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Bebop Spoken There

Stan Woodward: ''We're part of the British jazz scene, but we don't play London jazz. We play Newcastle jazz. The Knats album represents many things, but most importantly that Newcastle isn't overlooked". (DownBeat, April 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

17923 (and counting) posts since we started blogging 17 years ago. 244 of them this year alone and, so far, 91 this month (March 31).

From This Moment On ...

April 2025.

Thu 03: Jazz Appreciation North East @ Brunswick Methodist Church, Newcastle NE1 7BJ. 2:00pm. £4.00. Subject: Women in Jazz.
Thu 03: Eva Fox & the Jazz Guys @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 8:00pm. Free. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig.
Thu 03: New ’58 Jazz Collective @ Dorman’s Club, Middlesbrough. 8:30pm. Free. A Tees Hot Club promotion. First Thursday in the month.

Fri 04: Classic Swing @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 04: Rendezvous Jazz @ The Monkseaton Arms. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 04: New Orleans Preservation Jazz Band @ The Oxbridge Hotel, Stockton. 1:00pm. £5.00.
Fri 04: Ruth Lambert Quartet @ Saltburn Community Hall. 7:30pm. £12.00.
Fri 04: Tom McGuire & the Brassholes @ Pilgrim, Newcastle. 7:30pm. £20.00.
Fri 04: Nicolas Meier’s Infinity Group + Spirit of Jeff Beck @ The Forum, Darlington. 7:30pm.

Sat 05: Tenement Jazz Band @ St Augustine’s Parish Centre, Darlington. 12:30pm. £10.00.
Sat 05: Sleep Suppressor @ Head of Steam, Newcastle. 5:30-6:00pm.
Sat 05: King Bees @ Billy Bootlegger’s, Ouseburn, Newcastle. 6:00pm. Free.
Sat 05: Raymond MacDonald & Jer Reid @ Lubber Fiend, Newcastle. 6:00-9:30pm. £7.72., £1.00. (minimum donation). MacDonald & Reid + Objections + Yotuns.
Sat 05: Jeff Hewer Trio @ The Vault, Darlington. 7:00pm. Free.
Sat 05: Kamasi Washington @ The Glasshouse, Gateshead. 7:30pm. £33.00.
Sat 05: Vermont Big Band @ The Seahorse, Whitley Bay. 7:30pm. Tickets: £10.00 (from the venue).
Sat 05: Rendezvous Jazz @ Red Lion, Earsdon. 8:00pm. £3.00.

Sun 06: Smokin’ Spitfires @ The Cluny, Newcastle. 12:45pm. £7.50.
Sun 06: Learning & Participation Showcase @ The Globe, Newcastle. 1:30pm (1:00pm doors). Free. Featuring participants from Play More Jazz! Play More Folk! Blue Jam Singers & more.
Sun 06: Joe Steels Group @ Central Bar, Gateshead. 2:00pm. £10.00. Ferg Kilsby, Joe Steels, Ben Lawrence, Paul Susans, John Hirst.
Sun 06: Paul Skerritt @ Hibou Blanc, Newcastle. 2:00pm. Free. Vocalist Skerritt working with backing tapes.
Sun 06: Paul Skerritt @ The Hooch, Quayside, Newcastle. 6:00pm.
Sun 06: Leeway @ The Globe, Newcastle. 8:00pm.

Mon 07: Harmony Brass @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.

Tue 08: ???

Wed 09: Vieux Carré Jazzmen @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Wed 09: Darlington Big Band @ Darlington & Simpson Rolling Mills Social Club, Darlington. 7:00pm. Free. Rehearsal session (open to the public).
Wed 09: Tannery jam session @ The Tannery, Hexham. 7:00pm.
Wed 09: Anatole Muster Trio @ Cluny 2, Newcastle. 7:30pm (doors). £17.50., £12.50. concs.
Wed 09: Take it to the Bridge @ The Globe, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free. CANCELLED?

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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