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| © Jerry E |
There's still three months to go but if this isn't my 'Gig of the Year' then I'll eat my hat! How could it not be? Four musicians at the top of their game - bring it on!
Nevertheless, great as they all were, one man stood head and shoulders above the rest - Roly Veitch. For 40 years, Roly, no mean musician himself, has brought top quality jazz to the community of Blaydon-on-Tyne. Despite venue changes and the hazards and pitfalls of running anything of a cultural nature he has survived along with an ever changing team of volunteers.
To celebrate those 40 years, Blaydon Jazz Club presented a series of concerts at its current home, the Black Bull, fittingly where it all began on Sept. 13, 1984.
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| © Various |
The room was packed, the gig was sold out. Hell and highwater - and there was plenty of the latter outside - wouldn't keep anyone away from this one!
A mix of Paul Booth originals with a few standards thrown in made for a balanced programme. A stranger passing by may have wondered if this really was the Black Bull in Blaydon or had he somehow found himself outside of Birdland or the Blue Note in NYC! The music really was that good not least the take on Kenny Barron's New York Attitude.
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| © Pam |
A blistering The Song is You, a sumptuous Sophisticated Lady, Skylark and the grand finale, Cottontail left us in awe. Blaydon - The Jazz Capital of the World! Lance
4 comments :
I was absolutely spellbound…each one of those musicians is world class and together they were mesmerising!…..yes definitely gig of the year!
Thanks for the lovely review Lance. So pleased you could make it to the gig. I'm absolutely delighted with the way it all went, indeed with all three gigs.
Best Wishes. Roly.
Only gig of the year. It was an I was there moment
Wow wow wow
if this gig had been in London it would have cost us £20 at least, we got of cheap
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