Bebop Spoken There

Emma Rawicz: "In a couple of years I've gone from being a normal university student to suddenly being on international stages." DownBeat January 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

18246 (and counting) posts since we started blogging 17 years ago. 100 of them this year alone and, so far this month (Jan. 31), 100

From This Moment On ...

JANUARY 2026

Wed 04: Vieux Carré Jazzmen @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Wed 04: Darlington Big Band @ Darlington & Simpson Rolling Mills Social Club, Darlington. 7:00pm. Free. Rehearsal session (open to the public).
Wed 04: Take it to the Bridge @ The Globe, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free.

Thu 05: Jazz Appreciation North East @ Brunswick Methodist Church, Newcastle NE1 7BJ. 2:00pm. £5.00. Subject:Times of the Day & Trios.
Thu 05: Jeremy McMurray’s Pocket Jazz Orchestra @ Arc, Stockton. 8:00pm. Special guest Emma Wilson.
Thu 05: Tees Hot Club @ Dorman’s Club, Middlesbrough. 8:30pm.

Fri 06: Classic Swing @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 06: Rendezvous Jazz @ The Monkseaton Arms. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 06: New Orleans Preservation Jazz Band @ The Oxbridge Hotel, Stockton. 1:00pm. £5.00.
Fri 06: Durham Alumni Big Band & Saltburn Big Band @ Saltburn Theatre. 7:30pm. £12.00. Two big bands on stage together!
Fri 06: Nauta + Littlewood Trio @ Little Buildings, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Double bill + jam session.
Fri 06: FILM: Made in America @ Star & Shadow Cinema, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Ornette Coleman.
Fri 06: Deep Six Blues @ Queen’s Hall, Hexham. 7:30pm.

Sat 07: The Big Easy @ St Augustine’s Parish Centre, Darlington. 12:30pm. £10.00. Darlington New Orleans Jazz Club.
Sat 07: Tees Bay Swing Band @ The Blacksmith’s Arms, Hartlepool. 1:30-3:30pm. Free. Open rehearsal.
Sat 07: Rendezvous Jazz @ The Red Lion, Earsdon. 8:00pm. £3.00.

Sun 08: Swing Tyne @ The Cluny, Newcastle. 12 noon (doors). Donations. Swing dance taster class (12:30pm) + Hot Club de Heaton (live performance). Non dancers welcome.
Sun 08: Am Jam @ The Globe, Newcastle. 2:00pm. Free.
Sun 08: 4B @ The Ticket Office, Whitley Bay. 3:00pm. Free.
Sun 08: Gerry Richardson’s Big Idea @ The Globe, Newcastle. 8:00pm.

Mon 09: Mark Williams Trio @ Yamaha Music School, Blyth. 1:00pm.
Mon 09: Harmony Brass @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.

Tue 10: Jazz Jam Sandwich @ The Black Swan, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free.

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, December 26, 2020

Pete Deuchar with Dick Charlesworth's City Gents - did anyone tape 1961 BBC Jazz Club broadcast?

Tyneside legend Big Pete Deuchar (banjo) was in Dick Charlesworth's Gents for roughly the first six months of 1961, in between running his own band on a Hamburg residency (two doors down from the Beatles) for six months and then, weirdly, joining Doug Richford's London Jazzmen and Bob Wallis' Confederates, at exactly the same time! After one single and a 'Melody Maker' front page splash with the Confederates - which one imagines Doug Richford looking at and thinking 'What the hell's going on?! I thought he was in my band!' - Pete threw in his lot with Richford and stayed for 18 months and two singles.

During his six months with the City Gents, there were no commercial recordings - although Deuchar's back was utilised on the photo shoot for the cover of the 'Meet  the Gents' LP (recorded before he joined) - standing in for trumpeter Bob Masters, who was otherwise engaged on the day of the shoot. There was, though, an appearance on BBC radio's 'Jazz Club' on 15 June 1961, and a couple of TV appearances on ABC, including one with Adam Faith and Tony Bennett, no less. There's a terrific 'Melody Maker' photo of this trio with Deuchar's banjo and bowler hat placed neatly on his chair... 

I daresay the TV spots are long gone, but I'd be amazed if no one taped the 'Jazz Club' episode off-air. If anyone has it, do get in touch. Other vintage live Deuchar has come to light - two tracks from the 1963 Antibes Festival (from French radio, on a digital compilation, including one backing Beryl Bryden) and two tracks jamming with Chris Barber's band in Germany in the 70s or 80s, from a private collection. My biography of Deuchar is somewhat 'long-gestating' but it's getting there...
Colin Harper

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