Total Pageviews

6960248

Bebop Spoken There

Kurt Elling: ''There's something to learn from every musician you play with''. (DownBeat, December 2024).

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

17655 (and counting) posts since we started blogging 17 years ago. 929 of them this year alone and, so far, 74 this month (Dec. 31).

From This Moment On ...

January 2025

Sat 04: Jason Isaacs @ STACK, Exchange Square, Middlesbrough. 3:30-5:30pm. Free. Vocalist Isaacs working with backing tapes.
Sat 04: Rivkala @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 8:00pm. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig.
Sat 04: Rendezvous Jazz @ Red Lion, Earsdon. 8:00pm. £3.00. Xmas party (rescheduled from early December).

Sun 05: Smokin’ Spitfires @ The Cluny, Newcastle. 12:45pm. £7.50.
Sun 05: 4B @ The Ticket Office, Whitley Bay. 3:00pm. Free.
Sun 05: Salty Dog @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 7:00pm. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig. Americana, jazz & blues.
Sun 05: Papa G’s Troves @ The Globe, Newcastle. 8:00pm. Free (donations).

Mon 06: Harmony Brass @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.

Tue 07: Customs House Big Band @ The Masonic Hall, North St., Ferryhill DL17 8HX. 7:00pm. Free.

Wed 08: Vieux Carré Jazzmen @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Wed 08: The Tannery Jam Session @ The Tannery, Gilesgate, Hexham. 7:00-9:00pm. Free.
Wed 08: Take it to the Bridge @ The Globe, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free.
Wed 08: Darlington Big Band @ Darlington & Simpson Rolling Mills Social Club, Darlington. 7:00pm. Free. Rehearsal session (open to the public).

Thu 09: Jazz Appreciation North East @ Brunswick Methodist Church, Newcastle NE1 7BJ. 2:00pm. £4.00. Subject: John H Hammond.
Thu 09: FILM: Soundtrack to a Coup D’Etat @ Tyneside Cinema, Newcastle. 2:35pm. Documentary (dir. Johan Grimonprez) ‘about jazz, (de)colonial history and activism featuring Louis Armstrong, Nina Simone and Dizzy Gillespie’.
Thu 09: Happy Tuesdays @ Ye Olde Cross, Ryton. 7:30pm. Free.
Thu 09: Merlin Roxby @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 8:00pm. Free. Ragtime piano. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig.
Thu 09: Mark Toomey Quartet @ Dorman’s Club, Middlesbrough. 8:30pm. Free. A Tees Hot Club promotion. The session now monthly, next one Thursday 2nd Feb, then first Thursday in the month thereafter.

Fri 10: Classic Swing @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 10: Rendezvous Jazz @ The Monkseaton Arms. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 10: New Orleans Preservation Jazz Band @ The Oxbridge Hotel, Stockton. 1:00pm. £5.00.
Fri 10: Joe Steels Trio @ The Pele, Corbridge. 7:00pm. 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

Monday, May 31, 2021

R.I.P Colin Haikney

(Archive photo)
Rarely a day goes by without a hero, a legend or just a fine musician leaving us.

Pianist Colin Haikney, who sadly passed away last night, was all of that and more. When someone dies it's, seemingly, obligatory to say what a great musician he was, his dry sense of humour, a true gentleman - in fact  everything but the truth!

Fortunately however, in Colin's case all those attributes are very much true and if there was ever a poll to find a musician who ticked all of those boxes then Colin Haikney would be up there in the frame.

In a career that covered the whole scene from dance bands, cruises, clubs, jazz groups, big bands and, most recently, Classic Swing, Colin was the man. 

Until the pandemic did what the Luftwaffe couldn't do, Classic Swing held court at Ye Olde Ship pub in Monkseaton, Colin remained in the background until the spotlight was on him which was when the audience realised that this was not just another piano player! 

Let's hope that Classic Swing will be back soon although whoever takes over at the keyboard will have some mighty big boots to fill.

RIP Colin Haikney. As another pianist frequently said - We Love You Madly. Lance

5 comments :

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

Sorry to hear this Lance

Dave Kerr said...

Colin was an outstanding pianist and I heard of his reputation years ago being extolled by Perter Gascoyne and Scotty Adair amongst others. It was only recently when he played with the New Century Ragtime Orchestra that I got to know him. Don Fairly suggested him to us
saying "He never makes a mistake!" I found him a very likable and witty man
he was a tower of strength at band rehearsals a true professional.

Classic Swing said...

"We were very sad to hear about Colin's death on Monday. He'd had a very successful career in music and was still playing into his eighties, before his health issues took priority, he's had a tough time of late. We've been so fortunate to have had Colin on Keys in "Classic Swing", he was such talented guy and a great accompanist as well as being a nice guy, with a great sense of humour, he will be a great miss on the North East music scene.
Our resident sax player/composer/arranger Tommy Moran wrote a composition dedicated to Colin, and called it "The Masters Magic", and that title just about sums up how highly we regarded him! Tommy also wrote a second composition for Colin, "The Master Returns", as we were half expecting Colin to return to the band if his health allowed. Sadly that's not going to be the case now, although Tommy did get to play his composition to Colin over the telephone!

Greatly missed! RIP Colin.

Roly said...

Such sad news. Colin played at Blaydon quite a few times over the years and it was always a privilege to have him. A lovely person and a complete master musician.

Mike Carton said...

With sadness I learned just a few days ago from Tommy Moran , of Colin's passing . News of the North East jazz scene travels slowly to Pennsylvania USA where I'm based these days/daze .
Colin and I shared the stage infrequently , but I remember he was the consummate pianist in any ensemble we were in at any particular time .
BUT , there is a subtle but important distinction between a musician and an instrumentalist Colin brought this home to me only once - Rick Taylor and I asked him to join " Collaboration " that short-lived maniacal outfit in the '80s . The music was complex , challenging and ' different ' . After a couple of rehearsals Colin told Rick and I that he couldn't commit to the band . I will never forget his answer when we asked him why he had made that decision , an answer which highlights just how GREAT a musician he was . He said , ' Sorry lads , but I won't be able to do justice to the project " . How many of us have 'bluffed ' our way through a gig ? Well , Colin was above that . A musician of the first order . I regret that we shared the stage so infrequently during my time in the North East . I offer my belated condolences to Stuart and the family .

Blog Archive