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Bebop Spoken There

John McLaughlin: '' A Love Supreme coincided with my search for meaning in life". (DownBeat, March 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

17873 (and counting) posts since we started blogging 17 years ago. 194 of them this year alone and, so far, 41 this month (March 14).

From This Moment On ...

MARCH 2025.

Wed 19: Vieux Carré Jazzmen @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Wed 19: Darlington Big Band @ Darlington & Simpson Rolling Mills Social Club, Darlington. 7:00pm. Free. Rehearsal session (open to the public).
Wed 19: Take it to the Bridge @ The Globe, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free.

Thu 20: Vieux Carré Jazzmen @ The Holystone, Whitley Road, Holystone. 1:00pm. Free.
Thu 20: Jazz Appreciation North East @ Brunswick Methodist Church, Newcastle NE1 7BJ. 2:00pm. £4.00. Subject: Nicknames.
Thu 20: Terri Green Experience @ Pilgrim, Newcastle. 7:30pm. £15.90.
Thu 20: King Bees @ The Cumberland Arms, Byker, Newcastle. 7:30pm (doors). Superb blues band.
Thu 20: Lindsay Hannon Trio @ The Harbour View, Roker, Sunderland. 8:00pm. Free. Hannon’s ‘Tom Waits for No Man’ set.
Thu 20: Ray Stubbs R&B All Stars @ Mill Tavern, Hebburn. 8:30pm. Free.

Fri 21: Paul Skerritt @ The Lit & Phil, Newcastle. 1:00pm. SOLD OUT!
Fri 21: Classic Swing @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 21: Rendezvous Jazz @ The Monkseaton Arms. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 21: New Orleans Preservation Jazz Band @ The Oxbridge Hotel, Stockton. 1:00pm. £5.00.
Fri 21: Giles Strong Quartet @ 1719, Hendon, Sunderland. 7:30pm. CANCELLED!
Fri 21: New Century Ragtime Orchestra @ Gosforth Civic Theatre, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Featuring special guest Martin Litton (piano).

Sat 22: Jason Isaacs @ St. James’ STACK, Newcastle. 12:30-2:30pm. Free. Vocalist Isaacs working with backing tapes.
Sat 22: Jason Isaacs @ Seaburn STACK, Seaburn. 3:30pm-5:30pm. Free. Vocalist Isaacs working with backing tapes.
Sat 22: Abbie Finn Trio @ The Vault, Darlington. 7:00pm. Free.
Sat 22: Swamp Stomp String Band @ The White Room, Stanley. 7:45pm.
Sat 22: Rivkala @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 8:00pm. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig. Country blues guitar & vocals.

Sun 23: Musicians Unlimited @ Jackson’s Wharf, Hartlepool. 1:00pm. Free.
Sun 23: Paul Skerritt @ Hibou Blanc, Newcastle. 2:00pm. Free. Vocalist Skerritt working with backing tapes.
Sun 23: More Jam @ The Globe, Newcastle. 2:00pm. Free.
Sun 23: 4B @ The Ticket Office, Whitley Bay. 3:00pm. Free.
Sun 23: Mississippi MacDonald @ Georgian Theatre, Stockton. 3:00pm. Blues.
Sun 23: Tweed River Jazz Band @ Barrels Ale House, Berwick. 7:00pm. Free.
Sun 23: The Great Deceivers @ The Globe, Newcastle. 8:00pm. Tom Atkinson & co play King Crimson (1969-1974). Atkinson (guitar); Josh Bentham (alto sax); Stu Dawson (bass); Jeff Armstrong (drums).

Mon 24: Harmony Brass @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Mon 24: Michael Young Trio @ The Engine Room, Sunderland. 6:30pm. Free.

Tue 25: Fred Wesley & the New JB’s @ The Cluny. 7:30pm (doors). £27.50. POSTPONED! New date Wednesday 26 November.

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

Tuesday, May 22, 2018

Remembering Kay Rouselle

Drummer/Bandleader Ian Lawrence (Stocks) sent me this photo of the late Kay Rouselle singing with his big band and remarking that he rarely hears mention of her these days which is a pity as, at one time, not only was she winning beauty contests but also went on to become possibly the best vocalist to sing with the Don Smith Band at Newcastle’s famous ballroom, the Oxford Galleries.*
Ian believes Kay’s last big band gig was with his band. She sang with the band for a number of years playing gigs in both England and Scotland.
Although the band included many top local musicians such as Ray Harley and Arthur Mowatt, it didn’t, says Ian, stop Kay speaking her mind if she thought something wasn’t being played right.
The Mayfair Ballroom and the Gosforth Park Hotel were among the many local venues they played. Ian remembers an occasion, after a riverboat trip down the Tyne and back, the bass player packing his instrument then looking over the side of the boat and Kay yelling at him, “Are you going to f…ing help with the gear?”
That, says Ian, was Kay!**
Sadly, Kay Rouselle’s life ended tragically in June 2003, when she died from head injuries received after falling downstairs at her home in Gosforth. She was 63.
Lance.

* The Don Smith line-up in 1962: Brian Whittle (lead alto), Andy Colquhoun (2nd alto), Gary Cox (1st tenor), Joe Patterson (2nd tenor), Gerry Gerke (baritone); Charlie Rowlands (lead trumpet), Terry Noonan (2nd trumpet arranger), Terry Morgan (3rd trumpet), Tony Bishop (4th trumpet); Derek Pilkington (1st trombone), Tommy Weatherley (2nd trombone arranger); Alan Blomerley (piano arranger), John O’Carroll (bass), Johnny Butts (drums). Vocalists: Kay Rouselle and Terry Milligan.
(Crescendo - August 1962).

** Ian goes on to tell about a gig with Arthur Mowatt on keys and Herbie Hudson on trombone. They were doing a Glenn Miller set and Arthur’s music began to slide off the stand. Kay rushed to try and help and, in the process, accidentally hit one of the buttons on the keyboard resulting in an array of bird sounds! Herbie, to his credit, just as Glenn did when the Doodlebugs were overhead (or so Hollywood would have us believe), kept on playing without missing a beat…

1 comment :

Unknown said...

Enjoyed the article and memories of the Oxford. I used to go regularly as a young lad and watch my dad (Derek Pilkington} and Kay on stage. She was a great woman and is sadly missed. Used to go to West Denton Social club to see her late 70s. A great family friend.

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