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

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