Bebop Spoken There

Gary Bartz: ''Charlie Parker was my introduction to the religion of music. And so he's always with me .'' - Downbeat November 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

17950 (and counting) posts since we started blogging 17 years ago. 914 of them this year alone and, so far, 23 this month (Nov. 7).

From This Moment On ...

November

Wed 12: Vieux Carré Jazzmen @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Wed 12: Tannery Jam Session @ The Tannery, Hexham. 7:00pm. Free.
Wed 12: Darlington Big Band @ Darlington & Simpson Rolling Mills Social Club, Darlington. 7:00pm. Free. Rehearsal session (open to the public).
Wed 12: Take it to the Bridge @ The Globe, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free.

Thu 13: Thu 04: Jazz Appreciation North East @ Brunswick Methodist Church, Newcastle NE1 7BJ. 2:00pm. £4.00. Subject: Seasonal/Festive Music & Songs - autumn into winter.
Thu 13: Awen Ensemble @ Pilgrim, Newcastle. 7:30pm (doors). £5.00. Jazz-folk.
Thu 13: SwanNek + Ellen Beth Adbi + Phantom Bagman @ Glasshouse, Gateshead. 8:00pm. A BBC Introducing event.

Fri 14: Dan Johnson Quartet @ Bishop Auckland Methodist Church. 1:00pm. £8.00.
Fri 14: Giles Strong Quartet @ Jesmond Library, Newcastle. 1:00pm. £5.00.
Fri 14: Classic Swing @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 14: Rendezvous Jazz @ The Monkseaton Arms. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 14: New Orleans Preservation Jazz Band @ The Oxbridge Hotel, Stockton. 1:00pm. £5.00.
Fri 14: Brian Jackson @ Pilgrim, Newcastle. 7:30pm (doors). £32.00. SOLD OUT!
Fri 14: Guisborough Big Band @ Saltburn Golf Club. 7:30pm. £12.00 (inc. pie & peas). SOLD OUT!

Sat 15: Joseph Carville Trio @ The Vault, Darlington. 7:00pm. Free.
Sat 15: Tweed River Jazz Band @ Warkworth Memorial Hall. 7:00-9:30pm.
Sat 15: Les Frères Frangipane @ Jesmond Library, Newcastle. 8:00pm (doors 7:30pm). £10.00. ‘Chanson Française’. Fundraiser for Jesmond Community Orchard & Jesmond Library.

Sun 16: Jo Harrop @ The Globe, Newcastle. 2:30pm. Duo performance.
Sun 16: Michael Young Trio @ The Engine Room, Sunderland. 2:30pm. Free. ‘Jazz Sunday’ with special guest PETE TANTON.
Sun 16: Lorne Lofsky-Nigel Price Quartet @ Queen’s Hall, Hexham. 3:00pm. Lofsky (guitar); Price (guitar); Jeremy Brown (double bass); Joel Barford (drums).
Sun 16: 4B @ The Ticket Office, Whitley Bay. 3:00pm. Free.
Sun 16: Lorne Lofsky-Nigel Price Quartet @ The Globe, Newcastle. 8:00pm. Lofsky (guitar); Price (guitar); Jeremy Brown (double bass); Joel Barford (drums).

Mon 17: Harmony Brass @ Cullercoats Crescent Club (1:00pm). Free.
Mon 17: Finn-Keeble Quartet @ The Black Bull, Blaydon. 8:00pm. £10.00.

Tue 18: Jam session @ The Black Swan, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free. House trio: Alan Law, Paul Grainger, Abbie Finn.

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

Saturday, January 25, 2020

Remembering George Evans

Our historian in Hong Kong, Colin, came up with an interesting article and photo of the George Evans Orchestra which was resident at the Oxford Galleries, Newcastle, from 1951 to 1958. 

Quite a few well known names in the band such as Malcolm Mitchell and Eric Jupp who went on to form their own big bands and Freddy Syer and Don Rendell - both national jazz names. Rendell toured with Stan Kenton as well as giving a legendary concert with the Newcastle Big Band.

Evans, after a period of retirement returned to playing in the northeast and was a regular guest at Blaydon Jazz Club. 

Ten saxes!

9 comments :

carstairs said...

He used to turn up at The Porthole near the North Shields ferry landing and ask Munro Sutherland if he minded him sitting in for a few numbers. What a nice man and, of course, super tenor. I used to dep occasionally for Derek Dixon and it was an education and pleasure to stand behind him . On one occasion I had also brought my tuba - and he never complained! When I wanted to buy a bass sax George was very helpful, even steering me away from one that had been made out of two old ones.
I wonder what happened to his arrangements? I think Stan Coates had some from the Geraldo Orchestra.

Russell said...

For a while Stan Coates' band rehearsed at West Denton Social Club (the venue must have been down to Scotty Adair) and George Evans came along to work with the band. As John said, it was an education to work with him, likewise it was an education simply to sit and listen.

Steve Andrews said...

I once asked George what happened to the arrangements he'd done for Geraldo, and he told me he'd made a big bonfire in the back garden and burnt them! Oh dear!

Elaine Willis (on F/b) said...

Here’s my Dad with George - on telly in the early 80’s. George was such a lovely man. He and Dad used to have regular jam sessions in our house and I used to sit on the floor and listen for ages! Lovely memories 🙂
Dad played in his big band too, around the same time

https://youtu.be/tZyvZDgFskw

Betty Brett (on F/b) said...

...and I remember going to listen to them play at The Grey Horse in Boldon. It was never terribly well attended but that didn’t matter - the music was always fab and it was a privilege to hear George play (and of course Roy).

Lance said...

Alan Rudd kindly pointed me in the direction of an article by Leslie Evans on his brother George Evans which is very interesting. I have added the link to the originnal post so, Steve, maybe he didn't have a bonfire after all!

carstairs said...

Stan Coates told me that he had George Evans' arrangements. There was certainly a huge amount of stuff in his garage! However, these could have been for Geraldo. In any event, the contents of Stan's garage went to a bari player in the BBC Big Band. A white van arrived and was loaded up with everything - including all the pre-WW2 'Mickey Mouse' stocks and also Alistair Atkinson's library which Stan had promised me! Stan also had some of the special mutes handmade by George but I don't know where they ended up.

Wilson said...

The Geraldo library, including all of the arrangements George did for that band, are all at the Royal College of Music, perfectly preserved. Stan gave his library to Jay Craig - not sure where it is now. Wonderful to see this photo of the Oxford Galleries band - must be the early 50s because the guitar was dropped quite early on…

Anonymous said...

Excellent news. Catherine Tackley will be pleased! I have some files and photos about George which Stan’s son gave me after he died. By then, Alistair Atkinson’s library and the other Stocks had been collected by Jay Craig.
I would be happy to pass my Evans material on, provided it is available to researchers, etc. hallamjohn46@outlook.com

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