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Shortnin' Bread

Randy Kerr writes: "I enjoyed your article about the "Shortening Bread" song (here).  If you want to find more information about this tasty fried treat, search "hush puppies". Everybody really does love hush puppies (shortening bread). Recipes abound on the web. That name came from the practice of tossing these deep fried balls of cornmeal mush to hungry hounds, while telling them, 'Hush puppies." At least that is the story that is learned by every child of the American South.  Today, they are traditionally eaten with fried fish, likely because the lard is already hot from frying the (most often) catfish."

The Stanhope Arms, London, SW7

 Carston Piggott asks: "A request for information that your older readers might be able to answer: In 1972 my nearest jazz pub was the Stanhope Arms in Gloucester Road, London SW7.  The upstairs room hosted a jazz band every night.  Admission was free; the beer (Watney's red barrel) awful; but the bands - playing various styles - were generally pretty good and attracted decent-sized audiences.  The best of them, in my view, was the regular, and very popular, Saturday night traditional jazz band.  I can't remember the names of either the band or their players.  But the drummer would always yell out at least once in each set that he was "playing Shaftesbury drums".  Two numbers that the band played superbly were Ellington's Rocking in Rhythm and the Beatles' Maxwell's Silver Hammer - the latter lends itself surprisingly well to traditional jazz interpretation! I wonder if any of these fragmentary memories resonate with other readers and, if so, whether anyone can shed light on the band's name, personnel and their progress after I lost touch following my posting on lengthy service overseas."

[Does anyone remember The Stanhope Arms and the band Carston describes? - Ed]

The Dancing Slipper, Nottingham

Les Shaw writes: "Just to say how much I enjoy the monthly arrival of “Sandy Brown - What's New “.    I found it by chance in searching for something and then passed it on to other muso mates, all of advancing years I might add !  Which is one of the aspects that appeals, there’s lots of items featuring the past; Nottingham’s jazz club (here), for instance run by Bill Kinnell had some of  the most amazing people playing there and  particularly from America. I’ve got a great picture of him with Buck Clayton. Bill was a passionate jazz lover and through his little circuit of clubs in the East Midlands, Leicester, Derby, etc. he could book bands for a 5 night mini tour. Chris Barber, Sandy and Al and many, many more. He did a huge amount to promote jazz. We were good friends and at the age of 17 he booked me to back bands (on drums)."

[In 2019,  Les Shaw talked to Will Ryan on the occasion of the Nottingham Jazz Orchestra's 50th birthday here - Ed]

The Six Bells, Chelsea

 Chris Gray says: "I just tripped over your page about the Six Bells (here). I used to go there in the early '60s, the ambience was minimal and the accoustics terrible - but the music! Often Humph was there. Tony Coe. Others whose names have faded. But it was a time of change. There was the caff (Café des Artistes), for instance 'before the raid' and 'after the raid'. And the Troubador, not so infamously, before the tourists and after the tourists ... I think I even remember Sandy Brown :)"

Work Song

Clive Feckner picked up on last month's 'Take Two' item - Nat Adderley's Work Song (here) and says: "I first heard this song on the Bobby Darin LP 'Earthy', from then on it was a joyous journey through Oscar Brown Jnr's catalogue." [Here is a video of Bobby Darin's version giving us another comparison - Ed]

Shrivenham Jazz Festival

Kieran Holling writes to tell is that Jazzin Shrivenham, a small group of jazz enthusiasts in Oxfordshire "... are running an inaugural Shrivenham Jazz Festival on 5 October 2024.  It will be a small affair in one venue, on one day, but with 3 really good professional acts and support by local amateur artists. A community event, with all proceeds going to the upkeep of the village hall (Memorial Hall)" . Details are here and we wish them success with their event - do support them if you are in the area.

Bristol Chinese Jazz Club

Dan  Catsis writes about our page on Uncle Bonny's "Chinese Jazz Clubs" (here): "Hi,fascinating to find out about all these bands that played at the Chinese jazz club …. my wife and her friend used to help out at the Corn Exchange when they were 15 which would have been around 1962/63 and met The Rolling Stones, the Animals, etc. but there seems to be virtually no historical record of these gigs and following on from what I’ve just read, would these gigs have taken place on the Wednesday evenings as opposed to the Tuesdays? …..was the Chinese club going in 62/63? ….. can you enlighten me?….. it would seem to me that these might have been the first gigs that these bands ever played in Bristol as it wasn’t long before they came back and were playing at Colston hall."

 

[Can anyone enlighten Dan? The Colston Hall is now of course the new 'Bristol Beacon'. Ed]

Albert Hall

My thanks to Martin Davies who has located some old press cuttings concerning trumpeter Albert Hall. I shall share these in an updated article with Albert's story next month. Ed.

Albert Hall Martin Davies 2.PNG

Red Note Jazz Club, Mars

Peter Maguire from Jazz Clubs Worldwide is aiming for the stars with this video of his Intergalactic Jazz Club Guide in Preparation and the Red Note Jazz Club from the Missoula Crater on Mars!:

Remembering The 100 Club

Ken Fletcher who wrote to us last month about vocalist Beryl Bryden, adds something of his discovery of jazz at that time:

"My post-war introduction to live jazz in London, began in 1948, when I was sixteen. I went to go with a friend to a concert by Graeme Bell’s Australian Jazz Band at The Scala Theatre, but could not get in as it was sold out. Somebody suggested that we go to Mack’s Rehearsal Rooms in Soho, as John Haim’s Jelly Roll Kings, were playing there. We did this, and I enjoyed the music. We were told that Humphrey Lyttelton’s new band were playing at 100 Oxford Street every Saturday, so the next Saturday I went there, and I thought that this was a much better band and place, and there was dancing. The atmosphere was great and really exciting once the band has warmed up. From then on I went virtually every Saturday, and soon plucked up enough courage to ask a girl and join in the rather ecstatic dancing. I made friends with a young Chris Barber, who had just started to learn the trombone, and with the singer Beryl Bryden, who worked in the record business, as did I. I later got friendly with a guy called Monty Feldman, who was another regular attendee. Many other bands played there, including Mick Mulligan’s Magnolia Jazz Band, and occasionally one of my favourites,  Bob Barclay’s Yorkshire Jazz Band. I also met my first real girl friend there. However I got friendly through the record shop that I worked in with two semi-pro saxophonists, who introduced me to modern jazz,and I gradually deserted the 100 for The Flamingo, which is another story." Ken adds this video from Britsh Pathe News of the club in 1950, he was there on this occasion and points out that Chris Barber appears among the dancers talking to one of the girls at about 0.56 seconds into the film:

Chris Watford Recordings

Clarinettist and bandleader Chris Watford has a number of recordings made on CD and DVD from gigs and studio sessions with his Chicago Feetwarmers, Dallas Dandies, etc. These have not been commercially available but Chris has copies that he can send to anyone interested for a small charge. Contact Chris at chrisexe@btinternet.com for a list of the recordings available.

2024.8

Anita Wardell

Liz Byrne writes following a gig at London's 606 club: "Last night there was a tremendous benefit concert for Anita Wardell who recently suffered a stroke. It was full of 'Jazz Royalty': Norma Winstone , Claire Martin, Ian Shaw, Cleveland Watkins, Charlie Woods, Georgia Mancio, Jackie Dankworth .. and more...The 606  recorded and Live Streamed the gig
If the club keeps the video for restreaming ... its a definate 'Must See'.

[We wish Anita a speedy recovery. A support fund for Anita has been started and details are
here. A video of Anita singing at the club is here - hopefully when the benefit gig becomes generally available we shall be able to share it. Ed]

2024.8

Beryl Bryden

Ken Fletcher saw our article last month looking back at the story and music of Berly Bryden (here) and writes: "It was good to see the feature of Beryl who I saw and heard many times in the Jazz Clubs of North London in the '50s. The review mentions that Riff Record christened her "Queen of the Blues".  I attach a playing card sized handout of hers which describes her as Queen of the Blues and the Washboard which you might find of interest.  This is undated, but I would guess I got it some time in the late '50s. Thanks for a great newsletter."

2024.8

Beryl Bryden card from Ken Fletcher.jpg

Piet Sluis  And Henk Romijn Meijer

Gerben Wynia has seen our page about Dutch trumpeter Piet Sluis who lived in Ireland (details here) and writes: "I didn't know Piet Sluis personally, but I was friends with Henk Romijn Meijer, a childhood friend of Piet. They knew each other from Zwolle (the Netherlands) and met again in 1982 at a jazz festival in Dublin. I am writing the biography of Henk Romijn Meijer and also want to pay attention to their friendship. I found two letters from Piet to Henk and would like to know if the letters Henk wrote to Piet have been preserved in an archive somewhere?"
7.2024

 

[If anyone can help with Gerben's request please contact us - Ed].

Kingston Jazz

Andy Tisman writes: "This will be just a short exploratory email to see if the Sandy Brown Jazz page is still “live”, as I can see that it was started in 2011 but not when it was last added to or updated. The stimulus for this is a recent weekend a group of six very long-term friends spent in Kingston to commemorate 50 years since leaving school. In our last years at school and the following few years, we were very regular attenders at the Grey Horse, on most Sundays and many Thursdays, when the “original, world-famous Georgia Jazz Band“ played. We have many memories of the band, its line-up and some of the most regular/popular numbers in their set during those years, from about 1973 to around 1980.  Our recent weekend involved several of our “old haunts” from those days and included an evening at the Grey Horse in remembrance of the many happy evenings we spent there in the mid-late 1970s in the company of the “original, world-famous Georgia Jazz Band”. Looking forward to hearing from you and if the page is still “live” to sharing some memories from 50 years ago."

7.2024

[I have replied to Andy saying the page on jazz in Kingston is still 'live' (here) and that I am in the process of updating it. I am hoping to have more memories from Andy (and anyone else who remembers jazz in Kingston-on-Thames - Ed]

Territory Bands

John Westwood writes: "We don't get to hear many of the Territory bands these days - the 78s are often difficult to find and details of who plays what even more so. Here's one that Dismuke broadcast this morning and there are some hot sounds therein." [Territory bands 'were dance bands that crisscrossed specific regions of the United States from the 1920s through the 1960s. Beginning in the 1920s, the bands typically had 8 to 12 musicians. These bands usually played one-nighters, six or seven nights a week at venues like hotels, clubs, ballrooms, etc. ..... Francis Davis of The Village Voice likened territory bands to the top 40 cover bands of the 1970s ... He said, "many historians give much credit to territory bands for popularizing modern ballroom dancing ..." (more here) - Ed]
7.2024

The Six Bells, Chelsea

Our page about The Six Bells venue in Chelsea (here) also set off memories for trumpeter Pete Cooper in America: "As a young jazz trumpet player in the early '60s I went regularly (to the Six Bells) and saw Alex Welsh, Humphrey Lyttelton, and many more - really cool place. I ended up in the regimental band of the Irish Guards, had my own jazz band based on Bix and then became the trumpet playerr with the New Vaudeville Band after Pops Kerr left. We toured forever and I left them and got a gig with the London Palladium Orchestra, then moved to Toronto for a year to play at the Skyline hotel with Borges Banjo Reunion. I moved back to Vegas, formed my own band  and worked the lounge scene in Lake Tahoe, Atlantic City, etc. I'm still playing with the Las Vegas Brass Band and teaching with the Clark County school districts."
7.2024

Lonnie Johnson and Eddie Lang

Last month we included a new re-release of an album by Lonnie Johnson (here) and that triggered off a memory for clarinettist Alex Revell: "When Lonnie Johnson was in England, guesting with the Barber band, many years ago now, I had a call from Chris  to tell me that Lonnie  was with him at home, and would I like to come and meet him?. I of course made the classic answer: "Open the door, I’m here". While Chris was getting ready to go on the gig that night, I spent a wonderful 15 or so minutes with Lonnie. I asked him about his duets with Eddie Lang and what were his memories of Lang. I’ll paraphrase his replies although they are still pretty sharp in my memory. "A real gentleman. He used such thick strings. Must have hurt his fingers real bad". I asked Lonnie why was that? He said it was so that he (Eddie) could cut through with that ‘big band’ he played with.  That big band was, of course, the Paul Whiteman Orchestra. Lonnie was a very quiet kind of chap, the kind one takes to immediately. No showing off, no side. Even though our talk was short I liked him very much. A privilege to have met him."
7.2024

The Blue Circle, South Ruislip

Derek Lester writes: "Throughout the 1960s we went to the Blue Circle Club in West End Road, South Ruislip HA5 6QX, The Blue Circle was a rough dive and was there in 1964/5. It is too long ago to remember details but Trad Jazz was played. My home was in Torrington Road and my girlfriend lived in Mahon Road, South Ruislip. Memories of sitting on a Triumph Bonneville at the Polish War Memorial roundabout tearing off up to the Hillingdon roundabout and back at an average speed of a ton still haunts my memory. Does the Blue Circle still exist? Someone mentioned that it had become a museum to the Polish Airmen. Does anyone know or remember the club?"

Sandy Brown Remembered

Ron Geesin writes: "Here’s a wee story: When I had left the Original Downtown Syncopators (extremely vintage jazz) in 1965 and was flailing about to find a way forward, the first obvious move was to do intervals, solo with piano and banjo, at the jazz clubs that had known that band. One club that accepted my crazy dadaistic uproars was Osterley. Since I didn’t drive at that time, I would usually get the tube back to my basement flat in Notting Hill, but on one occasion Sandy Brown gave me a lift back in his little van. As you will know, he was usually well lubricated - and long before any drink driving laws. We were coming into Hammersmith, dropping down off the flyover. At the foot of the slip road was a set of traffic lights. They were RED, but Sandy was going at full pelt. I shouted, “RED LIGHTS!” and he screeched, slid and weaved to a halt flanked on at least one side by traffic. We stopped right on the line! Another time at Osterley, I had just come off battling and bantering with the audience when Bud Freeman, who was over here touring with Alex Welsh, quietly advised me, “You’ll make it, boy.” Ah, what fun I’ve had to get to 80!

Annette Hanshaw

Alan Bond has responded to Ron Geesin who has also asked if we can help with more information about Annette Hanshaw (see article above). Alan says: "How fortunate of Ron to have met Annette Hanshaw. Both Brian (Rust) and Trevor (Benwell) spoke of her with great affection and they both remarked on how modest she was about her achievements. Like Ron, I have all her recordings on a set of CDs, including those with the Hawaiian band, which are not, of course in Rust. I also have the recorded interview with Brian (here). I think any comparison with Helen Kane is rather unfortunate as I feel much more comfortable with Annette's cheeky style. Trevor was fortunate enough to meet her when he was over in the US in in 1942 with the R.A.F. Liaison team, by which time she had ceased recording. I can't really shed much light on her recordings other that to say I have everything that is listed in 'Rust' plus the later Hawaiian themed stuff. Almost all of it is on Spotify from where it is easily downloaded. There is a lot of the Rust Information included in Tom Lord's 'TJD online', a very useful source of information

The Folk Barge, Kingston Upon Thames

Paul Smith writes: "I am trying to research the history of Kingston-Upon-Thames ’Folk Barge’ (1961 onwards) an old Dutch coal barge moored on ( I believe) Townsend Wharf. I understand it was previously a venue for Jazz & Skiffle so I was hoping you might have some info or better still photos please?

We do not have any photographs, but bass player Ron Drakeford says: "The "Folk Barge" started off as the "Jazz Barge" and the Canal Street Jazzmen were one of the first bands to play there. However, it didn't really take off  so it must have morphed into the Folk Barge. I never knew it as the Folk Barge but I was not into the folk scene so it may well have changed it's name.  No drinks and nearest pub was The Griffin in the market place about half a mile away as I recall. Well not quite half a mile, but seemed like it!"
7.2024

[If any other readers have memories of the Folk Barge, please let us know. Ed]

Oscar Rabin

We have been contacted by Brian who has a YouTube channel intriguingly called “Honest Arry’s Go Man Go Channel” that features the music of David Ede and the Rabin Band. Brian would like to contact anyone who knew Oscar Rabin to contruibute to a biography Brian is writing. If you could help, please email him here.

Bill Brunskill and Alex Pangman

Michael Walmsley writes from Canada: "I enjoyed the article on Bill Brunskill (here) having spent many a Sunday round the back at The Fighting Cocks in Kingston. The video of Bob Erwigs band was shot at Alexandra Bay Jazz Weekend in Quebec. I was the banjo player responsible for finding  Alex Pangman (see the video of Nobody Knows You When You're Down And Out on the Bill Brunskill page).  She used to ride at a riding school along with my family and I heard her sing at a Christmas party. I had a quartet at a local hostelry and invited her and her mum to join us. This was her first concert away from the home base. I spent my final year as a student in London playing with Terry Pitts band, (Cy Laurie minus Cy), and was very happy he could join us then. Bob Erwig was the trumpet with The Climax Jazz Band (Toronto). The sax player was an editor with The Globe and Mail Paper, Canada’s No1 newspaper incidentally. I am now retired but still playing along with the bassist and pianist. Alex Pangman is now married and still singing in Toronto, now with a much more professional band.

[Our page about Bill Brunskill needs updating and I hope to do that shortly - Ed]

The Viaduct Pub, Hanwell

Roger Trobridge writes: "I have just spoken to my friend Alastair Young who leads the Ealing Community Interest Company which seeks to preserve and publicise the musical heritage of the Ealing area. We were talking about the history of The Viaduct pub in Hanwell where a lot of the early jazz bands played as well as Cyril Davies and his friend Colin Kingwell. The current landlord seems to be interested in the history of the pub and its music room so I suggested that we might be able to get some memories from the readers of your newsletter. For the last 10 years we have run the Hanwell Hootie to get new music back into the pubs of Hanwell - the home of Marshall Amps. The next one will be on 11 May, 2024.

[If any readers have memories of The Viaduct, please let us know. Ed]

Sandy Brown In Ireland

Sandy Brown in Ireland 1963 Conor Guilfoyle.jpg

While researching the history of jazz in Ireland, Conor Guilfoyle has sent us newspaper cuttings from the  RTV Guide for February 1963 when Scottish clarinettist Sandy Brown was playing there. Part of the cutting reads: "Leading the group, a clarinettikst, an Englishman, Sandy Brown, who has just won the poll for the top jazz clarinettist in Europe. With this combination you will not be surprised when I tell you that an extremely high standard of jazz was created. I think if you went anywhere in the world and and asked them what they thought of the Irish modern jazz scene, they would tell you they didn't know they had one. This is only because of lack of opportunity.” and in an article by Peter Collinson: "Jazz musicians are a group of people who live in a world of their own, and within this world they create music that is entirely personal. In this respect they are an extremely lucky group of human beings. This is proved as only great jazz is created by musicians when they are allowed complete freedom of expression. Now and again one comes across the odd case in this world when a musician has pushed himself to the extreme of his own technical ability and creativeness and has often looked for drugs  as the answer to go even further. Modern jazz as such is an extremely young form of musical expression and is only truly appreciated by a minority ....."

Laird Parker

Eric Henning writes: 'I was reading your page about Charlie Parker and his son Laird (here).  I met Laird when I used to go to his music/recording studio in Lansdale.  I believe the address was 109 Walnut Stret, Lansdale. Pennsylvania, USA.  It is a smoke shop now.    I traded a few guitars for a Vox Berkeley amplifier.  I’ll have to see if I can find the receipt.   Once while cleaning the frame, I found the name “Parker” written in pencil.  I also seem to recall him telling me he had a woman relative living close by near Lambertville New Jersey.'
2.2024

The Best Of Sandy Brown Album

Greg Blose  has written asking about an album The Best Of Sandy Brown, and album unknown to us. Greg says it is a 2009 CD album which has 34 songs." Despite searching, we have not been able to locate it. Greg asked in particular about a track, Sandy's Blues. That track is available on the album In The Evening, recorded by Sandy with the Brian Lemon Trio here. Has anyone come across the 'Best Of' album Greg asked about?

2.2024

The Birdland Music Box

Leon Parker and Dave Harwood have been looking into the history of the Birdland Music Box, an Uxbridge record store. Leon sends this information from Dave that some readers might find of interest: "I found this piece in the 'West London Observer' dated Friday 13th December 1957: “RECORD SHOP USED BY FAMOUS. Do you want to use a record shop where you can rub shoulders with the famous? Well then the place for you is the Birdland Music Box, opened on Saturday by former Eric Silk's Traditional Jazz Band drummer, Stanley Lewis. Present, to wish him good luck at the opening, were many famous personalities of the music world. They included two of his best friends. Ken Sykora of the B.B.C. 'Guitar Club' and pianist Dill Jones of B.B.C. 'Jazz Club' fame. It was Dill Jones who cut the tape at the opening ceremony. Mr. Lewis has one of the biggest stocks of jazz and popular records in West London at his shop, which is at 166 Uxbridge Road, Shepherds Bush. He also has a tremendous range of musical instruments, especially guitars. Is Mr. Lewis retiring from playing now? Not likely, he told me. I'm still playing gigs around the town and shortly I shall be forming my own club trio.”

2.2024

Mike Coney

Mike Coney's daughter Carolyn writes: "I have just finished reading your article online about The Dancing Slipper, West Bridgford.  I stumbled across it as I have been searching for articles about my dad, Mick (Mike) Coney who was a superb drummer back in the day with John Johnstone All Stars and Johnny Hobbs, along with other bands.  I remember him playing regularly at The Britannia, and The Fiveways, but don't recall the Dancing Slipper, though I have to admit I was a young child and was more into Wham! than Jazz! Dad passed away, after a short illness, last Monday, 18th December, aged 86 and we want his send off to be a Tribute to him.  When he and his wife Sue Coney got married, their Reception was a great affair. It was like an Open Mike night where musicians were coming and going, up on the stage, play a few numbers and then another would join them or take their place.   Sue would like something like this for dad, and she does have a contact in the now dwindled trad jazz world, but when I read your article I thought I'd get in touch to see if you had any other articles that mention my dad?   I was delighted that one of your writers, Bob Jackson, included a picture of the Jazz Spectrum band, and my dad is on drums!  Precious, precious memories. I would be thrilled to receive any further info/articles/mentions of my dad, and would be very grateful."

[If anyone remembers Mike, please let us know and I'll pass your memories on to Carolyn and Sue. Ed]

Jazz Spectrum Bob Jackson b.jpg

Jazz Spectrum. L-R: Ken Sansom (trombone/banjo); Bob Jackson (vocals/trombone); Ralph Laing (piano/leader); Mike Coney (drume); Dave Leithead (trumpet); Jerry Williams (clarinet/alto sax); Bill Cole (basss). Probably taken at the Old General in 1970/1971 Photograph © Bob Jackson

1.2024

Infusions Community Radio

Pat Megginson has written to say: "I would be grateful if you could plug my show on your site - which is critically short of promotion (afraid I have a few years before I retire and can put more effort into the marketing side...). It's called Infusions and is mainly contemporary jazz and airs on the third Monday of every month between 7.00 pm and 9.00 pm on www.radiofreematlock.co.uk.

Infusions Radio.jpg

Radio Free Matlock, based in the Derbyshire town, was originally an ultra-local station, broadcasting a few shows online each week for the residents of one small part of Matlock. In 2018 the decision was made to spread the word and expand the station’s line-up to include not just core weekly shows, but also monthly shows on rotation too. Like many local radio stations it now can be heard online by a far wider audience. The link above will take you to their website where you will find more information about the station and its presenters. Of Pat Megginson it tells us "Pat Megginson is what is often referred to as a “veteran broadcaster” or more simply just “old“. Having cut his teeth in the late seventies & early eighties in college radio presenting funk and soul shows, he took a thirty year sabbatical before joining a local community station in his native South Lincolnshire, having developed a love of jazz. Having moved onto a number of online stations in more recent times, Pat relocated to Matlock in late 2019 and joined us in  2021."

1.2024

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