September
Sun 26: Vieux Carré Hot 4 @ Spanish City, Whitley Bay. 12 noon. .
Sun 26: Musicians Unlimited @ South Durham Social Club, Hartlepool. 1:00pm. .
Sun 26: More Jam @ The Globe, Newcastle. 3:00pm. .
Sun 26: Foundry Jazz Ensemble @ The Exchange, North Shields. 4:00pm.
Sun 26: Sax Appeal @ The Blue Bell, Hill Street, Corbridge NE45 5AA. 4:00pm. Free. .
Sun 26: David Gray Flextet @ The Globe, Newcastle. 8:00pm.
Sun 26: Nubiyan Twist @ The Cluny, Newcastle. 8:00pm.
Mon 27: Jazz in the Afternoon @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm.
Wed 29: Vieux Carré Jazzmen @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm.
Wed 29: Darlington Big Band @ Rolling Mills Social Club, Darlington. 7:00pm. Rehearsal session (open to the public).
Wed 29: Take it to the Bridge @ The Globe, Newcastle. 8:00pm.
Thu 30: Vieux Carré Jazzmen @ The Holystone, North Tyneside. 1:00pm.
Thu 30: Mainly Two @ Newcastle University. 1:15pm. ONLINE ONLY (YouTube).
Thu 30: '58 Jazz Collective @ Hops and Cheese, 9-11 Tower St., Hartlepool, TS24 7HH. Tel 0770 4160417. 7:30pm.
Thu 30: Shiver + Run Logan Run @ Gosforth Civic Theatre, Newcastle. 8:00pm. NFOJIM.
Thu 30: Jeremy McMurray & the Jazz Pocket Orchestra @ Arc, Stockton. 8:00pm.
Thu 30: Maine Street Jazzmen @ Sunniside Social Club, Gateshead. 8:30pm.
Fri 01: Robert Mitchell @ Lit & Phil, Newcastle. 1:00pm. NFOJIM.
Fri 01: Classic Swing @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm.
Fri 01: Rendezvous Jazz @ Monkseaton Arms, Monkseaton. 1:00pm.
Fri 01: New Orleans Preservation Jazz Band @ Oxbridge Hotel, Stockton. 1:00pm.
Fri 01: Warmer Than Blood + Kit Downes + Ceitidh Mac @ Lit & Phil, Newcastle. 7:30pm. NFOJIM.
Fri 1: Knats + Hand to Mouth @ Gosforth Civic Theatre, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free but ticketed.
Sat 02: Paul Edis @ Lit & Phil, Newcastle. 1:00pm. NFOJIM.
Sat 02: Play Jazz! workshop @ The Globe, Newcastle. 1:30pm. Stuart Fowler: Learning Jazz Standards. £25.00. To enrol email: learning@jazz.coop.
Sat 02: Zoë Gilby & Andy Champion @ Newcastle Arts Centre. 2:00pm. NFOJIM.
Sat 02: John Pope Quintet @ Newcastle Arts Centre. 3:30pm.
Sat 02: Jamie Cullum @ Sage Gateshead. 7:30pm.
Sat 02: Green Tangerines @ The Globe, Newcastle. 8:00pm. NFOJIM.
Sat 02: Alina Bzhezhinska HipHarp Quartet + Pat Thomas. 8:00pm. NFOJIM.
Sat 02: Rendezvous Jazz @ Red Lion, Earsdon. 8:00pm.
Sun 03: Vieux Carre Hot 4 @ Spanish City, Whitley Bay. 12 noon.
Sun 03: Smokin' Spitfires @ The Cluny, Newcastle. 12:45pm.
Sun 03: Zoe Rahman @ Lit & Phil, Newcastle. 1:00pm. NFOJIM.
Sun 03: Musicians Unlimited @ South Durham Social Club, Hartlepool. 1:00pm.
Sun 03: Abbie Finn Trio + jam session @ Newcastle Arts Centre. 2:00pm. NFOJIM.
Sun 03: Mainly Two @ The Globe, Newcastle. 3:00pm. NFOJIM.
Sun 03: Pope/Garner/Williams @ The Globe, Newcastle. 4:30pm. NFOJIM.
Sun 03: Fergus McCreadie Trio @ Lit & Phil, Newcastle. 7:00pm. NFOJIM.
Sun 03: Huw V Williams @ The Globe, Newcastle. 9:00pm. NFOJIM.
3 comments :
Sad to hear this. He was one of the greats. Some pals saw him at the Wales Guitar Fest a few years back and said he was amazing and a perfect gentleman too, and very humble. His vertically stacked, close voiced chords were a trademark of his and something new at the time. They are very difficult to finger (big hands help) and in that respect he pushed the existing boundaries of jazz guitar playing. He had immaculate technique. Also he played a key role in guitar development and design both with Gibson and Guild. A truly nice guy who became a legendary figure and a member of jazz guitar royalty.
Roly
Although I never met Johnny Smith – I did have had mail contact with him over the years and found him to be a perfect gentleman. He was always totally modest about his enormous talent and about the extent of his influence on so many other guitarists.
I first heard his distinctive lush chording and crystal clear single-note soloing on the historic 1952 recording of ‘Moonlight in Vermont’.. This recording, with Stan Getz, gained great popularity even outside the regular jazz audience – and enjoyed very large sales. I soon began collecting every available Johnny Smith recording – and I still have and enjoy them all to this day.
Many people do not know that although the guitar was his first instrument, Johnny Smith began his professional career in the late 1940's as a trumpeter with the New York Philharmonic. However once Johnny’s mastery of the guitar in his inimitable and unique style was recognised he became staff guitarist with the NBC in the 1950s.
All the great jazz guitarists I have known have always spoken of their great admiration of Johnny both as a person and as one of the most influential jazz guitarists of all times.
Maurice Summerfield
Lance - you are the bearer of the bad news. As you know Johnny Smith was a major influence in my style of chordal playing. I also have everything he ever recorded. I had some fascinating conversations with him at a guitar seminar in Wrexham when he recalled some of his memories of recording with Jerri Southern and Ruth Price among others. He was a true gentleman who in recent years enjoyed game fishing in the gulf of California.
He was totally surprised by the reception he received from the guitarists at the seminar. I went to the seminar simply so I could meet him and a great moment for me was to have my photograph taken with the great man which was published in the Just Jazz Guitar magazine.
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