CHRIS BARBER - ACKER BILK - KEN COLYER - SAVANNA JAZZ BAND - THE VINTAGE JAZZ BAND - THE KEN COLYER TRUST BAND - DENISE LAWRENCE - HIGH SIERRA JAZZ BAND - CHRIS BLOUNT'S NEW ORLEANS JAZZ BAND - MAX COLLIES RHYTHM ACES - MARILYN MIDDLETON-POLLOCK - ALEX BRADFORD - SACKVILLE ALL STARS - FROG ISLAND JAZZBAND - IAN WHEELER - DAVE BRENNAN'S JUBILEE JAZZ BAND - PAPA BUE'S VIKING JAZZ BAND - ALBION JAZZ BAND - THE NEW WOLVERINE JAZZ ORCESTRA - MONTY SUNSHINE
NOTES ON JAZZBANDS
KEN COLYER: known as "the Gov'nor Ken is acknowledged as being Europe's "father of New Orleans jazz". Always leading bands that stuck strictly to the new Orleans style, Ken is bets known for his ability to gain the utmost tonal variation from his cornet/trumpet. Ken started to play jazz in the mid '40s whilst serving as a merchant seaman. After returning to England he helped to found the Crane River Jazz Band, he also played with England's leading revivalist band of the time, The Christy Brothers Stompers. Ken rejoined the merchant navy with the express purpose of going to New Orleans where he jumped ship and spent time playing with and learning from the local black bands. After being deported as an over-stayer he returned to lead a band formed for him by Monty Sunshine a fellow member of the Crane River Jazz Band. This band only lasted a year before disputes over the "purity" of the music; Ken left and with Pat Halcox replacing him it went on to fame and fortune as the Chris Barber Jazz Band. Over the years many well know British jazzmen started their careers with Colyer including Chris Barber, Acker Bilk, Lonnie Donigan, Mickey Ashman, Colin Bowden, John R T Davies, Stan Greig, Ian Wheeler, Sammy Rimmington, Monty Sunshine, and many others. Of passing interest is that fact that the well known rock drummer Ginger Baker (Cream) once played in Ken's band. Ken suffered two bouts of stomach cancer. After the first bout Ken had to give up running a regular band. As his strength returned he took to "guesting" with other bands and eventually to regular club sessions with "all star" bands made up of friends. The second bout of cancer killed him.TO TOP OF PAGE
THE NEW WOLVERINE JAZZ ORCESTRA New Wolverine Jazz Orchestra is an Australian band whose central focus is to celebrate the music of Bix Beiderbecke and the musicians and bands with whom he played. In pursuing this they try to produce our own transcription of arrangements from original classic recordings of the 20s and 30s, playing restored vintage instruments of that era whenever possible.TO TOP OF PAGE
MR ACKER BILK & HIS PARAMOUNT JAZZ BAND: Bernard "Acker" Bilk is perhaps the worlds best know clarinettist. The story of how he learnt to play jazz varies and seems to depend on who Acker is talking to at the time and what effect he is after. What is know is that he learnt to play in the army, and formed a semi-pro band in his native Bristol after being demobbed. Leaving this band in 1954 he joined Ken Colyer's Jazzmen. Whilst staying with Ken for only a year he took the opportunity of playing with the many young and keen NO style jazzmen in London at that time. He returned to Bristol and formed his Paramount Jazzband and has been around ever since. Over the years his style has changed from New Orleans in the '50s to Trad in the early '60's to mainstream/jump in the late '60s to a mainstream band from the '70s to the present. Many well known jazzmen have belonged to his band including Bob Wallis, John R T Davies, Campbell Burnap (from NZ), Jonnie Mortimer, Stan Grieg, Ron Mckay and Mike Cotton.
SAVANNA JAZZ BAND: well known Yorkshire jazz band that has toured extensively in Europe and the USA. Founded in 1978 they have maintained a steady line up for many years. TO TOP OF PAGE
THE VINTAGE JAZZ BAND: New Zealand's premier traditional jazz band. The band is based in Auckland. Details of their history would be best provided by the Auckland Vintage Jazz Club. TO TOP OF PAGE
THE KEN COLYER TRUST BAND: the trust was founded to promote New Orleans jazz in memory of Britain's greatest exponent: Ken Colyer. The Trust formed its own band in 1988 using ex-Ken Colyer sidesmen. There have been many variations in the line up over the years, but recently the make up has stabilised: the current leader of the band is Norman Thatcher, a close friend of Colyer and who plays cornet in a similar style. TO TOP OF PAGE
CHRIS BARBER'S JAZZ BAND : lead by trombonist Chris Barber the band started life in 1954 as Ken Colyer's Jazzmen. when Ken Colyer left after a dispute on format he was replaced by Pat Halcox on cornet and the band re-named. Recruiting from Colyer's band continued over the years, much to Ken's annoyance, the worse case being reeds man Ian Wheeler: it was many years before Ken and Chris settled their differences. With a membership that remained very stable for years the style of music played gradually changed from New Orleans to mainstream. In the mid 1960s the format changed again, this time to being a blues band. Another change occurred in the 1970s to a style of its own incorporating elements of traditional jazz , mainstream jazz, and blues. TO TOP OF PAGE
DENISE LAWRENCE & STOREYVILLE TICKLE: Although Denise and the band regularly perform at jazz venues they are well know for their presentation of gospel services. Recently they have put on services in such diverse venues as Worcester Cathedral, Great Malvern Priory, and the chapel at Broadmoor Prison for the Criminally Insane. The band consists of a reed player, brass (trumpet and flugel), piano and drums with Denise doing the singing. TO TOP OF PAGE
HIGH SIERRA JAZZ BAND: From 3 Rivers California, this band is well known around the world for their jazz services performed in local churches wherever they tour. The band does not have a reed player and their style is typical West Coast. TO TOP OF PAGE
CHRIS BLOUNT'S NEW ORLEANS JAZZ BAND: Chris is a strict New Orleans clarinettist and plays in many bands in addition to his own. He regularly features gospel numbers and frequently plays at church services. TO TOP OF PAGE
MAX COLLIES RHYTHM ACES: Despite being British Max and the band won the title "World Champions of New Orleans Jazz" in a competition held in that city. After many years of touring the UK and Europe they have been best know in recent years for their stage show "New Orleans Mardi Gras". TO TOP OF PAGE
MARILYN MIDDLETON-POLLOCK: UK based American singer, originally a folk singer she now specialises in jazz / blues singing. Performs with many British bands as well as presenting stage shows on early blues singers. Recently Marilyn, together with Steve Mellor's Chicago Hoods, has had her own BBC radio show. TO TOP OF PAGE
ALEX BRADFORD: well know American Negro gospel singer. Recordings with Chris Barber were made whilst Alex and his singers were in the West End of London performing in their smash hit stage show "Black Nativity". TO TOP OF PAGE
SACKVILLE ALL STARS: A Canadian group from Toronto, the soprano sax player is Jim Galloway. TO TOP OF PAGE
FROG ISLAND JAZZBAND: from Essex in England, have played extensively in Europe and America TO TOP OF PAGE
IAN WHEELER: started with Ken Colyer, formed his own band briefly in 1960, before joining Chris Barber. He is still playing with Chris, but also frequently guests with other bands. he is best known for his lilting style on both clarinet and alto sax. TO TOP OF PAGE
DAVE BRENNAN'S JUBILEE JAZZ BAND: in addition to leading his own jazz band Dave Brennan is the banjo player with the Chris Blount band. TO TOP OF PAGE
PAPA BUE'S VIKING JAZZ BAND: a long established Danish band that is still very popular in Europe. reputed as being the best modern interpreters of ragtime music, specialising in tunes by Scott Joplin. TO TOP OF PAGE
ALBION JAZZ BAND: a "scratch" outfit put together for this one album. the members are from all over north America, though 2 of them are British ex-pats. recorded in Vancouver, British Colombia. TO TOP OF PAGE
MONTY SUNSHINE: When Monty Sunshine formed his own band in 1960, he had already been a key player in the British jazz scene for over a decade. Born in 1928, he was a founder member of the groundbreaking Crane River Jazz Band (Ken Colyer, Sonny Morris and John R. T. Davies completed the front line), but it was that Ken Colyer Band that immediately metamorphosed into the Chris Barber Band that made Monty into a star. Not only was he a key sideman of the most popular British jazz band of the 1950s. Then, in 1960, he formed his own band, taking to the road, a situation that still prevails today, when, according to Monty, the band is busier than ever. In 36 years Monty reckons not to have made any significant changes in style, but maintained the infectious enthusiasm that makes for a successful and popular working band. TO TOP OF PAGE