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Bebop Spoken There

John McLaughlin: '' A Love Supreme coincided with my search for meaning in life". (DownBeat, March 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

17873 (and counting) posts since we started blogging 17 years ago. 194 of them this year alone and, so far, 41 this month (March 14).

From This Moment On ...

MARCH 2025.

Tue 18: Jam session @ The Black Swan, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free. House trio: Laurence Harrison, Paul Grainger, Tim Johnston.
Tue 18: Phil Bancroft’s Beautiful Storm @ The Cluny, Newcastle. 8:00pm. £13.20 & £11.00.. A JNE-Gem Arts co-promotion.

Wed 19: Vieux Carré Jazzmen @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Wed 19: Darlington Big Band @ Darlington & Simpson Rolling Mills Social Club, Darlington. 7:00pm. Free. Rehearsal session (open to the public).
Wed 19: Take it to the Bridge @ The Globe, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free.

Thu 20: Vieux Carré Jazzmen @ The Holystone, Whitley Road, Holystone. 1:00pm. Free.
Thu 20: Jazz Appreciation North East @ Brunswick Methodist Church, Newcastle NE1 7BJ. 2:00pm. £4.00. Subject: Nicknames.
Thu 20: Terri Green Experience @ Pilgrim, Newcastle. 7:30pm. £15.90.
Thu 20: Lindsay Hannon Trio @ The Harbour View, Roker, Sunderland. 8:00pm. Free. Hannon’s ‘Tom Waits for No Man’ set.
Thu 20: Ray Stubbs R&B All Stars @ Mill Tavern, Hebburn. 8:30pm. Free.

Fri 21: Paul Skerritt @ The Lit & Phil, Newcastle. 1:00pm. SOLD OUT!
Fri 21: Classic Swing @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 21: Rendezvous Jazz @ The Monkseaton Arms. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 21: New Orleans Preservation Jazz Band @ The Oxbridge Hotel, Stockton. 1:00pm. £5.00.
Fri 21: Giles Strong Quartet @ 1719, Hendon, Sunderland. 7:30pm. CANCELLED!
Fri 21: New Century Ragtime Orchestra @ Gosforth Civic Theatre, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Featuring special guest Martin Litton (piano).

Sat 22: Jason Isaacs @ St. James’ STACK, Newcastle. 12:30-2:30pm. Free. Vocalist Isaacs working with backing tapes.
Sat 22: Jason Isaacs @ Seaburn STACK, Seaburn. 3:30pm-5:30pm. Free. Vocalist Isaacs working with backing tapes.
Sat 22: Abbie Finn Trio @ The Vault, Darlington. 7:00pm. Free.
Sat 22: Swamp Stomp String Band @ The White Room, Stanley. 7:45pm.
Sat 22: Rivkala @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 8:00pm. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig. Country blues guitar & vocals.

Sun 23: Musicians Unlimited @ Jackson’s Wharf, Hartlepool. 1:00pm. Free.
Sun 23: Paul Skerritt @ Hibou Blanc, Newcastle. 2:00pm. Free. Vocalist Skerritt working with backing tapes.
Sun 23: More Jam @ The Globe, Newcastle. 2:00pm. Free.
Sun 23: 4B @ The Ticket Office, Whitley Bay. 3:00pm. Free.
Sun 23: Mississippi MacDonald @ Georgian Theatre, Stockton. 3:00pm. Blues.
Sun 23: Tweed River Jazz Band @ Barrels Ale House, Berwick. 7:00pm. Free.
Sun 23: The Great Deceivers @ The Globe, Newcastle. 8:00pm. Tom Atkinson & co play King Crimson (1969-1974). Atkinson (guitar); Josh Bentham (alto sax); Stu Dawson (bass); Jeff Armstrong (drums).

Mon 24: Harmony Brass @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Mon 24: Michael Young Trio @ The Engine Room, Sunderland. 6:30pm. 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

Tuesday, September 06, 2022

Remembering Ritchie Close (1951-1991)

January 19, 1968, Newtown CIU Club, Hebburn. Outside it was snowing and inside the local football club was holding a 'smoker' - a men only event that meant the room was enveloped in a blue/grey mist. The former from the language and the latter a combination of the noxious fumes from Woodbines, Player's Medium and Capstan Full Strength with maybe a Senior Service or two to give it a further nautical flavour.

On the bandstand, a drummer (Keith McGregor) and an alto saxophonist (me) awaited the arrival of pianist Dickie Close. Dickie was a good busker who I knew would be well capable of accompanying the inevitable boozy baritones who would commandeer the mic as the evening progressed.

However, it wasn't Dickie who turned up but his son Ritchie. Ritchie was 16, still at school and had some music in what appeared to be his school satchel. "Where's your dad?" I asked. "Double booked, so he sent me."

Now I knew Ritchie went to my father for piano lessons and was moving rapidly through the grades but there's a big difference between playing a Bach Prelude and Fugue from music and backing a drunk singing what sounded like Can I Phone ya in the Mornin'? in an indeterminate key that was, on occasion, somewhere between D and D#. Nevertheless, he coped fine.

Earlier, he opened his school satchel and produced a transcription of Take Five - not the simplified version but the real McCoy. "I thought we could play this" he said. I thought he may be able to but I certainly couldn't! I nodded conspiratorially in the direction of the drummer and whispered "I don't think he can play in 5/4". I could have added that neither could I but I didn't.

I did a few more gigs with him until he left for Manchester and Chetham's School of Music.

Over the years I followed his progress via his father. He played in many bands and provided the music for a lot of tv shows. Even now his name still crops up in the credits when there are reruns on cable tv.

He also worked and recorded with Tony Christie. One of the other bands was Both Hands Free which had Dave Hassell on drums. Dave played drums at the Railway last Sunday and I asked our reviewer Mike Farmer if he knew Ritchie.

Yes he was a friend of mine who died from I think Legionnaires Disease contracted  in Spain. He was a brilliant pianist and I saw him play many times. I recall a gig where he was backing Eddie 'Cleanhead' Vinson at the Band on the Wall and another gig when he played with Lew Tabackin at a venue in Wigan. He also composed the music for TV shows and passed away much too young. He is still talked about by those who heard him. Mike

Ritchie died in June 1991 aged 39. Lance

MORE INFO. IMDb.

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