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Bebop Spoken There

Van Morrison: ''Basically, I'm coming from jazz. Not pop, not rock, not what's commercial. That's where I started, and that's still where I am. I feel the same as I did when I was listening to Louis Armstrong, Lead Belly, Jelly Roll Morton''. (The Northern Echo, 12 June 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

1803759 (and counting) posts since we started blogging 17 years ago. 480 of them this year alone and, so far, 58 this month (June 18).

From This Moment On ...

JUNE 2025

Sat 21: Jason Holcomb Jazz Ensemble @ The Engine Room, Sunderland. 5:30-7:30pm. Free. A 'Sunderland Year of Music' event.
Sat 21: Milne Glendinning Band @ The Vault, Darlington. 7:00pm. Free.
Sat 21: Red Kites Jazz @ Staithes Café, Dunston. 7:00-9:00pm. Free.
Sat 21: Papa G’s Troves @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 8:00pm. Free. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig.

Sun 22: Phoenix 4 @ Wallington, Northumberland. 12 noon-1:00pm & 2:00-3:00pm. Tel: 01670 773606. National Trust admission prices apply. ‘Tunes in the Blooms’.
Sun 22: Lapwing Trio @ Wallington, Northumberland. 1:00-2:00pm. Tel: 01670 773606. National Trust admission prices apply. ‘Tunes in the Blooms’.
Sun 22: 4B @ The Ticket Office, Whitley Bay. 3:00pm. Free.
Sun 22: Jason Isaacs Trio @ Pilgrim, Newcastle. 4:00pm. £18.00. + £1.08 bf.
Sun 22: JazzMain @ The Globe, Newcastle. 8:00pm.

Mon 23: MSK Trio @ Yamaha Music School, Blyth. 1:00pm. £9.00. at the door; £8.20. (inc £0.20 bf) online, in advance.
Mon 23: Harmony Brass @ Cullercoats Crescent Club (1:00pm). Free.

Tues 24: ???

Wed 25: Vieux Carré Jazzmen @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Wed 25: Darlington Big Band @ Darlington & Simpson Rolling Mills Social Club, Darlington. 7:00pm. Free. Rehearsal session (open to the public).
Wed 25: Take it to the Bridge @ The Globe, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free.
Wed 25: The Magpies of Swing @ The Roxy, Leadgate, Co. Durham. 7:30pm. A Ginger Jitterbugs swing dance event, all welcome.

Thu 26: Jazz Appreciation North East @ Brunswick Methodist Church, Newcastle NE1 7BJ. 2:00pm. £4.00. Subject: Brass Instruments & the use of mutes.

Fri 27: Lewis Watson Quartet @ The Gala, Durham. 1:00pm.
Fri 27: Classic Swing @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 27: Rendezvous Jazz @ The Monkseaton Arms. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 27: New Orleans Preservation Jazz Band @ The Oxbridge Hotel, Stockton. 1:00pm. £5.00.
Fri 27: Strictly Smokin’ Big Band @ Gosforth Civic Theatre, Newcastle. 8:00pm. ‘Time After Time’.

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, June 23, 2019

Jazz '65


Delving 'among my souvenirs' I encountered this long forgotten and somewhat tattered programme of a concert at the Royal Festival Hall which I attended in 1965. As I recall I hired a Triumph Herald to drive down to London and I have cherished memories of that car and, of course, the concert!

The concert was promoted as part of The Commonwealth Arts Festival and so we had Maynard Ferguson (Canada), Joe Harriott (Jamaica), The Australian Jazz Players plus Johnny Dankworth, Cleo Laine and Tubby Hayes as the home team.

On drums with the Aussies was Chris Karan, later to be drummer with the Dudley Moore Trio. Some years later I sold him a pair of drumsticks when I worked in a Newcastle music store. I mentioned the concert to him but he couldn't recall it.

The main reason I've posted this is due to the well-deserved resurgence of interest in Tubby Hayes. Sadly, on this occasion, although he played brilliantly, because of the number of acts I think he was only allotted 15-20 minutes.

I wonder if any other readers were present who have more vivid memories of the occasion?
Lance

2 comments :

Gordon Solomon said...

Hi Lance. Although I wasn't at this concert I did catch the Tubby Hayes Big Band the previous year at the Richmond Jazz Festival 1964. Like yourself, I drove down, in the company of John Saxelby and Eddie Piper in my Morris Cowley. The band was very tight with wonderful arrangements, I can't remember all the musicians but Jimmy Deuchar and Pete King were there. The highlight of the festival for me was the singing of Jimmy Witherspoon backed by the Chris Barber Band. "Spoon" was terrific and I think that the session was recorded by the BBC. We hadn't booked any digs but we met Mike Carr at the festival and he kindly let us sleep on the floor in his flat in Finchley High Street. The trip was slightly marred after I decided to drive back to Newcastle at 2am on the Monday morning. Needless to say I fell asleep at the wheel on the Grantham Bypass and the car ran through a hotel forecourt demolishing all the advertising signs. Both of the headlights were smashed and mysteriously the rear window disintegrated, showering us with glass. However, we were unhurt and got back safely. A great weekend!
Gordon Solomon.

Patti said...

Well, I didn't go to the concert - and I never saw Tubby Hayes play. Despite him appearing at the British Legion Club in Lancing in the early 1960's, and me starting to get into jazz, I passed up on the opportunity - preferring to go along the coast to Brighton, for the talent on display in Uncle Bonnie's Chinese Jazz Club! Anyway, Lance - you've reminded me about the soft top Triumph Herald that my Mike had when we first met - it was ice blue, I remember, and rather exciting!

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