham Railway Station (Northbound platform).
Sat 18: Zoë Gilby & Dean Stockdale @ FIKA Art Gallery, Morpeth. 6:30pm.
Sat 18: Mejedi Owusu w. Francis Tulip Trio @ Claypath Deli, Durham. 7:00-9:00pm. £10.00.
Sat 18: Tyne Valley Big Band + Revolutionaires @ Pelton Community Centre. 7:00pm. A Durham Brass Festival event.
Sat 18: Dale Storr @ The Straw Yard, The Barracks, Berwick. 7:30pm. £15.38. Solo piano.
Sat 18: Nomade Swing: Dos Guitars Trio @ Red Lion Inn, Alnmouth. 8:30pm. Free. Lollo Rosso, Morpeth. 8:00pm. Luco Allievi, Alessandro Brizio, Mariano Gallizio. ‘A Journey Through Swing, Gypsy Jazz, Soul & Pop’.

Sun 19: Brass Boat Cruise @ Boathouse, Elvet Bridge Jetty, Durham City. Departures at 10:30am, 12 noon, 1:30pm, 3:00pm. £12.00., £10.00., £5.00 (all prices + bf). Durham Brass Festival. Various bands.
Sun 19: Jacob Egglestone Trio @ The Bandstand, The Sele, Hexham. 12 noon. Free.
Sun 19: Tyne Valley Big Band @ Bishop Auckland Town hall. 2:00pm. £7.00 (inc. bf). A Durham Brass Festival event.
Sun 19: Paul Skerritt @ Hibou Blanc, Newcastle. 2:00pm. Free. Table reservations (0191 261 8000). Skerritt w. backing tapes.
Sun 19: Michael Young Trio @ Engine Room, Sunderland. 2:30pm. Free.
Sun 19: Mejedi Owusu w. Francis Tulip Trio @ Queen’s Hall, Hexham. 3:00pm.
Sun 19: SwanNek @ The Bandstand, The Sele, Hexham. 2:00pm. Free.
Sun 19: Nomade Swing: Dos Guitars Trio @ Twelve 06, High St., Newbiggin-by-the-Sea NE64 6DR. 3:00pm. Free. Luco Allievi, Alessandro Brizio, Mariano Gallizio. ‘A Journey Through Swing, Gypsy Jazz, Soul & Pop’.
Sun 19: 4B @ The Ticket Office, Whitley Bay. 3:00pm. Free.
Sun 19: Castillo Nuevo Trio @ Hotel Gotham, Newcastle. 5:30pm. Free.
Sun 19: Dale Storr: The Sounds of New Orleans @ The Globe, Newcastle. 8:00pm. Solo piano. POSTPONED!

Mon 20: Friends of Jazz @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Mon 20: Mejedi Owusu w. Francis Tulip Trio @ The Black Bull, Blaydon. 8:00pm. £10.00.

Friday, January 25, 2013

Farewell Ray Chester


One of the north east's most respected musicians passed away this morning surrounded by his devoted family.
Ray Chester was a renowned north east band-leader  trombonist, trumpet player, pianist, educator and arranger. As a leader his band won several prestigious awards whilst as a player he enhanced many bands with his smooth trombone playing. I last met him at the funeral of his frequent musical collaborator Stan Coates. Wheelchair bound he looked vulnerable and frail but still managed to chat with those he knew - which meant everyone.
Will be much missed.
Website.
Funeral details to follow. Thanks to Mia Webb for passing on the sad news.
Lance.
PS: I came across this report from 2002 of Ray's success in the BBC's Big Band Competition.

10 comments :

Steve Andrews said...

A lovely man and a great musician. He will be much missed.

Anonymous said...

Very sad to hear this. Ray was a lovely man.
He brought his superb big band to Blaydon in October 2011 and everyone loved it, the way he presented it, the whole thing was a joy.
Roly

Anne DeVere said...

Very sad to hear this. I phoned Ray about 6 weeks ago and he sounded good but I was concerned when he told me he was having carers in 3 times per day and to help him to bed. I had known Ray for a long time as well as his wife Joan, who was an amazing woman and very supportive of Ray in his musical career.
She worked full time so that he could go to College full time to obtain his qualifications. He was an excellent arranger--probably his best talent! He provided years of work for local musos as well as vocalists including myself. He had a lovely family who will be extremely distressed--they looked after him as much as possible.
He had a problem with 'clumsiness' which was well known--on one gig he (1) knocked over my drink (2) knocked over his own pint all over the pad on the floor (3) the stand for the keyboard which was converted from Joan's old ironing board, collapsed! and as it was Xmas and very large trees were stationed at each side of the stage, the drummer hissed at me ''for Gawds sake keep him away from the b......y trees!!
I could give you many more stories like these which have kept us entertained over the years but I was very grateful that Ray gave me work when I really needed the gigs when my son was young. He will be sorely missed--his big band was very popular and his enthusiasm and knowledge was outstanding.
Anne DeVere
P.S. Please no more we are getting scared!!

Mia Webb said...

I am in mourning. My Musical Director, Arranger, Big Band Leader and personal friend Ray Chester passed away this morning. When I got the news at 4.13 this morning I was OK but after speaking to and sending messages to the few musicians I have in my library I am feeling very teary. I cannot comprehend how his family is coping. I watched the BBC4 proms with John Williams tonight which was a repeat. First time round Ray rang me to see if I was watching it - weird really. Ray and I used to buy each other tickets for our birthdays to see various concerts at the Sage. How I will miss those "nights out". God Bless you Ray. Let perpetual light shine upon you and may you rest in peace. Your Songbird M xxx

Anonymous said...

Many thanks for all your lovely tributes to my dad.

They're very much appreciated by me and all of the family.

Ian Chester

Andy Hudson said...

Ray was a fine player, soloist and great asset to tighten up the Trombone section. On many occasions he played with the Newcastle Big Band, and his scholarly approach to precision brightened up the powerful sound of an often 4 instrument section.
I was saddened to hear of his passing. The last time I heard him play was a few years ago when we put a private little gig together at the Baltic to celebrate Sting's music award.
He was quipping, grinning and enjoying being a consumate "Team" player. My sympathies to his family.

Andy Hudson

Scott Adair said...

So very sad to hear the news about Ray,a lovely man who gave so much to the music scene here in the North East.
I spent some time talking with him last year at the Corner House after i had played in the Mike Gilbey tribute night. I thoroughly enjoyed his company and we had a good laugh going through some memories and stories from over the years.He will be missed by us all.
My sympathies to his family.

Scott Adair

Jim and Valerie McDowell said...

My wife and I were fortunate to work at Reyrolle's of Hebburn in the 1960's and got to know Ray a multi talented musician with a very pleasant personality.
Sorry to hear of his passing.
Jim and Valerie Mcdowell

Erik Strodl said...

If you would like to know more about Ray's work and leave a tribute.....his website is here...
http://51958003.gb.strato-hosting.eu/RCBB/

copy and paste this in your address bar
If you missed Ray's ceremony you can read about it too.
Our thoughts are with Ray's family at this very sad time.

Lez_D said...

Ray Chester was one of my comprehensive school teachers and I also went along to his Saturday morning music sessions in Shields. I am told my biological father was in the Ray Chester Big Band many years ago - played drums, but no contact since I was around 5. I have fond memoried of Ray and he tolerated my flute and saxaphone efforts remarkably well !

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