Hey Sprite, do you remember the record sessions too? Somebody would hire a room, above a pub say, and bring along a collection of records. They'd get played and then get discussed. (Nearly a pun there). A guy named Barry or Baz held one of these sessions at a Gilmours pub on West Street, opposite Andrews, the schoolbook store. Then there was another one held in the cellar of a Solicitors opposite Eadon, Lockwood and Riddle, the auctioneers. Very educational at the time. This would be 1950 or so.
Freddy Randall band, great! It was definatly one of the best 'Chicago' style bands in England at the time.
P.S. Does'nt anybody remember the Barry Whitworth Quintet?
Hello Texas
I remember Barrie Whitworth,but he did'nt play our typy of musicg
With regards to Freddie Randall. During the 50s the S.C.S.became good friends of Fred, in fact he made it possible for us to play relief band at the Locarno in London Rd way back when . The last time we saw him was at the Esquire when he made a come back . I can't remember when it was but he said that he had got fed up with the nursing home that he owned in Brighton and he had decieded to start another band . He died about two years ago.
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Hola sprite, I didn't follow Freddy Randall's career all that closely but the last time I heard of him he was still working in the early 70's. I dont think he gets his due as regards being a major figure in British Jazz, generally I mean, not among the aficionados. My top three ( British players) in the more traditional approach to Jazz trumpet would be Alex Welsh, Freddy Randall, and Kenny Ball.
And to you PopT, I certainly hope so, he does in my head I can tell you.
Who remembers Humphrey Lyttlton?
I remeber seeing him and Sidney Bechet marching around the stage at the City Hall.
I believe his clarinet player was Wlly Fawkes a.k.aTrogs a cartoonist.
Also popular at this time was Chris Barber
Hola sweetdexter, I think everybody knows of Humph, I personally remember the concert with Sydney Bechet, he was tremendous, which was only normal for him. The older I get the more I realise we were fortunate to be able to see and hear musicians of the calibre of people like Sydney Bechet, he was certainly a true great. When you look back on the list of jazz musicians who appeared at the City Hall, wow, it's almost endless. Does anyone remember when Nat Cole appeared there? His regular trio at the time was augmented by the addition of Lee Young, Lester's brother, on drums. The City was packed!
Never took to Humphrey Lytellton but I really enjoyed the Chris Barber concerts. Best of all for me though from those trad concerts was when Acker Bilk was supporting band to Kid Ory's band.
Acker and his lads got a storming reception and were the star attraction for me. Kid Ory seemed to be a bit of an anticlimax after that.
Later on, I enjoyed the Dave Brubeck Quartet with the immortal Paul Desmond. Also, the Count Basie band.
One of my regrets is that I never went to see Ted Heath's band on the many occasions they played in Sheffield.
Anybody remember the time when the Basil Kirchin band played for dancing downstairs at the City? The thing was, he had a talent spot and apart from the usual suspects this girl got on stage and did 'It's Only a Paper Moon', she was bloody brilliant, I'll never forget that one. Small chick with glasses, anybody remember her? Barry Whitworth borrowed a horn and did 'Dont Mean a Thing if it ain't got that Swing', and some guy did a Danny Kaye impression. It was a good night. Nobody danced, just gathered round the stand and listened.
I saw Ted Heath a few times.
I remember one number ,was it the R,J Boogie?
Ronnie Verel and Johny Hawksworth ,Drums and bass tour -de-force for those two guys.
Didn't his lead trombone come from Stocksbridge or Oughtibridge,Don Lusher seems to ring a bell.
As popT would say "happy days"
I still have the programe for the Bechet concert at the City Hall along with the one for the Jack Teagarden Earl Hines All Stars And the Louis Armstrong All Stars. One of the bands that I liked was Harry Gold & his Pieces of Eight. When I was stationed at R.A.F. Conningsby . Harry Gold was the first thing we heard in the morning. That was the station radio net works signature tune.
Sweetdexter,I think you will find Don Lusher came from Peterborough,and "learned his trade" with the local Salvation Army Band,the last I heard Johnny Hawksworth was in Australia, composing background music,TV themes,one was for the George and Mildred series one, and of course Ronnie Verrell has died,probably you are thinking of the Sheffield connection with Johnny Hawksworth who I think came from Totley
I know of a certain, very keen Jazz trumpet player in Sheffield who joined the Salvation to learn to read music. And another Jazzbro' who was listening intently to a Salvation Army small group in Sheffield, playing Carols one Christmas, he was taken by the way the Cornet player played something. When the band took a break, he sidled up to the Cornet player and said 'Hey,that were good, does tha' play Bop in thi' spare time?
Sprite.When did Louis A, come to Sheffield?
I remember standing in line at Wilson & Peck's before it was opening time to get tickets for Louis .
This would be in 56 I think,.
Anyway the concert was cancelled so I never got to see him.
I was not in the country 58-61 then 66 onward maybe he came in this time period.
Hey sprite, Those two programmes you have are worth keeping. I saw the Jack Teagarden / Earl Hines concert back then, am I right in thinking the trumpet player with the All-Stars was Max Kaminsky, and the clarinet player 'Peanuts' Hucko? I swear I saw the great Eddie Condon at the City too, somtime or other.
I never did get to see Louis Armstrong, but didn't he play a Working Mens Club somewhere near Leeds? I'll bet somebody somewhere has all the programmes of all the Jazz concerts at the City.
Hi texas i never saw the Barry Whitworth's band but i do know my dad was the drummer, Peter Jackson. They aslo played in the Brecon Hotel in rotherham and my dad backed artists like Roy Castle, Will Gaines and Sandy Powell. He also played with the Black Damonds and the Savoy Quintet. a guy called Nev Reaney also played with Barry Whitworth.
Hey mozo, remember your Dad very well. He was a good musician, probably brilliant, I dont know the technicalities of drums but he could swing. If you've heard of Phil Seaman, well he held Pete in high regard. Phil reckoned the only thing wrong with Pete was that he worried too much, what the significance of that is, I'm not sure, but anything coming from Phil Seaman has got to be profound. I know that Pete was with Barry from day one, and so was Nev come to that. Pete and Barry were in the Pitsmoor Scouts at the same time, guess what instruments they played! Him and me used to have some ridiculous discussions about music sometimes. I heard he'd passed on a few years ago, a very sad loss.
Hi PopT, the man you are thinking of was Gordon Langhorne who was lead trombonist with the Vic Lewis powerhouse band which played the way out Stan Kenton stuff,I have no record of him ever playing with Ted Heath,but you are are quite right he did form a group under the name of Don Lang.The alto sax player was probably Leslie Gilbert who did come from Sheffield.
Earlier there were comments about Humphrey Lyttleton and Ted Heath, there is a connection there because Keith Christie who played trombone with Humph left to join, and become a stalwart of the Heath section for some years, obviously the money was better.Keiths brother Ian played clarinet with Humph too.
Talking of Ted Heath sidemen does anyone remember the late and great trumpeter Bobby Pratt?
