(Interviewed
by Lance - pictured right))
Q: Colin, we go back a long way, the Newcastle
A: My earliest memories start from the time that I was taken round
to various venues by my Dad and Mum. I was in a push chair. All I do recall is
some vague bits and pieces, I do remember the New Orleans Jazz Club on Melbourne Street , I
remember my dad playing with Joe Young and his mainstream band. and various
other ensembles with Sheila Giles. I recall that Joe used to pay us quite a few
visits at home, as did Ronnie Young whom my dad gave trumpet lessons to. I have memories of Alan Price as both of them were at the Swan Hunters
shipyard; and Alan used to sit in with
dad at the New Orleans Jazz Club. As I said, vague and disconnected memories at
this age.
I really started to get interested
in jazz between the age of 14 -16 when I started junk shopping for 78 rpm
records. Sometimes Frank Wappat used to take me around!
I was thrilled when Dad used to sneak me into The New Orleans Jazz Club at Forth Banks. It was here where I had my first try at playing Black and Blue. It was after Ronnie McLean and the All Stars had finished their last number. John Pearce who was on piano encouraged me to get my dad's trumpet and have a go! But I will never forget my biggest first moment on stage! Dad had been standing in for Joe Errington with the River City Jazzmen at Newbiggin Hall, and we had been practicing Black and Blue for quite a bit at home. When I was called up to play with the band I was terrified! My God !! There seemed to be a thousand eyes looking at me and judging me. I managed the first 16 bars and then broke down - shaking legs, dry lips, no sound. What a case of stage fright. It seemed like the end of the world. I was so embarrassed and felt that I had let my Dad down. Dad took me back to the band room, calmed me down and we played it again perfectly in the privacy of the band room.
I was thrilled when Dad used to sneak me into The New Orleans Jazz Club at Forth Banks. It was here where I had my first try at playing Black and Blue. It was after Ronnie McLean and the All Stars had finished their last number. John Pearce who was on piano encouraged me to get my dad's trumpet and have a go! But I will never forget my biggest first moment on stage! Dad had been standing in for Joe Errington with the River City Jazzmen at Newbiggin Hall, and we had been practicing Black and Blue for quite a bit at home. When I was called up to play with the band I was terrified! My God !! There seemed to be a thousand eyes looking at me and judging me. I managed the first 16 bars and then broke down - shaking legs, dry lips, no sound. What a case of stage fright. It seemed like the end of the world. I was so embarrassed and felt that I had let my Dad down. Dad took me back to the band room, calmed me down and we played it again perfectly in the privacy of the band room.
I also remember a session dad did
with the Ronnie McLean All Stars for Frank Wappat at his mission hall in Byker,
and Nat Gonella & Bobby Thompson being present, and some where there are
recordings of the session, I know I did play one song, but again very nervous,
I hate to think what I sounded like.
Dad also knew Alan Brown well as
they played together back in the 1950's with Stan Wilde & The Wild Cats
& The Bernicia
Jazz Band (Dad's Band). Alan used to
always get me a pass back stage at the City Hall through his connection with local
jazz people, to meet the greats at the City Hall in Newcastle . It was a shame that I was still a
little too young to fully grasp and appreciate all this wonderful talent. To this day I still have all the autographs -
Duke Ellington, Count Basie, Woody Herman, Oscar Peterson to name a few. I
treasure them..
(To be continued...)
Colin Aitchison (Bandleader)
Ned Kelly's Last Stand
2 comments :
Colin, your comments about Windows music shop reminds me that, back in those days the jazz record section was the local equivalent of the Commodore Music Store in New York or Dobell's in London. It was a place to hang out - the rockers had a similar set up in the pop record dept. next door. I recall McLean telling an inspiring Buddy Holly that you didn't talk about 'bookings' but that 'gig' was the word. The next time he came in he said to Ronnie "I've got a gig tonight"!
Those days as a kid going to Windows were great, and when you look back how many famous personalities always paid a visit to jazz record department, I even remember jazz guitarist Barney Kessel dropping by, and a host of others, I agree you were the Commodore Music Store of the North East, very hard to find something like that anymore, Widows certainly has an era of history in it's own right.
Colin,
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