Bebop Spoken There

Joe Alterman: ''All I wanted to do growing up was to sound like Erroll Garner playing "Poor Butterfly." I thought that was the coolest sound I'd ever heard.'' (DownBeat November, 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

19,105 (and counting) posts since we started blogging 18 years ago. 969 of them this year alone and, so far this month (Nov. 14) 39.

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

November

Mon 16: Friends of Jazz @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.

Tue 17: Jam session @ The Black Swan, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free. House trio: Jacob Egglestone, Paul Grainger, Joe Deans.
Tue 17: Grammy Season (Laubrock/Seabrook/Lovato/Rainey) @ Central Bar, Gateshead. 8:00pm. JNE.

Wed 18: Vieux Carré Hot 4 @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Wed 18: Darlington Big Band @ Darlington & Simpson Rolling Mills Social Club, Darlington. 7:00pm. Free. Rehearsal session (open to the public).
Wed 18: Take it to the Bridge @ The Globe, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free.

Thu 19: Vieux Carré Hot 4 @ The Millstone, Mill Rise, South Gosforth, Newcastle. 1:00pm. Free.
Thu 19: Papa G’s Troves @ Newcastle Arts Centre. 7:30pm. Free (donations).
Thu 19: Marina Josephina @ Pilgrim, Newcastle. £10.60; £10.60.; £8.50 Early Bird.

Fri 20: Zoë Gilby & Andy Champion: The Music of Duke Ellington @ The Lit & Phil, Newcastle. 1:00pm. SOLD OUT!
Fri 20: Classic Swing @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 20: Rendezvous Jazz @ The Monkseaton Arms. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 20: New Orleans Preservation Jazz Band @ The Oxbridge Hotel, Stockton. 1:00pm. £5.00.
Fri 20: Customs House Big Band @ Sunderland Minster. 7:30pm.

Sat 21: Pete Tanton Duo @ Awesome Frank’s, West Jesmond Metro Station, Newcastle. 7:30pm. £8.00.
Sat 21: Paul Skerritt Big Band @ The Westovian Theatre, South Shields. 7:30pm. £18.00.

Sun 22: Lewis Watson Quartet @ Central Bar, Gateshead. 2:00pm. £10.00. ‘Celebrating Coltrane’.
Sun 22: More Jam @ The Globe, Newcastle. 2:00pm. Free.
Sun 22: 4B @ The Ticket Office, Whitley Bay. 3:00pm. Free.
Sun 22: Groovetrain @ Pilgrim, Newcastle. 4:00pm. £18.00.
Sun 22: Red Kites Jazz @ Beat ‘n’ Track Café, High Spen. 5:00pm.
Sun 22: Knats @ The Waiting Room, Eaglescliffe. 7:00pm. SOLD OUT!
Sun 22: Tweed River Jazz Band @ Barrels Ale House, Berwick. 7:00pm. Free.
Sun 22: Smiodair @ The Globe, Newcastle. 8:00pm. JNE.

Wednesday, May 06, 2020

Richie Cole (1948 - 2020)

Alto sax giant Richie Cole passed away in his sleep on May 2. His hard driving alto made him one of the more outstanding players in what could perhaps be described as the third wave of bebop.

He dropped out of Berklee to join the Buddy Rich Band taking over the alto chair vacated by Art Pepper. Cole and Pepper would later record  an album together: Return to Alto Acres. On that occasion Cole played alto, tenor and baritone. He frequently recorded with other sax players Sonny Stitt being one and I have an album in which he jousts with Boots Randolph of Yakety Sax fame. Cole held his own on all of these sessions.

I never got to hear him live although I remember seeing a video of him playing at a Californian vineyard and I was impressed.

A great player who will be sadly missed.

He died of natural causes aged 72.

Rest In Peace.
Lance

at

3 comments :

Anonymous said...

Sad news. I have a DVD of a live concert with his quintet Alto Madness at the Village Vanguard. With an exciting pianist Bobby Enriquez and the great bop style guitarist Bruce Foreman. Marshall Hawkins bass and Scott Morris drums complete the line up. They are all really going for it and it's great. I see it's now up on YouTube. Here's the link below.
Roly

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mIlbAYfr5eA

Wednesday, May 06, 2020 10:28:00 am
Steve T said...

Groovin on a New York Afternoon was massive on the Acid/Jazz/Dance scene. What you might call a feelgood record.

Wednesday, May 06, 2020 3:05:00 pm
mike farmer said...

Saw him live in Nice and North Sea Festival. Always a big hit with the crowd.Sad loss- a real bop legend.

Wednesday, May 06, 2020 3:25:00 pm

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