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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

18069 (and counting) posts since we started blogging 17 years ago. 390 of them this year alone and, so far, 68 this month (May 222).

From This Moment On ...

MAY 2025

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.

Sun 25: Northern Monkey Brass Band @ Spanish City Plaza (outdoor stage). 11:30am & 1:00pm. Free. A Whitley Bay Carnival event.
Sun 25: Zoë Gilby & Andy Champion: Bandstand Sessions @ The Sele, Hexham. 12 noon. Free. A Northumberland Jazz Festival event.
Sun 25: Musicians Unlimited @ Jackson’s Wharf, Hartlepool. 1:00pm. Free.
Sun 25: Ruth Lambert Trio @ Juke Shed, North Shields. 1:30pm. Free.
Sun 25: More Jam @ The Globe, Newcastle. 2:00pm. Free.
Sun 25: Catriona Bourne Quartet @ Queen’s Hall, Hexham. 3:00pm. Admission: see website: www.queenshall.co.uk. Bourne (harp), Francis Tulip (guitar), James Owston (double bass), Joe Bainbridge (drums). A Northumberland Jazz Festival event.
Sun 25: 4B @ The Ticket Office, Whitley Bay. 3:00pm. Free.
Sun 25: Struggle Buggy @ The Tyne Bar, Ouseburn, Newcastle. 4:00pm. Free. Blues.
Sun 25: Joe Steels Group + Norma Winstone (vocals); Nikki Iles (piano); Mike Walker (guitar); Steve Watts (double bass). 7:00pm. Admission: see website: www.queenshall.co.uk. Steels (guitar); Ferg Kilsby (trumpet, flugelhorn); Ben Lawrence (piano); Paul Susans (double bass); John Hirst (drums). A Northumberland Jazz Festival event.
Sun 25: Jazz Jam Sandwich! @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 7:00pm. Free. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig.
Sun 25: Xhosa Cole/Neil Charles/Mark Sanders @ The Globe, Newcastle. 8:00pm. A JNE promotion. Note: Xhosa Cole replaces Nicole Mitchell.

Mon 26: Catriona Bourne Quartet @ Yamaha Music School, Blyth. 1:00pm. £9.00. at the door; £8.20. (inc £0.20 bf) online, in advance.
Mon 26: Harmony Brass @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.

Tue 27: Bold Big Band @ Newcastle Arts Centre, Newcastle. 7:00pm (doors). £12.00. & £10.00.
Tue 27: Alexia Gardner Quintet @ Newcastle House Hotel, Front St., Rothbury NE65 7UT.7:30pm. £12.00.; £10.00. adv. from Tully’s (opp. venue).

Wed 28: Vieux Carré Jazzmen @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Wed 28: Darlington Big Band @ Darlington & Simpson Rolling Mills Social Club, Darlington. 7:00pm. Free. Rehearsal session (open to the public).
Wed 28: Take it to the Bridge @ The Globe, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free.

Thu 29: Jazz Appreciation North East @ Brunswick Methodist Church, Newcastle NE1 7BJ. 2:00pm. £4.00. Subject: That’s the Blues, Dad.
Thu 29: Nova.sol + Mikoudi @ Cobalt Studios, Newcastle. 7:00pm.
Thu 29: Front Porch Three @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 8:00pm. Free. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig. Americana, blues etc.

p>Fri 30: Classic Swing @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 30: Rendezvous Jazz @ The Monkseaton Arms. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 30: New Orleans Preservation Jazz Band @ The Oxbridge Hotel, Stockton. 1:00pm. £5.00.
Fri 30: Rivkala @ Cobalt Studios, Newcastle. 7:00pm.
Fri 30: Ian Millar & Dominic Spencer @ Middleton & Tonbridge Village Hall. 7:30pm.

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

Monday, December 16, 2013

R.I.P. Joe Errington

Alan Rudd has passed on the sad news that Joe Errington (River City Trumpet for many years) died on Friday in Denmark. He seems to think he had been ill for a while. Joe did several deps for MSJ in recent years when he was home from Denmark, at Rosie's and the Marquis. Joe was an excellent player, who played in the style of Louis Armstrong, and a nice guy.
He played trumpet with the River City for many years alongside Stan Martin on clarinet, and Gordon Solomon on Trombone. After his long spell with the River City Jazzmen, he went to Denmark and played with the Papa Bue band.
I remember Joe well from his River City days particularly on trips to the Breda Jazz Festival back in the early '80s. Powerful lead and strong Satchmoesque solos.
He made quite a few sides with Papa Bue.
Lance.

10 comments :

Jim Fay (on f/b) said...

Excellent trumpeter - sad news indeed!

Gordon Solomon said...

Hi Lance, - sad news once again. I spoke to Joe's wife Karen yesterday and apparently he died on Saturday in Denmark. Joe joined the River City Jazzmen in the early 1960's and played for many years before retiring from his job as Assistant Headmaster at Ryton Comprehensive School and moving to Denmark. He had many admirers of his accurate, powerful trumpet playing, I remember clarinetist Bruce Bakewell joining the band and remarking that "It's like standing next to bloody Mount Vesuvius!" Joe played semi-professionally for a few years in Denmark before joining the professional Papa Bue Band, and can be heard on many of the band's recordings. I didn't know that Joe wasn't in good health,- he had coronary bypass surgery some years ago but made a good recovery. Joe will be given a traditional New Orleans funeral in Denmark,- it's sobering to realize that of the seven members of the band from that period only three of us remain!

CCJAZZMEN said...

Hi Lance,
This is very sad, as you know Dad used to stand in for Joe, with the River City Jazzmen, when Joe used to take his break in Denmark, and many years later in 1996, I did meet up with him and Papa Bue, in Denmark, when we were invited to represent Hong Kong at a large promotion there, needless to say he was surprised to see me, as he used to remember me as a kid, he then proceeded to invite the boys and I to a few sessions, the boys really enjoyed their time with him and had a good jam, while I was sampling the health advantages of Akrivet with Papa Bue, but the hospitality from Joe and the band were wonderful.
He was a wonderful trumpet player, and knew Louis Armstrong's numbers back to front, and I think had everything he ever recorded.
A sad loss indeed. RIP.
Colin Aitchison
Hong Kong

Helen said...

Hi Lance, Hi Gordon

Thank you for remembering him - Dad did in fact die on Friday 13th December in Gentofte hospital aged 79. He played his trumpet right until he went into hospital.

Dad and I have been working on a web page these last few months this was to celebrate his 80th Birthday which would have been on February 23rd - however it's not quite finished yet. I'm missing some info so trying to piece it together still. I will keep at it :)

I did put up a tribute page on Facebook - something I had talked about with Dad before he died. It contains video's of some of the last times Dad played

https://www.facebook.com/papajoeerrington

Helen Errington

Anonymous said...

Helen,

Just got the news from Dad about Uncle Joe, so sorry to hear, I remember being in a concert at school when he played with the Jazz men not a word from anyone till it was over then the hall went up!

Ann Errington

Helen said...

Hi Ann!

Thanks :) I remember him telling me about that day - fun to think about it again now - thanks for sharing this Ann. He played a few times at school - quite a change from his deputy headmaster role to Jazz trumpet man he he

Helen

Ray Shenton said...

He took over when Johnny Potts left the River City Jazzmen. He was a brilliant trumpeter with his beautiful Conn trumpet All my condolences to Karen and the family. He was a lovely man

george Baxter said...

Hello Helen, I doubt if you will remember me but Barbara and I lived in Ponthaugh for many years and knew your mam and dad very well and listened to your dad playing a lot. We had some great fun at parties with them. Sad news indeed but lovely memories.

Helen said...

Hi George

Did you have a moustache? I remember the names but matching names to faces is not my strong point :)

http://joeerrington.wix.com/papa-joe-errington you might be interested in seeing this George. Dad would have been 80 this Sunday Feb 23rd

Helen

Lise said...

Just got the news Helen from your Mam, when visiting this bygone week. All the best to the whole family.
Lise

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