April 2025.
Thu 10: Indigo Jazz Voices @ The Globe, Newcastle. 7:45pm. £5.00.CANCELLED!
Thu 10: Magpies of Swing @ The Globe, Newcastle. 8:00pm. £12.00., £10.00., £7.00. A Globe fundraiser (all proceeds to the venue).
Thu 10: Exhaust: Camila Nebbia/Kit Downes/Andrew Lisle @ Jesmond URC, Newcastle. 8:00pm (7:30pm doors). £13.20., £11.00. JNE.
Thu 10: Jeremy McMurray & the Pocket Jazz Orchestra @ Arc, Stockton. 8:00pm. Feat. guests Ray Dales & Jackie Summers.
Fri 11: Zoë Gilby Quartet @ Auckland Castle, Bishop Auckland. 1:00pm. £8.00.
Fri 11: Classic Swing @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 11: Rendezvous Jazz @ The Monkseaton Arms. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 11: New Orleans Preservation Jazz Band @ The Oxbridge Hotel, Stockton. 1:00pm. £5.00.
Fri 11: John Rowland Trio: The Music of Ben Webster @ Jesmond Library, Newcastle. 1:00pm. £5.00. Rowland (tenor sax); Alan Law (piano); Paul Grainger (double bass).
Fri 11: Imelda May @ The Fire Station, Sunderland. 7:30pm. SOLD OUT!
Fri 11: Shunyata Improvisation Group @ Cullercoats Watch House. 7:30-9:00pm. Free (donations).
Sat 12: Jason Isaacs @ STACK, Seaburn. 3:30-5:30pm. Free. Vocalist Isaacs working with backing tapes.
Sat 12: Rob Heron & the Tea Pad Orchestra + House of the Black Gardenia + King Bees @ Cluny 2, Newcastle. 6:30pm (doors). £18.00.
Sat 12: Bright Street Big Band @ Washington Arts Centre. 6:30pm. £12.00. Event includes swing dance taster session, DJ dance session. Bright Street Big Band on stage 7:30-8:15pm & 8:45-9:30pm. SOLD OUT!
Sat 12: Milne Glendinning Band @ The Vault, Darlington. 7:00pm. Free.
Sat 12: Imelda May @ The Glasshouse, Gateshead. 7:30pm. £42.20. SOLD OUT!
Sat 12: Papa G’s Troves @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 8:00pm. Free. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig.
Sun 13: Daniel John Martin with Swing Manouche @ Central Bar, Gateshead. 2:00pm. £10.00.
Sun 13: Paul Skerritt @ Hibou Blanc, Newcastle. 2:00pm. Free. Vocalist Skerritt working with backing tapes.
Sun 13: Hejira: A Celebration of Joni Mitchell @ Wylam Brewery, Newcastle. 8:00pm (7:00pm doors). £22.50.
Sun 13: Wilkinson/Edwards/Noble + Chojnacki @ The Globe, Newcastle. 8:00pm. £13.20., £11.00. JNE.
Mon 14: Harmony Brass @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Mon 14: Zoë Gilby Quintet @ The Black Bull, Blaydon. 8:00pm. £10.00.
Tue 15: Jam session @ The Black Swan, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free. House trio: Michael Young, Paul Grainger, Abbie Finn.
Wed 16: Vieux Carré Jazzmen @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Wed 16: Darlington Big Band @ Darlington & Simpson Rolling Mills Social Club, Darlington. 7:00pm. Free. Rehearsal session (open to the public).
Wed 16: Take it to the Bridge @ The Globe, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free. CANCELLED!
10 comments :
A lovely man and a great musician. He will be much missed.
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
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!!
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
Many thanks for all your lovely tributes to my dad.
They're very much appreciated by me and all of the family.
Ian Chester
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
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
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
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.
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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