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Bebop Spoken There

Trevor Mires: ''My mum is a Dean Martin fan: I'm not, so I would grab my skateboard and get out of the house whenever I heard "Everybody Loves Somebody, Sometime." ". (Jazzwise, April 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

17972 (and counting) posts since we started blogging 17 years ago. 293 of them this year alone and, so far, 49 this month (April 22).

From This Moment On ...

April 2025.

Wed 23: Vieux Carré Jazzmen @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Wed 23: Darlington Big Band @ Darlington & Simpson Rolling Mills Social Club, Darlington. 7:00pm. Free. Rehearsal session (open to the public).
Wed 23: Take it to the Bridge @ The Globe, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free. CANCELLED!

Thu 24: Mary Coughlan @ The Glasshouse, Gateshead. 8:00pm. £33.80. Blues, jazz etc.
Thu 24: Darlington Big Band @ Dorman’s Club, Middlesbrough. 8:30pm.

Fri 25: Vasilis Xenopoulos & Paul Edis @ The Lit & Phil, Newcastle. 1:00pm. SOLD OUT! Duo performance.
Fri 25: Classic Swing @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 25: Rendezvous Jazz @ The Monkseaton Arms. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 25: New Orleans Preservation Jazz Band @ The Oxbridge Hotel, Stockton. 1:00pm. £5.00.
Fri 25: Andrea Vicari Trio @ The Gala, Durham. 1:00pm. £8.00. Vicari (piano); Andy Champion (double bass); Russ Morgan (drums).
Fri 25: Jason Isaacs @ STACK, Exchange Sq., Middlesbrough. 4:00-6:00pm. Free. Vocalist Isaacs working with backing tapes.
Fri 25: Red Kites Jazz @ Land of Oak & Iron, Winlaton Mill. 6:00-9:00pm. Free.
Fri 25: Vasilis Xenopoulos & Paul Edis @ Yamaha Music School, Blyth. 7:30pm. £15.00. at the door; £14.35. (inc £0.35 bf) online, in advance.
Fri 25: Struggle Buggy @ The White Room, Stanley. 7:45pm. Rhythm & blues.
Fri 25: Paul Skerritt Big Band @ The Glasshouse, Gateshead. 8:00pm. £20.30., £18.00. All-star big band.
Fri 25: Andrea Vicari Trio @ Traveller’s Rest, Darlington. 8:00pm. Vicari (piano); Andy Champion (double bass); Russ Morgan (drums). An Opus 4 Jazz Club event.

Sat 26: Durham Alumni Big Band @ Number One Bar, Darlington. 12 noon. Free (donations).
Sat 26: Abbie Finn Trio @ The Vault, Darlington. 7:00pm. Free.
Sat 26: Vasilis Xenopoulos & Paul Edis @ Elvet Methodist Church, Durham. 7:30pm. Tickets: £12.00. + bf. Duo performance.
Sat 26: Neil Cowley Trio @ The Glasshouse, Gateshead. 8:00pm. £22.50.
Sat 26: Pete Tanton & the Cuban Heels @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 8:00pm. Free. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig.

Sun 27: Musicians Unlimited @ Jackson’s Wharf, Hartlepool. 1:00pm. Free.
Sun 27: Andrea Vicari Trio @ Central Bar, Gateshead. 2:00pm. Vicari (piano); Andy Champion (double bass); John Bradford (drums).
Sun 27: Paul Skerritt @ Hibou Blanc, Newcastle. 2:00pm. Free. Vocalist Skerritt working with backing tapes.
Sun 27: Vasilis Xenopoulos-Paul Edis Quartet @ Queen’s Hall, Hexham. 3:00pm. Xenopoulos, Edis, Paul Susans, Russ Morgan.
Sun 27: Ruth Lambert Trio @ Juke Shed, North Shields. 3:00pm. Free.
Sun 27: JustKing Jones @ Cluny 2, Newcastle. 7:00pm (doors). £17.50. JustKing Jones (alto sax, soprano sax); Jordan Williams (piano); Jason Clotter (bass); Malcolm Charles (drums). Ace NYC outfit!
Sun 27: Jazz Jam Sandwich! @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 7:00pm. Free. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig.
Sun 27: Swing Manouche @ Warkworth Memorial Hall. 7:30pm. £15.00. Tickets from 01665 711388.
Sun 27: Vasilis Xenopoulos-Paul Edis Quartet @ The Globe, Newcastle. 8:00pm. Xenopoulos, Edis, Ken Marley, Russ Morgan.

Mon 28: Harmony Brass @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.

Tue 29: ???

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

Sunday, August 09, 2015

Remembering Ray Truscott @ Jazz Café


(Report by Lance)
This was quite an afternoon/early evening. Up the road "The Toon" were, alternatively, losing, drawing, winning, drawing but here in The Caff everyone was winning. We were here to celebrate the legacy of Ray Truscott - 6 string bass guitarist extraordinaire. The invited audience of friends and fellow musicians were treated to an afternoon of excellence with the house quartet of Paul Gowland (ten/alt); Pete Gilligan (pno); John Pope (bs gtr); Paul Wight (dms) laying down a very high benchmark.
In the case of John Pope it was almost as if Ray was beaming down inspiration from 'up there'! John may have opted for a four string Fender Jazz as opposed to Ray's six string bass but the feeling was 'at times', almost identical.
Bradley Johnston brought his guitar to the party and Dave Weisser brought his cornet and Lady Jude came with him.
Jude sang Like Someone in Love and Dindi - throwing in a flute chorus on the latter number. Those that didn't know Jude prior to today certainly wanted to know more - the best kept vocal secret around!
Could anyone follow that? Well, er, yes! Dave Weisser, Jude's long time partner, gave us a take on Nature Boy that decreed honours were even in that household!
Everyone was at the top of their game - they had to be! With an audience of whom 95% were musicians there was little room for error.
Barry Ascroft warmed the keyboard stool, as did Alan Law. Findens Fi and Stu took Secret Love around the block and Fi's version of You Don't Know What Love is hit the heartstrings of everyone who could equate with that statement!
Ray Burns, sans harmonica, sang Sweet Lorraine - my favourite chord sequence - before giving out with Body and Soul.
Zoe Gilby swung through Lullaby of Birdland and emoted God Bless the Child. Kath Jobes rounded things off with Bye Bye Blackbird - Kath too has moved up the pecking order.
Then, just as I was bidding farewell to Ray's wife Sylvia, the band played My One and Only Love. Sylvia's tears were understandable - and infectious.
It was a great tribute to a most lovable/likeable man. If you've got to go this is the way to do it. Friends paying their respects by playing and listening to the music we all love.
RIP
Photos.
Lance.
PS: It should also be noted that Ray was remembered not only as a bass guitarist but also as fine composer. Several of his compositions were included in the program - Requeros and Four Miles being two of them. 

4 comments :

Hilary Say (on F/b) said...

Sorry I wasn't well enough to attend. Ray, Sylvia, Mike and I were all great friends in the old days. Lots of wonderful photos from Muggleswick to confirm this. Zoe was just a little girl then.
R.I.P. Ray, gone to join that great jazz gig with the wonderful musicians who went before you.

Mal Maddock (on F/b) said...

Oh dear lord..... I didn't even know Ray Had passed away !

Anne DeVere Harper (on F/b) said...

Thanks Lance......this made me feel I was there! Xx

Jude Murphy (on F/b) said...

It was a privilege to be there - a very special day, with Sylvia and so many of his friends remembering a brilliant bloke.

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