Remembering The Connaught Hall, Newcastle.

Those of us for whom the "sand in the glass" is well past the halfway mark may, I hope, be excused for indulging ourselves in the occasional look back at the way things were "when we were young (ish)" In particular, I'm thinking about those early JNE gigs at The Connaught Hall, which, if memory serves me right, was part of the YMCA.

It is, of course, long gone. Demolished to make way for the Eldon Square Shopping Centre. However, back then, I attended seven concerts featuring seven jazz legends, accompanied by a few British jazz legends.

It all began in 1966 and surely there could have been no one better qualified to kick-start Jazz North East's first ever concert on March 30 of that year than American pianist Earl "Fatha" Hines. Accompanied by the Alex Welsh Band, I remember floating home in a dream as I did after most, although not all of these concerts. At this late date I can't remember if it was a set by the Welsh band followed by Hines and the rhythm section or if they all mucked in together. I suspect it was the former - what a learning curve for the Welsh Band's pianist Fred Hunt that must have been!

On April 22, Bill Coleman turned up with the Bruce Turner Jump Band and the session really did jump! Turner was on form and so was Bill. Probably one of those most underrated mainstream trumpeters of all time he had a beautifully lyrical style.

A month later, May 20, saw former Ellington cornet player, Rex Stewart and, once more, the Alex Welsh Band. This was a let down, the only disappointment of all of the seven concerts. Rex was obviously past his best and the half-valve trademarks that had worked so well with Duke some 30 years earlier didn't quite cut it. Or maybe Bill Coleman had been too hard an act to follow - for me anyway!

Later that year, on November 18, Edmund Hall appeared with the Alan Elsdon Band for another memorable night - a true master of New Orleans' clarinet playing and much more. He came across as a dignified senior citizen - until he cut loose!

In 1967 (November 23) Coleman Hawkins was the attraction backed by the Mike Carr Trio. A frail, bearded old man said to be living on cognac he looked anything but the man we knew on record as having the biggest saxophone sound in jazz - and then he blew! The walls reverberated and we knew we were in the presence of greatness the like of which we'd never know again - he died two years later.

When it came to big sounds Hawkins' closest rival was Ben Webster and Ben duly arrived on April 28 along with the Pat Smythe Trio. Another great session, it was incredible to think we were hearing and seeing these amazing musicians in a small venue on our doorstep!

Teddy Wilson and the Dave Shepherd Quintet re-created Teddy's time with Benny Goodman and, with Shepherd on clarinet and Ronnie Gleaves (or was it Roger Nobes?) on vibes, he could have had no greater aides this side of Carnegie Hall.

So far, all the American musicians I've mentioned have been mainstreamers but that all changed when Johnny Griffin came to town. I was privileged to shake his hand in the nearby Eldon Grill so, if we are ever allowed to shake hands again you will be able to boast that this is the hand that shook the hand of Johnny Griffin! Mike Carr was supposed to provide the backing but, on the night, it was Damian Robinson. I'd never heard of anyone called Damian at that point in my life although these days there are probably more Damians around than, say Georges! Still what's in a name? He did the business and Griffin blew up a storm.

Talk about happy memories - these were my "Swinging Sixties"!

Lance

PS: If anyone has fliers or tickets from the above concerts I'd appreciate if they could scan them to me just to make the article complete.