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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

18037 (and counting) posts since we started blogging 17 years ago. 458 of them this year alone and, so far, 36 this month (June 11).

From This Moment On ...

JUNE 2025

Sun 15: Lewis Watson Quartet @ Queen’s Hall, Hexham. 3:00pm.
Sun 15: 4B @ The Ticket Office, Whitley Bay. 3:00pm. Free.
Sun 15: Pasadena Roof Orchestra @ Alnwick Playhouse. 7:00pm.
Sun 15: Under the Wellie @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 7:00pm. Free. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig.
Sun 15: Hannah Brine Quartet @ The Globe, Newcastle. 8:00pm.

Mon 16: Harmony Brass @ Cullercoats Crescent Club (1:00pm). Free.
Mon 16: Giles Strong Quartet @ The Black Bull, Blaydon. 8:00pm. £10.00.

Tue 17: Jam session @ The Black Swan, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free. House trio: Alan Law, Paul Grainger, Abbie Finn.

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

Thu 19: Gareth John & the SOS Big Band @ The Forum Music Centre, Darlington. 7:00pm. £25.00.

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: David Gray's Flextet @ The Lit & Phil, Newcastle. 1:00pm. SOLD OUT!
Fri 20: Strictly Smokin’ Big Band @ Alnwick Playhouse. 7:30pm. £21.50. ‘Time After Time’.br/> Fri 20: Alexia Gardner Quintet @ Sunderland Minster. 7:30pm.
Fri 20: King Bees @ Billy Bootleggers, Ouseburn, Newcastle. 8:00pm. Free. Superb Chicago blues band.

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.

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, December 27, 2020

Art Pepper, Blue Wisp Big Band, Tabasco Pete Webb.

Anyone out there remember Tabasco Pete Webb? Pete ran the Art Pepper 
Society which may have been when he added the Tabasco moniker to his name. As an avid Art Pepper fan myself I joined and, during this period (1987/9) I was bold, or maybe foolhardy enough to give a talk on Art to the Gateshead Jazz Society. 

I duly reported back to Pete enclosing a transcript of my talk which he seemed to like and, in response, sent me a tape of the Blue Wisp Big Band which was based in Cincinnatti and is still going strong in that city although founder member/leader drummer John Von Ohlen has since passed on as I'm sure have many of the players on the tape.

I remembered Von Ohlen from seeing him driving the Herman Herd at Newcastle's City Hall.

The tape comprises two albums - Live at Carmelo's and Butterfly. Both stand up alongside any of the other big bands then and now. Precision section work and modern, for the time, soloists. Nica's Dream.

Pete Webb is no longer with us but I treasure my copies of "The Newspepper" that, along with Pete's accompanying letters, used to turn up regularly through my mailbox.

Lance

Jim Sherrick, Mike Andres (alto sax); Herb Aronoff, Joe Gaudio (tenor sax); Larry Dickson (bari sax); Don Johnson, Kevin Moore, Larry Wiseman, Al Kiger, Tim Hagans (trumpets); Bill Gemmer, Gary Langhorst, Paul Piller, Clarence Pawn (trombones); Steve Schmidt (piano); Lynn Seaton (bass); John Von Ohlen (drums).

PS: Getting back to Pete and the APS, Alan Barnes was playing at the Corner House and I mentioned that he'd been doing an Art Pepper tribute gig organised by Pete. I asked Alan if Pete had insisted that he, Alan, played numbers associated with Art?

"Oh yes" replied Alan, "I did everything Pete asked apart from wearing Art's underpants!"

PPS: I note, from my files that northeast members of the APS included Peter Bevan, Dave Brownlow and a D.Wilson from Hebburn. Mr Wilson must surely be the guy who buys DownBeat from my local newsagent. If this is you, please get in touch.

2 comments :

Dave Brownlow said...

I do remember my membership of The Art Pepper Society under Tabasco Pete. He had some wacky ideas as I recall - he wanted me to set up a franchise to sell Art's records here in the North.

He also wanted me to join him in setting up some sort of commune in Spain for all Art Pepper fans where Art's music would play all day and we would drink wine......he may mistakenly have thought I could contribute funds to the idea .....!

K Limbrick said...

Hi Lance, thank you for the great post. And thanks Dave for the comment. I am the grandson of "Tobasco" Pete Webb! :)

Your memories, including references to the Newspepper, wacky ideas and the dream of a Spanish commune led to knowing and bittersweet smiles from me and my Mum.

I Googled "Tobasco Pete" this evening after looking through and playing some of his (heavily annotated!) record collection which I am fortunate enough to have with me here in Copenhagen, Denmark (which in normal times has a strong jazz scene).

Sadly Pete passed away suddenly and unexpectedly from a heart attack in January 1997. I was only 11, but I have precious and vivid memories of him listening to Art Pepper, as well as him telling me about his regular chats with Art's wife Laurie and joys of running the Art Pepper Society.

It really is a tragedy he left us just before the internet, email, message boards, video calls and YouTube/Spotify etc really took off - he would have been in his element!!

Thank you again for remembering Tobasco Pete and his love of jazz and the jazz community.

I'd be happy for you to reach out to me at kanelimbrick@gmail.com if you have any further memories / questions or if you ever find yourself in Copenhagen.

Best wishes,

Kane

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