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Bebop Spoken There

Danny Gatton: "I was tired of playing in beer joints. I wanted to do something tangible like building cars. But once you do music it gets into your blood. You can get away from it for awhile but sooner or later it comes back to you." - (Down Beat April 1991).

Tal Farlow: "There were times when I would stop [playing guitar] and do sign painting." - (Downbeat December 5, 1963)

Archives

Today Sunday August 20

Afternoon.
Mark Williams (solo guitar) - Cherry Tree Restaurant, 9 Osborne Rd., Jesmond, Newcastle. 12:30pm. Free.
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Blues @ The Bay - Tanner Smith's 17-19 South Parade, Whitley Bay NE26 2RE, 0191 2525941. 4pm. Free. Blues jam w. Scott Wall & Charlie Philp.
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Musicians Unlimited - Park Hotel, Park Rd., Hartlepool TS26 9HU. 01249 233126.1pm. Free. Summer Break. Back Sept. 3
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Somethin' Blue - Vesuvio, 3a Houndgate, Darlington DL1 5RL. 01325 788564. 5pm. Weekly.
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Evening
Chris Martin - Billy Bootleggers, 28 Nelson St., Newcastle NE1 5AN. 9pm. Free.
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Paul Edis Trio - Black Bull, Bridge St. Blaydon NE21 4JJ. 8pm. £5.
To the best of our knowledge, details of the above events are correct but may be subject to alteration.

Friday, July 10, 2015

Andy Hudson remembers Ken Gibson

In the early 70s, I managed to get some funds to try and “upskill” the Newcastle Big Band – some would say a vain hope. However we managed to secure a workshop weekend with Ken Gibson, Henry Lowther and Don Rendell which definitely worked. It also spawned a relationship with the three players who then occasionally guested with us.
Ken became a friend of the band and visited Newcastle to play with us including on the infamous album. Such were the vagaries of the MU rules at the time that they weren’t allowed to play unless they got “Rate” and so to avoid their embarrassment they appear  as Geno Binks (Ken), Ethel Wryhorn (Henry) and Dene. N. Droll (Don) on the Album – all quite apposite anagrams.
Ken, a scientist with perfect pitch and a sardonic wit made an excellent coach and also managed to slip a couple of his compositions into the Big Band’s catalogue. He joined the band on one of our excursions
His musical output in the last 4 decades has been prodigious, working as producer, arranger, composer, and engineer in Radio TV and for John Dankworth and Cleo Laine.
A great musical heritage.
RIP Ken.
Andy Hudson.
(Photo): Andy Hudson, Ken Gibson(Centre) and Sting at the Pau Jazz Festival.
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1 comment :

  1. Is this the same Ken Gibson that originated in North Staffordshire (Stoke or Newcastle-under-Lyme)?

    ReplyDelete

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About this blog - contact details.

Bebop Spoken Here -- Here, being the north-east of England -- centred in the blues heartland of Newcastle and reaching down to the Tees Delta and looking upwards to the Land of the Kilt.
Not a very original title, I know; not even an accurate one as my taste, whilst centred around the music of Bird and Diz, extends in many directions and I listen to everything from King Oliver to Chick Corea and beyond. Not forgetting the Great American Songbook the contents of which has provided the inspiration for much great jazz and quality popular singing for round about a century.
The idea of this blog is for you to share your thoughts and pass on your comments on discs, gigs, jazz - music in general. If you've been to a gig/concert or heard a CD that knocked you sideways please share your views with us. Tell us about your favourites, your memories, your dislikes.
Lance (Who wishes it to be known that he is not responsible for postings other than his own and that he's not always responsible for them.)
Contact: lanceliddle@gmail.com I look forward to hearing from you.

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