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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

Thursday, April 18, 2024

What do you do during the day Mr Farlow?

Jazz musicians lead lives so busy that they find it difficult to do anything other than practice, compose, arrange, travel, perform, travel and then start all over again. This leaves little time for any diversions from their dedication to the art.

Nevertheless, there have been some who have used their creative talents in different ways either before, after or concurrent with their musical activities. Here are a few:

Chris Barber. The late trombonist's other passion was motor racing and in 1957 he competed at Brands Hatch driving a Lotus Mark IX. He also owned several vintage Lagondas . Who said there was no money in jazz?

Tony Bennett. Apart from his success as a singer, Bennett, who died in July last year aged 96, also achieved a degree of international success as a painter. Many of his paintings have been exhibited at galleries around the world.

Allan Eager. One of the first white tenor players to adapt Lester Young's style to bebop, Eager frequently drifted away from the jazz scene to race automobiles, become a ski-instructor and an occasional lover of several rich women who were, seemingly, eager for Eager. 

Tal Farlow. One of the all-time great jazz guitarists - who can forget that memorable session he did with Red Norvo back in the 1980s at Gosforth (see photo)? - He frequently became disillusioned with jazz and worked as a sign writer.

Wally Fawkes. Apart from being one of the UK's finest New Orleans' style clarinettists, Fawkes, under the pen name of Trog, was regarded as one of the world's best cartoonists via the comic strip Flook which ran for many years in the Daily Mail and other newspapers and magazines.

Peter King. The greatest ever British alto saxophonist. End of story. Not quite! He also won acclaim as a builder and designer of model aeroplanes and won a few trophies along the way.

Stan Levey. Began adulthood as a pro heavyweight boxer. This must have stood him in good stead when playing drums with Stan Kenton's band. He later became a photographer.

Humphrey Lyttelton. Apart from providing the story-lines for Wally Fawkes and Flook, Humph, when he wasn't blowing trumpet with his band, wrote several books as well as broadcasting on a variety of satirical radio programmes.

Johnny Rodgers. One of the original UK boppers at the groundbreaking Club Eleven, the alto saxophonist eventually left Soho for Redcar where he became a signalman on the railways. It's said that he still blew sax in between trains.

Artie Shaw. One of the great, perhaps the greatest clarinettist of the swing era Shaw was also a deep thinker and philosopher as his autobiography, The Trouble With Cinderella reveals. He also wrote a book of short stories - I Love You, I Hate You, Drop Dead. Two of his six wives included Lana Turner and Ava Gardner which probably persuaded more American adolescent youths to take up the clarinet than any of his, or his arch rival Benny Goodman's records ever did.

So that's just a few. Feel free to add any others. However, club owners such as Ronnie Scott or Shelly Manne don't count as they're still jazz-related. Lance

5 comments :

Andrey Henkin said...

Trumpeter Eddie Henderson is a practicing psychologist.
Trumpeter Ted Daniel is a practicing social worker.
Late guitarist Ted Dunbar occasionally worked as a pharmacist and kept his license active throughout his life.
Bassist Moppa Elliott is a high school biology schoolteacher.
Saxophonist Josh Sinton works as a sommelier

Maurice Summerfield said...

Django Reinhardt was also a talented artist.. His works were displayed in several exhibitions.

Johnny Smith was a qualified pilot. He also played trumpet in the US Army Air Corps band.

Oscar Peterson was a professional standard photographer.

Hugh said...

Art Themen is a retired orthopaedic surgeon

Colin Muirhead said...

A couple of drummers are worthy of mention here. Pete La Roca Sims and Spike Wells were both lawyers. And Spike is now a priest!

Mike Farmer said...

Dave Edwards drummer who was well known to Manchester Jazz fans also flew cargo planes.

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