Bebop Spoken There

Ludovic Beier (Django Festival Allstars): ''Manouche means 'free man,' and gypsies have been travelers since they migrated west from India to Europe.'' (DownBeat March, 2026)

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

18383 (and counting) posts since we started blogging 18 years ago. 247 of them this year alone and, so far this month (Mar. 17 ), 57

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

From This Moment On

March

Mon 30: Gerry Richardson Quartet @ Yamaha Music School, Blyth. 1:00pm.
Mon 30: Friends of Jazz @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.

Tue 31: Bede Trio @ The Black Swan, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free. Albert Hills Wright (alto sax); Finn Carter (piano); Michael Dunlop (double bass).

April

Wed 01: Vieux Carré Jazzmen @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Wed 01: Darlington Big Band @ Darlington & Simpson Rolling Mills Social Club, Darlington. 7:00pm. Free. Rehearsal session (open to the public).
Wed 01: Take it to the Bridge @ The Globe, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free.

Thu 02: Jazz Appreciation North East @ Brunswick Methodist Church, Newcastle NE1 7BJ. 2:00pm. £5.00. Subject: Musicians playing classical & orchestral music.
Thu 02: The Noel Dennis Band @ Prohibition Bar, Albert Road, Middlesbrough TS1 2RU. 7:00pm (doors). £10.84. Quartet plus special guest Zoë Gilby. Over 21s only.
Thu 02: Renegade Brass Band @ The Cluny, Newcastle. 7:30pm (doors).
Thu 02: Shalala @ The Globe, Newcastle. 8:00pm. £7.00. adv..
Thu 02: Tees Hot Club @ Dorman’s Club, Middlesbrough. 8:30pm.

Saturday, September 17, 2016

When Harley Met Gary











In Portugal last week, Maine St. Jazzmen trumpet player Ray Harley caught up with a neighbour of his from the days when he lived over there, Gary Cox. Gary, Ray tells me, is still in great shape at 82 and still doing gigs in Ireland where he lives for six months of the year.
“I can sit and talk with him for ages, his tales of the business are legendary re his many top jobs with NDO, Radio Big Band, Maynard Ferguson, John Patrick and TV work etc. etc. etc. Also, he has fond memories of his time in Newcastle at The Oxford and playing alongside Mike and Ian Carr in the Emcee Five”.
In the above photo, Ray is on the left of the picture. In the picture below (circa 1985 at Corner House) Ray is back row, second from the left and Gary is front row fourth from the left. Band is Ray Chester's. How many others can you recognise?








Lance.

7 comments :

Tom Henderson (on F/b) said...

Great news about Gary Cox, haven't seen him since the Marimba & Downbeat days, happy memories!!

Russell said...

Pete Stuart? Ronnie Pearson? Mike Gilby? Sid Warren?

Lance said...

Not Ronnie Pearson.

Steve Andrews said...

Gordon Marshall? Eddie Shearer? And isn't it Arthur Mowatt's band - he's out front on the right?

Lance said...

Far left is Paul Moran (son of Tommy). Far right is Jan, a Dutch student at Rye Hill. Is the trombonist next to Ray Chester Ric Taylor? I'm sure the drummer is Dennis Healey.

Anonymous said...

Lance I think you are right Dennis Healey on the Drums
Raymond Newton

David Barnes said...

It is quite flattering of course to be likened to Rick Taylor (comments) - but the trombonist sitting on 2nd next to Ray - was me. Happy days. I played for a few years quite regular with Arthur’s band at the Corner House - until I went off to University. Sort of cut my teeth with that band. :)

Lots of memories looking at that photo. :)

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