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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.

Thu 20: Vieux Carré Jazzmen @ The Holystone, Whitley Road, Holystone. 1:00pm. Free. CANCELLED PERMANENTLY!
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: King Bees @ The Cumberland Arms, Byker, Newcastle. 7:30pm (doors). Superb blues band.
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.

Tue 25: Fred Wesley & the New JB’s @ The Cluny. 7:30pm (doors). £27.50. POSTPONED! New date Wednesday 26 November.

Thu 27: Hannabiell & Midnight Blue @ King’s Hall, Newcastle University. 1:15pm. Free.
Thu 27: Michael Littlefield & Scott Taylor @ The Harbour View, Roker, Sunderland. 8:00pm. Free. Superb blues duo.

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

Saturday, January 14, 2023

I Remember Jurek

In the 1960s, 1970s the jazz spot to be seen in in Newcastle was the New Orleans Club on Forth Banks - just a short walk from the current hive of jazz activities, the Globe.

The club, as the name implies was, originally, a trad jazz fortress. However, more modern bands eventually stormed the parapets and the venue became home to all forms of jazz as was current at the time.

Mighty Joe Young had a modern bop-orientated band, the Newcastle Big Band was conceived there and I also recall hearing Ronnie Scott with the Pete Jacobson Trio.

The whole shebang was run by a jazz loving Pole called Jurek.

Jurek who? That is the jackpot question, Everyone remembers him but, although I have had a few approximate guesses, I have yet to find anyone who can actually recall his surname. 

Can you? Lance

6 comments :

BIll Gallon said...

Hi Lance

It was I am fairly certain something like Jakinski....I have a story to tell if you want it

Regards
Bill

Lance said...

Yes Bill, I know a few who have said "it was something like ...!"
I was looking for something more exact. Nevertheless, I'd love to hear your story.

Brian Bennett said...

Definitely Jurek RACZYNSKI

Derrick Cogger said...

Brian is correct. Jurek Rasynski. Not sure of the spelling though. Then there was young Jurek his son.
Solly did a great impression of Jurek but that is for the bar not BSH like many of the yet untold tales of the bands. Jurek was at the centre of things at Melbourne St. and at Forth Banks and I have a memento
given by him as a wedding present on behalf of the N.O club some 58 years ago.
Bixie

Derrick Cogger said...

Further thoughts on Jurek. He had a tough time at first living at the Polish hotel on Elswick Road and running a fish and chip shop up at the west end before taking the job of running Melbourne Street. I can still hear his accent describing characters as "worrrky tickets" and " I see Cheek in cloob ". Following the demise of Forth Banks life turned a happy corner for Jurek. He met and married a Polish lady named Danousha and moved to a posh estate near Chester-le-St. Then a further deserved stroke of luck came along in his appointment as technical translator to an English Company dealing with a company in Poland. A genuine guy. well remembered.

Bixie

JR. said...

Hi Derrick, I can still remember when we both constructed a Ladies Powder Room in the New Orleans Club on Forth Banks, to enable the ladies to check their make up before entering the Jazz Area. Regards Jurek.

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