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Bebop Spoken There

George Porter Jr.: ''To me, syncopation is like jazz. It wasn't meant for the masses. It was meant just for a hip few". (DownBeat, May 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

18043 (and counting) posts since we started blogging 17 years ago. 364 of them this year alone and, so far, 42 this month (May 15).

From This Moment On ...

MAY 2025

Sun 18: Jason Isaacs @ STACK, Seaburn. 12 noon-2:00pm. Free. Vocalist Isaacs working with backing tapes.
Sun 18: 4B @ The Ticket Office, Whitley Bay. 3:00pm. Free.
Sun 18: Ruth Lambert & Giles Strong @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 8:00pm. Free. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig.
Sun 18: Steve Summers Quintet @ The Globe, Newcastle. 8:00pm.

Mon 19: Harmony Brass @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Mon 19: Lewis Watson Quartet @ The Black Bull, Blaydon. 8:00pm. £10.00.

Tue 20: Jam session @ The Black Swan, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free. House trio: Stu Collingwood, Paul Grainger, Bailey Rudd.
Tue 20: Alexia Gardner Quintet @ Pleased to Meet You, Bridge St., Morpeth NE61 1ND. 8:00pm.

Wed 21: Vieux Carré Jazzmen @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Wed 21: Darlington Big Band @ Darlington & Simpson Rolling Mills Social Club, Darlington. 7:00pm. Free. Rehearsal session (open to the public). b Wed 21: Take it to the Bridge @ The Globe, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free.

Thu 22: Nuevo Castillo Orquesta @ Pilgrim, Newcastle. 7:30pm (doors). £5.00.
Thu 22: Anna Reay & Deon Krishnan @ STACK, Exchange Sq., Middlesbrough. 7:30-9:15pm. Free.
Thu 22: Pedal Point Trio @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 8:00pm. Free. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig.

Fri 23: Dean Stockdale Quartet @ The Gala, Durham. 1:00pm. ‘Celebrating Oscar’.
Fri 23: Classic Swing @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 23: Rendezvous Jazz @ The Monkseaton Arms. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 23: New Orleans Preservation Jazz Band @ The Oxbridge Hotel, Stockton. 1:00pm. £5.00.
Fri 23: Anna Reay & Deon Krishnan @ St. James’ STACK, Newcastle. 4:00-6:00pm. Free.
Fri 23: Joe Steels Group @ The Pele, Corbridge. 7:00pm. £10.00. + £1.55. bf. A Northumberland Jazz Festival fringe event.
Fri 23: Spilt Milk @ STACK, Exchange Sq., Middlesbrough. 7:00-9:00pm. Free. Nolan Brothers (vocal harmonies).
Fri 23: Gaz Hughes Quartet @ Traveller’s Rest, Darlington. 8:00pm.
Fri 23: Strictly Smokin’ Big Band @ The Witham, Barnard Castle. 8:00pm. £19.00.; £17.00. ‘Time After Time’.

Sat 24: Jason Isaacs @ St. James’ STACK, Newcastle. 12:30-2:15pm. Free. Vocalist Isaacs working with backing tapes.
Sat 24: Tyne Valley Big Band @ Bywell Hall, Stocksfield. 1:30pm. Northumberland County Show.
Sat 24: Jason Isaacs @ STACK, Seaburn. 3:30-5:30pm. Free. Vocalist Isaacs working with backing tapes.
Sat 24: Ray Stubbs R&B All Stars @ The Peacock, Sunderland. 6:00pm.
Sat 24: Dean Stockdale Quartet + Mingus Sings @ Queen’s Hall, Hexham. 7:00pm. Admission: see website: www.queenshall.co.uk. Stockdale (piano); Tim Williams (guitar); Gavin Barras (double bass); Gaz Hughes (drums) + Mingus Sings: Sara Oschlag (vocals); Alan Barnes (reeds); Tim Lapthorn (piano); Arnie Somogyi (double bass); Clark Tracey (drums). A Northumberland Jazz Festival event.
Sat 24: Joseph Carville Trio @ The Vault, Darlington. 7:00pm. Free.
Sat 24: Saltburn Big Band @ Saltburn Community Hall. 7:30pm. £12.00.
Sat 24: NUJO Jazz Jam @ Cobalt Studios, Newcastle. 8:00pm (7:00pm doors). £3.00. + bf.
Sat 24: Papa G’s Troves @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 8:00pm. Free. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig.

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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