My emphasis is on women instrumentalists (although some do also sing) as, compared to their male counterparts, female jazz singers have never been so much in abundance - not that I'm complaining!
Kathy Stobart is perhaps the best known instrumentalist to emerge from the region. The late, South Shields born saxophonist began her musical life with Don Rico's Ladies' Swing Band before joining Peter Fielding's Band at Newcastle's Oxford Galleries. Her subsequent career centred around London where, as well as leading her own band, she played in the Vic Lewis Orchestra, formed a quintet with her then husband, trumpet player Bert Courtley and ended her career as a member of Humphrey Lyttleton's band.
I'm sure there were many others although most have either been forgotten or found refuge in the Ivy Benson Band.
Once such was Lynn Weems who, after a spell with Ivy Benson, returned to the area and played alto sax in the Newcastle Big Band as well taking up a music-teaching post with one of the local authorities.
A jump forward to the present with apologies to those I've overlooked.
Monarch of all she surveys, Emma Fisk (pictured) can hold her own with just about any swing violinist in the country and I'm not sure who the "just about" is! Her Hot Club du Nord was a natural follow on from her stint with Djangologie and is always a crowd-puller either live or online.
Another swing fiddler is former Northern Sinfonia violinist Kay Usher who enlivened many of the jam sessions at the Dun Cow in Jesmond. Which reminds me of another violinist; Elaine Binney who shook up some of the Jazz Café jams and gigged with her band, the Jazz Rascals. I spoke to her recently and I'm pleased to report that after several years of ill-health she's alive and kickin' on the country music scene. Among the various Strad (Strad(i)varius get it?) aspirants, Judith Thompson co-led The Hot House Dragons with Matt Office before disappearing off the radar.
Abbie Finn has developed from jam session sitter in to bandleader and local A-Lister. A player who can handle any gig anywhere and, as if that isn't enough, she's appeared on stage in the West End!
You name it, Jude Murphy does it! Sax, flute, bass guitar, sings and goodness knows what else. Jude's the one you say "Hey Jude" to when you're looking for someone for a gig.
Then there's Sue Ferris. Not many sax players of any gender will put themselves in the frame to swap choruses with Alan Barnes on baritone sax but Sue isn't just any sax player and she could, also, probably take most guys to the cleaners on flute!
Faye MacCalman, Karen Rann, Rachel Richman, Faye Thompson, Sarah Travena, Nicola Milne (Weaver), Fiona Finden and Caroline Bagley all blow sax as good as some men and maybe better than most.
There are so many more coming up, pianist Laurent Ainsborough whom we featured a couple of days back, Beth Roberts from Teesside, the various girls who are increasingly turning up in student big bands - the girls are on the march - look out guys, you better start practising or else you you'll be buying sweeping brushes instead of drum brushes!
Lance
PS: And how could I forget sax players Jill Brett and Elaine Francis of the Customs House Big Band?!
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