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Bebop Spoken There

Steve Coleman: ''If you don't keep learning, your mind slows down. Use it or lose it''. (DownBeat, January 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

17733 (and counting) posts since we started blogging 17 years ago. 53 of them this year alone and, so far, 53 this month (Jan. 20).

From This Moment On ...

January 2025

Wed 22: Vieux Carré Jazzmen @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Wed 22: Take it to the Bridge @ The Globe, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free.
Wed 22: Darlington Big Band @ Darlington & Simpson Rolling Mills Social Club, Darlington. 7:00pm. Free. Rehearsal session (open to the public).
Wed 22: Pasadena Roof Orchestra @ Fire Station, Sunderland. 7:30pm.

Thu 23: Vieux Carré Jazzmen @ The Holystone, Whitley Road, Holystone. 1:00pm. Free. Fortnightly.
Thu 23: Jazz Appreciation North East @ Brunswick Methodist Church, Newcastle NE1 7BJ. 2:00pm. £4.00. Subject: Obituaries 2024.
Thu 23: Jason Isaacs @ St James’ STACK, Newcastle. 4:30-6:30pm. Free. Vocalist Isaacs working with backing tapes.
Thu 23: Pedal Point Trio @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 8:00pm. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig.

Fri 24: Zoë Gilby Quartet @ The Gala, Durham. 1:00pm. SOLD OUT!
Fri 24: Classic Swing @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 24: Rendezvous Jazz @ The Monkseaton Arms. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 24: New Orleans Preservation Jazz Band @ The Oxbridge Hotel, Stockton. 1:00pm. £5.00.
Fri 24: Creakin’ Bones & the Sunday Dinners @ Lindisfarne Social Club, Wallsend. 9:00pm. Admission: TBC. Jazz, blues , jump jive, rock ‘n’ roll.

Sat 25: Boys of Brass @ St James’ STACK, Newcastle. 3:30-5:30pm. Free.
Sat 25: New '58 Jazz Collective @ Jackson's Wharf, Hartlepool. 6:30pm (doors). Free. A Burns' Night event. Jazz, swing, funk, soul, blues etc.
Sat 25: Edison Herbert Trio @ The Vault, Darlington. 7:00pm. Free.
Sat 25: Red Kites Jazz @ Parish Hall, St Barnabas’ Church, Rowlands Gill. 7:30pm. £10.00. BYOB (tea & coffee available), raffle. Proceeds to St Barnabas’ Church. Performance feat. Shayo (vocals).
Sat 25: Jack & Jay’s Songbook @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 8:00pm. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig.

Sun 26: Musicians Unlimited @ Jackson’s Wharf, Hartlepool. 1:00pm. Free.
Sun 26: Graham Hardy Eclectic Quartet @ Queen’s Hall, Hexham. 3:00pm.
Sun 26: Ruth Lambert Trio @ The Juke Shed, Union Quay, North Shields. 3:00pm. Free.
Sun 26: 4B @ The Ticket Office, Whitley Bay. 3:00pm. Free.
Sun 26: Jazz Jam Sandwich! @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 7:00pm. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig.
Sun 26: Tweed River Jazz Band @ Barrels Ale House, Berwick-upon-Tweed. 7:30pm. Free.
Sun 26: Gratkowski, Tramontana, Beresford, Affifi @ The Globe, Newcastle. 8:00pm. £12.00. JNE.
Sun 26: Jazz Jam @ Fabio’s, Saddler St., Durham. 8:00pm. Free. A Durham University Jazz Society promotion. All welcome.

Mon 27: Harmony Brass @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.

Tue 28: ???

Wed 29: Vieux Carré Jazzmen @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Wed 29: Take it to the Bridge @ The Globe, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free.
Wed 29: Darlington Big Band @ Darlington & Simpson Rolling Mills Social Club, Darlington. 7:00pm. Free. Rehearsal session (open to the public).

Thu 30: Matters Unknown (aka Jonathan Enser, Nubiyan Twist) + support TBA @ Cobalt Studios, Newcastle. 8:00pm (7:00pm doors). £12.22 (gig & food); £9:04 (gig only).
Thu 30: Soznak @ The Mill Tavern, Hebburn. 8:00pm. Free.
Thu 30: Struggle Buggy @ Harbour View, Roker, Sunderland. 8:00pm. Free. Rhythm & blues.

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

Tuesday, January 22, 2013

R.I.P. Vince Bovill


(Report by Lance.)
The death was reported in the Shields Gazette last night of Vince Bovill. Vince was born in South Shields  but graduated via local palais bands to London where he joined the Vic Lewis Orchestra in 1949 playing second tenor alongside another South Shields saxophonist, Kathy Stobart.
1951 found him in the Oscar Rabin Band, resident at London's Lyceum Ballroom. He later joined the Eric Delaney Band and again there was a north east presence - Des Lumsdon - also on tenor.
From here on I'm not sure of what path his career followed save that he was a woodwind peripatetic in Sunderland for many years as well as gigging around with various bands including Les Seymour at the Bay Hotel, Whitburn. When Eric Delaney died in 2011 Vince's son - Vince Bovill Jnr. - posted the following comment on LondonJazz.:
Over the years both myself and my dad have had contact with Eric - gigs etc. 3 years ago I met Eric at the Sunderland International Airshow. A 'reunion' was arranged at the Board Inn in Sunderland where some fascinating discussion took place along with photographs with Eric, Dad, Son (cornet player) and Grandson (Dan Bovill - drummer). My dad joked about how Eric and himself might be the last survivors of the band. My dad is still alive and was obviously shocked to hear the news. He often tells me stories about the tours with Eric - great listening - Vince Bovill Jnr..
Hopefully some of our older readers will come forward with more information.
What is indisputable is that hel was capable of performing at the highest level in some fine bands.
Vince Bovill died suddenly on January 9, 2013.  The notice in the Gazette requested donations to the Customs House Big Band in lieu of flowers, The funeral will be held at Sunderland Crem. on Monday January 28 at 10AM.
He was 89.
R.I.P.
Obituary from Sunderland Echo.
Lance.
In the above photo Vince is at the far right of the Oscar Rabin sax section. Left to right in the picture are: Ken O'Donnell, bass; Roy Bull, Conrad Knowles, Cecil Pressling, Pete Warner, Vince Bovill, saxes; Bill Geldard, trombone.

3 comments :

Debra Milne said...

My uncle Leon Turner (& another brother Sam) played trumpet in the Oscar Rabin band around the same time as Vince. If anyone has any memories of this or photos, would be great to find out more......

Jane Nesbitt said...

My dad Alan Nesbitt played tenor sax with Eric Delaneys band too. The photo in tonights Sunderlnd Echo shows my dad on it. he too was born in South Shields and went into teaching after being a professional musician in London and the North East. RIP Vince

Kevin Elliott said...

Hi Lance, I worked for some years in Les Seymour's band with Vince, at the Bay Hotel. Unfortunately, your picture seems to have disappeared. It would have been interesting for me as I moved to Kent, married a girl from Orpington who had her sax lessons from local sax teacher, Pete Warner! Happy days. RIP guys!

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