The Hughie Aitchison Story on Record. Tracks 2-7 + memories of Ray Jobling and Jimmy Miller

Stan Wilde (pno); Hughie Aitchison (tpt); Ronnie McLean (tmb); Brian Clark/ Alan Shipley (clt); Alan Brown (gtr); Joe Ward (dms).

A year to the day after the previous tracks on June 25, 1951, Stan's Wildecats were recorded at Northern Sound Studios - was that the one at the bottom of Worswick St,? Probably was as there weren't too many recording studios around in those days.

Washington & Lee Swing and Lonesome Road.. Brian Clark and Alan Shipley on clarinets. I didn't know Alan Shipley but Brian was one of those gentle gentlemen of music and the northeast jazz scene was horrified when he was mugged on his way home from a gig in, I think, the 1970's.

Were the muggers ever caught? I can't remember - I hope so.

The Bernicia Jazz Band went into the same studios on March 25, 1952.

Hughie Aitchison (tpt); Ronnie Allen (McLean under a pseudonym? tmb); Brian Clark (clt); Arthur Robson (pno); Alan Brown (gtr); Ray Jobling (bs); Ken Redman (dms).

This was a stormer - the Spanier Ragtimers ride again! Hughie, by this time, was Muggsy and Muskrat Ramble, Apex Blues, Bluin' the Blues and Trouble in Mind had never sounded so good on this side of the Atlantic - or at least on this side of the Tyne!

Trouble in Mind had a vocal by Ray Jobling - Jobber! I had the privilege to work with Ray many years later. He was a fine southpaw bass player, a founder member of the Panama Jazzmen and no mug with a shotgun either!

Ray fell in love with Elsie whose ex was a local gangland figure. The hoodlum proceeded to make the couple's life hell until Ray said, 'Enough is a enough" and fired both barrels - it didn't just happen in Chicago! However, it was, eventually, all done and dusted, Ray served his time  and returned to the scene playing with a variety of bands including the Jimmy Miller Trio at the Blaydon Races pub out in Ryton. You think we've got piano players now? Check out Jimmy Miller if you can. He died before facebook and youtube were invented so maybe he's left no recorded legacy. However, I'm sure that someone's got a tape in the attic. Ray. Jimmy, (was it Jacky Denton on drums?) and Dave Hedley singing Tangerine are one of the memories that will live with me forever (not to mention the Chicken in the Basket! - Good job I didn't order the soup!)
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