Bebop Spoken There

Ludovic Beier (Django Festival Allstars): ''Manouche means 'free man,' and gypsies have been travelers since they migrated west from India to Europe.'' (DownBeat March, 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

18361 (and counting) posts since we started blogging 18 years ago. 215 of them this year alone and, so far this month (Mar. 8 ), 25

From This Moment On ...

March

Thu 12: Boomslang @ The Black Swan, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free.
Thu 12: Ray Stubbs R&B All Stars @ The Mill Tavern, Hebburn. 8:30pm. Free.

Fri 13: Paul Skerritt Quartet @ Bishop Auckland Methodist Church. 1:00pm . £9.00.
Fri 13: The SH#RP Collective @ Jesmond Library, Newcastle. 1:00pm. £5.00.
Fri 13: Classic Swing @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 13: Rendezvous Jazz @ The Monkseaton Arms. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 13: New Orleans Preservation Jazz Band @ The Oxbridge Hotel, Stockton. 1:00pm. £5.00.
Fri 13: Soothsayers + Rookie Numbers @ Cobalt Studios, Newcastle. 7:00pm (doors). £17.51., £14.33., £11.16.

Sat 14: The Too Bad Jims @ Claypath Deli, Durham. 7:00pm (6:30pm doors). £13.20., £11.00. R&B.
Sat 14: NUJO @ Venue, Newcastle University Students’ Union. Time TBC. £15.00. supporter; £10.00. standard; £5.00. student. Seated event.

Sun 15: Michael Young Trio @ The Engine Room, Sunderland. 2:30pm. Free.
Sun 15: The Too Bad Jims @ The Georgian Theatre, Stockton. 3:00pm. £12.00. R&B.
Sun 15: 4B @ The Ticket Office, Whitley Bay. 3:00pm. Free.
Sun 15: Rebecca Poole @ The Globe, Newcastle. 8:00pm. £14.00., £12.00., £7.00. Poole w. Dean Stockdale & Ken Marley. CANCELLED!

Mon 16: Milne Glendinning Band @ Yamaha Music School, Blyth. 1:00pm.
Mon 16: Friends of Jazz @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Mon 16: Russ Morgan Quartet @ The Black Bull, Blaydon. 8:00pm. £10.00.

Tue 17: Jam session @ The Black Swan, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free. House trio: Alan Law (piano); Paul Grainger (double bass); Scotty Adair (drums).

Wed 18: Vieux Carré Jazzmen @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Wed 18: Darlington Big Band @ Darlington & Simpson Rolling Mills Social Club, Darlington. 7:00pm. Free. Rehearsal session (open to the public).
Wed 18: The ’58 Jazz Collective @ Hartlepool Cricket Club, West Park, 7:30pm. £7.00.
Wed 18: Brand New Heavies @ The Glasshouse, Gateshead. 7:30pm.
Wed 18: Take it to the Bridge @ The Globe, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free.

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, June 04, 2013

RIP Jack Laing

It is with great sadness that we report the passing of tenor saxophonist Jack Laing.
Jack played in innumerable bands for over 60 years - latterly with the Duggie Pugh group,  the Tees Hot Club and was a founding member of the Musicians Unlimited Big Band.
Jack was a great player with a wicked, dry sense of humour and a real pleasure to have on the bandstand.
He was also a fine tutor who taught and influenced many players in the North East.
The funeral arrangements for Jack Laing are as follows.
Friday 7th 3.30 pm at St. Bedes Crematorium Middlesbrough and then from 4.30 pm back at Guisborough Rugby Club for the rest of the evening.
Danny Allan’s band is playing but if any other musicians want to join in they are very welcome. He will be sadly missed.
Ian Bosworth
(Funeral details from Ron Hampton.)

2 comments :

Lance said...

Jackie Laing taught me saxophone back in the 1960s.
He lived in Charlotte St., Wallsend and I'd get the ferry across from Hebburn every Sunday morning. The lessons were great. Very jazzy involving Stan Getz transcriptions and Lennie Niehaus. He'd loan me LPS of the pieces which was a great help.
At the time he was playing with Harry Atkinson's Band at the Empress Ballroom Whitley Bay.
I lost touch with him when the lessons finished but often heard his name crop up on Teesside.
Very sadly missed.
How old was he?

James Harrison (on f/b.) said...

Nice to see you knew Jack Laing, Lance! Him and Pete Papprill were the two 'jokers' who got me into everything, 2 brilliant guys! At least they'll be having a laugh/jam together now! You asked about his age on bebop, I believe Jack was 81. Have missed you at the past few jazz things I've played at recently! Perhaps catch you at the Cherry Tree tomorrow!? All the best!

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