At the Nether Edge Hall, back in the 50's(almost prehistoric) there used to be a trio, led by a very good guitar player. The remaining members being a bass player and a pianist. Anybody got any memories about them?
Hi Texas,
Would Nether Edge Hall be one of the University hang outs.
I used to go to a pub on West Bar ,I am not sure of the name ,Maybe Black Bear ,or The Bull.
This was about1956-7.The group was a trad band.Most of the patrons were university students.
We were told of a concert (party )at some university function ,My buddy and I did not go but learned later that some female was inspired to get on a table and take off all her clothes.
Alas.
In those days this was something quite amazing.
Today I am rooted in Jazz from the 40s 50s & 60s.
As Dylon T would say"alas no longer whinning with us"
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The best jazz guitarist around that time was Ted Needham. Never saw him at the Nether Edge hall but me and my mate used to go to the Peacock at Baslow every Monday. His pianist was Stuart Wigfield and the drummer was Len Briggs, can't remember the name of the bass player.
It was wonderful there, you could hear a pin drop while they were playing and the landlord used to ask anyone talking to leave.
Think the pub you mentioned was the Shakespeare which used to have trad bands on. Don't think Texas meant that one as all trad bands had a six piece (at least) lineup.
Off the thread a little but still around that time there was the Steel City Stompers playing at the Hallamshire on West St, the Imperial Jazz band at the Punchbowl on Hurlfield Rd and The Crescent at the Earl Grey, Ecclesall Rd.
extaxman,
The pub used to be on the same sid as the present Law Courts.
I am almost sure it had the name of an animal.
We also used to go a pub in the Andover ,Nottingham St area.
Cant remember the name but the band played in a small room above the pub.
Also saw Tubby Hayes & Mark Murphy in a pub on the southern outskirts of Sheffield.That name I dont remember either.This was in the early 60s
Hi mojoworking.
I think it is from 'A Childs Christmas in Wales'
The Oxford dictionary describes"Whinny, Neigh gently or joyfully."
No longer able to communicate with us. Dead
Hola extaxman, I think you're on the money with Ted Needham, did he wear glasses? They (the trio) definatly played at the Nether Edge Hall, it was a mid-week gig.
And regarding the 'stripper', I remember she was always doing it, unfortunately I was never around when she was inspired to do so. She was stacked aswell.
Who remembers the Barry Whitworth Quintet? They were very good too. They used to do a regular gig above the Black Swan on Snig Hill.
Hello extaxman, I remember those sessions at the Hallamshire Hotel,and prior to that at a Pub on West Bar, long gone now,it was upstairs and the Steel City Stompers had a trombone player who I can remember as John, in those days the very early fifties there was some trouble when the powers that be thought this was den of iniquity!!!,drinking and listening to jazz!!!,decadence in the extreme,(how things have changed) so it was decided to move to a teetotal place,and we all turned up in force to show it was the music we were interested in, and I well remember a very serious looking well dressed man sitting at our table asking questions about the music, our backgrounds and so on,we thought later he must have been some sort of solicitor or similar looking into the matter for the,shall I say the defence,however a short time later we were told the sessions were back on again at the Hallamshire Hotel, in a pub ,selling beer,playing jazz,and we lived to tell the tale.Happy Days.
I remember the first actual live Jazz band I saw in Sheffield was at the Cambridge Street Restaurant, it was down some sort of passage, the R.A.F. had a recruiting office there. The band was the Smoky City Stompers, I think they were from Manchester.
They had a sousaphone for bass with the band's name around the bell. I was absolutely knocked out. I'd been listening to records since I was a kid, but to hear it live, well that was something else. Then there was a short lived Jazz club at the British Restaurant opposite the City Hall, they got a few bands there. I remember they got Vic Lewis to sit in on guitar with some band or other, he was at the City with his big band doing a concert. He used to do Stan Kenton stuff. Like you say Harlan, happy days.
Incidently sweetdexter, the 'strippers' name was Sylvia, and if I remember right she got in the papers with the stripping incident.
There was some great jazz around Sheffield in the sixties - here's a few reminders:
Stan Dawes band at Nether Edge Hall included Ronnie Chapman (tpt), Don Thompson (tnr), Stan Dawes (alt), Johnny Shaw (bar), Dave Howitt (pno & arranger).
Win Lee's band at the grand Hotel - Ray Hollingsworth (tpt), Bunny Harrison (tnr), Tony Oxley (dms), Len Stewart (dblbass),
The Steel City Stompers were formed at St Chads Youth Club in about 1950. We picked up different instruments and started to blow .National service did get in the way so therefore many budding musicians passed through the ranks of the S.C.S. to replace the one who had been called up. I could go on for ever about this topic but just one more thing. The trombonist that has been refered to was John Horton who fled to New York and became a surgeon. He also played with the Apex Jazz Band at the Hallamshire on West st
Hi drainpipe,
Would the sax player Don thompson have emigrated to Canada?
There is a Don Thompson over here in the cold white north(Presently 34 and humid) who is quite a success
Hello Texas.I too remember the Smokey City Stompers. They did come from Manchester. They had a band within a band and called thenselves Upper Tars alley Washboard Creepers.
Recalling the cafe in Barkers Pool. I remember seeing many bands there. Bands that I remember. Mick Mulligans Magnolia Jazz Band & George Melly, The Crane River Jazz Band,Reg Rigedens Barefoot J/Band,but I think the greatest of them all was Freddy Randel and his band
