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Bebop Spoken There

Sullivan Fortner: ''I always judge it by the bass player: If the bass player is happy, it's going to be a good night". (DownBeat, February 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

17777 (and counting) posts since we started blogging 17 years ago. 98 of them this year alone and, so far, 23 this month (Feb.8).

From This Moment On ...

February 2025

Mon 10: Harmony Brass @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.

Tue 11: Steve Summers Quintet @ Newcastle House Hotel, Rothbury. 7:30pm.

Wed 12: Vieux Carré Jazzmen @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Wed 12: Jam session @ The Tannery, Gilesgate, Hexham. 7:00-9:00pm. 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: Student Performances @ King’s Hall, Newcastle University. 4:00pm. Free. Inc. Olly Styles (tenor sax).
Thu 13: MOBO Awards Fringe 2025: Artist Showcase @ The Glasshouse, Gateshead. 7:00pm. Free (ticketed). Line-up inc. Hannabiell & Midnight Blue.
Thu 13: Indigo Jazz Voices @ The Globe, Newcastle. 7:45pm. £5.00.

Fri 14: John Rowland Trio @ Jesmond Library, Newcastle. 12:30-1:30pm. £5.00. at the door. New second Friday in the month concert series.
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: Jason Isaacs @ St. James’ STACK, Newcastle. 4:00-6:00pm. Free. Vocalist Isaacs working with backing tapes.
Fri 14: Archipelago + Anna Tempest @ Cobalt Studios, Newcastle. 7:00pm. £12.00., £10.00., £8.00.
Fri 14: Paul Jones & Dave Kelly @ Alnwick Playhouse. 7:30pm. Rhythm & blues.
Fri 14: Alexia Gardner Quintet @ The White Room, Stanley. 7:45pm.
Fri 14: Jazz Sabbath @ The Glasshouse, Gateshead. 8:00pm.

Sat 15: Joseph Carville Trio @ The Vault, Darlington. 7:00pm. Free.
Sat 15: James Birkett & Emma Fisk @ Yamaha Music School, Blyth. 7:30pm. £15.00. at the door; £14.35. (inc £0.35 bf) online, in advance.
Sat 15: Elkie Brooks @ The Glasshouse, Gateshead. 7:30pm. ‘The Long Farewell Tour’.
Sat 15: Milne Glendinning Band @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 8:00pm. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig.

Sun 16: Jason Isaacs @ STACK, Exchange Sq., Middlesbrough. 1:00-2:45pm. Free. Vocalist Isaacs working with backing tapes.
Sun 16: 4B @ The Ticket Office, Whitley Bay. 3:00pm. Free.
Sun 16: MOBO Awards Fringe 2025: BBC Introducing NE X MOBO Showcase @ The Glasshouse, Gateshead. 6:00pm. Free (ticketed). Line-up inc. Jambone, Knats, Rivkala, SwanNek.
Sun 16: The Shayo Experience @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 7:00pm. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig.
Sun 16: Gerry Richardson Quartet @ The Globe, Newcastle. 8:00pm.
Sun 16: Jazz Jam @ Fabio’s, Saddler St., Durham. 8:00pm. Free. A Durham University Jazz Society promotion. All welcome.

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, October 24, 2020

Lest we forget - as if!

I got to thinking the other day - or was it last year? - about some of the characters that have been part of the northeast jazz scene during the course of my lifetime. I've only picked out those who are no longer with us to avoid a libel action or getting filled in.

They weren't always the best or the worst on their instrument but they all had one thing in common - they were individuals. They were what jazz musicians were when jazz musicians were, shall we say, jazz musicians. Their sounds were as identifiable as their speech. They didn't learn to play the blues or blow bop or Dixieland at college but instead it was in the clubs and bars with like-minded wannabees. So, working on a one per instrument, here are my choices:

Teddy Langston: Trumpeter Teddy didn't mix much with the jazzers - he was a brass band man at heart - but when push came to shove he could hold his own as he proved on those Sunday mornings at The Bluebell in Felling. He could play Harry James better than Betty Grable. Once, after being stopped by the police on the way home from a gig he gave his occupation as "drain cleaner". This wasn't very flattering as I'd been on the gig with him that night!

Ronnie McLean: Ronnie was one of the few local trombonists who took the Teagarden/Dorsey route as opposed to his contemporaries who toed the Ory/Barber party line. His claim to fame was having played with Lennie Hastings and Diz Disley in a club in Dusseldorf. I worked alongside him in a music shop for many years and noted that he had few conversations with customers without the word Dusseldorf somehow entering the conversation.

John Saxelby: John had but one aim in life - to find the perfect clarinet mouthpiece. To achieve this goal he would buy mouthpieces like other players bought reeds! He was a big fan of the Dutch Swing College Band and when he discovered they were playing at a local venue he scraped up enough money to buy a ticket and, during the interval, he cornered the band's clarinet player, bought him a drink and asked the important question, "What make of mouthpiece do you use?"

The Dutchman shrugged, "I don't know - it came with the instrument!"

Nigel Stanger: Undoubtedly the number one alto player back then. He returned to the area after playing and recording in London with Alexis Korner and many other names that were rising to stardom by way of the emerging blues/rock scene. I remember the first words he said to me were: "Do you have a ciggie?" Me and everyone else I gather!

Charlie CarmichaelDifficult to be objective as Charlie was one of my best friends and favourite tenor players. However, he didn't suffer fools gladly and nor did they. He had little concern about chord changes but, somehow, it always sounded good. He was the only guy I heard blow bebop on clarinet. He worked as an electrician in the shipyards and, during his break, would spend the time blowing on a flute mouthpiece. Wonder he didn't get thrown over the side!


Clive Gray: Without doubt the number one banjo player. His idol was Eddie Peabody - google him - Clive used Clarion banjo strings, him and nobody else. I once asked him why and he replied saying that it was because they're the cheapest! They may have been the cheapest but Clive made them sound as good as the so-called best and most expensive!

Jacky Denton: Outwardly, drummer Jacky was as hard as they come and, if he didn't like what the guys out front were doing he could make their life hell! However, if he did like what was going on then they had it made!

These are just a few of them as was. I'm sure others will have their own memories to relate and perhaps a few others to add. I should also say that, for all their idiosyncrasies, they were all great, very talented guys.

Lance.

For more info on Bobby Carr (see Roly's comment.)

5 comments :

Gordon Solomon said...

Lance, we can't leave out Don Eddy. A superb drummer,who as you remember did stints with the Newcastle Big Band and the River City Jazzmen. I still giggle at the hilarious situations he got involved in when the NBB went to play in Pau in Southern France. Like the hot summer day when he climbed fully clothed into the municipal town fountain in Pau's main square to cool off. Unfortunately the fountain had a slippery base which sloped steeply down to the centre and Don slowly slid down to the middle and could'nt get back up again. we only got him out by borrowing some ladders from a passing builder. Priceless.

John Hallam (on F/b). said...

I once asked Jacky Denton if he could play a bit quieter. After the explosion, that's just what he did. A listening drummer who lifted every band he played with.

David Holman (on F/b) said...

I remember Ted Langston from when I worked in Wardley Legion.My dad said he was a brilliant trumpet player.

Roly Veitch said...

I've often reminisced about Bobby Carr. He was a great trumpet player and quite a character.
I once saw him at The Golden Lion, Winlaton Mill, having a sit in with Vieux Carre led at the time by Peter Gascoigne. (1970s) He played his party piece 'I Can't Get Started' a la Berrigan and got down on his knees to sing it. Quite a showman. I didn't know him personally and only saw him a few times but he was very highly regarded. Maybe your readers will have more information and stories about him.
Roly

Lance said...

Lots of stories about Bobby but we won't be printing them here...

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