Newcastle Big Band Reunion @ The Collingwood, Jesmond - Oct. 22

Way back when most of us had too much hair a big band was formed at Newcastle University - a tradition that has carried on to this very day. Founder members of that original band included Andy Hudson and Laurie Rangecroft. Laurie provided a unique link between the Newcastle Big Band and, until recently, the current keeper of the flame - the Strictly Smokin' Big Band.

Just about everyone, myself included, who had a degree of competency passed through the Newcastle Big Band. The Sunday lunchtime sessions that were held in what was then The University Theatre, have become a part of Newcastle's jazz folklore.

At the helm was Andy Hudson whose memories and subsequent escapades have been well documented within these pages. Suffice to say that he opened doors to a lot of people who became better players and non-musicians who, overnight, became jazz fans.

Tonight, those of us who survived having to play Beefeaters at every gig met up at a pub in Jesmond and it was one of those occasions where the tape should have been rolling to capture all the stories and the memories that were recounted.

San Sebastian, Pau, Seaham Harbour - this band was truly international! I mention Seaham Harbour as, for some reason or other Jacky Denton didn't make that particular gig in a local community centre so we played without a drummer. Imagine, a band playing Basie, Herman, Quincy Jones without a drummer!

The late Trevor Johnson was on the gig and I bumped into him a couple of weeks later and remarked that I hadn't seen him since Seaham Harbour. Trevor's dry sense of humour came through: "Seaham Harbour? It was more like Pearl Harbour without the bombs!"

Sadly, like Trevor, so many NBB alumni have now left us: Charlie Carmichael; Nigel Stanger; John Pearce; Alf Parker; Don Eddy; Mike Gilby; Ronnie Pearson; Bill Shaw; Marshall Walker; Jacky Denton; Bob King; Ronnie McLean; Graham Shepherd; Bobby Carr etc. etc.

Still it was good to meet up again - for many of us it was the moment of our musical lives. If I had any grandkids I'd be telling them that Sting was in the band but, who knows? Maybe he's telling his grandkids that BSH's Lance was in the band - we can dream...
Lance

In the photo, taken by the former supremo of Impulse Studios Dave Wood, are (l-r) Brian Chester (trombone); Laurie Rangecroft (tenor sax); Germaine Stanger (vocals); Andy Hudson (piano etc.); Lance Liddle (tenor sax); John Hedley (guitar). Down front is Cormack Loane (alto sax) - probably still the youngest living member!