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From: Trig Ellis Town Chesterfield County Derbys.
Posted on: Sunday, March 23, 2008, 11:24 AM
Invaluable!!! Even though we only occasionally visit the North West.
From: Alan Davis
Posted on: Monday, April 21, 2008, 9-15pm
Hello Fred,
Only just came across your website from a friend. Most impressive! A much needed addition to the web, to try to keep 'our' music alive. As you can see I'm doing my little bit. One of your links put me on to Radio 3 and I heard Billy Braggs programme re: Ken Colyer. Also heard again Alyn Shiptons programme re: Ken Colyer. Both progs. did a lot for Traditional Jazz, (in my opinion) although they were very different. As we know getting the BBC/popular media to even acknowledge 'our' jazz is almost impossible. I'm so pleased to see how much is going on in your area and how many bands/musos that are still so active. Someone in the south needs to begin a similar task, although there are a few small selective sites. I'm still going to computer classes to learn how to use the thing and find out what it will do. Maybe later, I'll try to construct my own website when I know how to. My son does my jazz club page, however he lives up north so there are problems. Enjoyed looking, keep up the good work.
Alan
From: Brenda Canty-Forrest
Posted on: Tuesday, April 22, 2008, 10-05am
Hi Fred,
Have just found your site and found it most interesting.
I used to play piano with Pete Haslam's Collegians from 1958-1962.
I was married to Colin Tomkins who played trumpet during that time with the
Zenith Six.
Knew Ted Calvert very well as he played the Bodega, The Cavern etc with us. I
have a programme from the 1960 Jazz Festival at the Cavern, Ted obviously didn't
play that with us, but we did many an all nighter there. We played a regular
Wednesday spot at the Bodega, and Paddy McKiernan was our agent who made us
change from The Crescent Jazz Band to P. H Collegians and we had Striped Blazers
and straw boaters to give us a 1920's kick! I may have the recording we did at
the Free Trade Hall, with Ted singing "Are you from Dixie"Must look
through my memorabilia!!
What fun we had going to all these clubs in some old vans with all the
instruments piled in with us..... that is ... I didn't have to take mine thank
goodness!
Looking at all these names... I know a lot of them. Have lived in Wales since
1962, so was a bit out of it then, but we did get a sort of band together in the
60's and 70's and Pete and a few others joined us from time to time.
Colin and I divorced in 1981, so didn't have a lot of time for jazz, as I had a
very time consuming job, then I married again in 87 and lived partly in Spain,
but for my 70th birthday, my husband arranged a surprise party for me and booked
a N. Wales band, "Jazz Rag" It was just like old times and I had a sit
in with them. They are very good, and I have really got to know them, and go to
Bettws y Coed when I can to see them play on a Thurs Night. I was a classical
LRAM pianist when I met Colin and it is due to him that I got into jazz, but had
some terrific times, and I can't recall any drugs or bad behaviour in clubs. We
were just happy!
Thank you for giving me a trip down memory lane. It doesn't seem all that long
ago!!
Regards Brenda
Dear Fred.
Reading through the jazz info on the net, where i came across your name, hoping you can help me to find some old recorded numbers, transferred to cds or even in the old tapes,33s,78s,better in cds though.
I was a regular at the Grosvenor Hotel,Deansgate, Manchester, from 1950s, followed that great band the "The Saints Jazz Band" the 1st line up i listened to was, Mike McNama (trumpet) Ron Simpson(trombone) Al Radcliffe (clarinet) John Fish (piano) Tom Gregory(bass) Jim Lolley(banjo) John Mills(drums), there was changes made later in the line up,could you help me to get hold of some of their recordings,i used to have some but lost them coming to Australia in the mid 1960s, i know they recorded " I want a girl just like the girl that married dear old dad" they played it fantastic at the royal jazz show with Princess Elizabeth there, that was put on record, they also recorded "The Saints" "Savoy Blues" and most likely many others, if you can get these and others i would be most grateful, i will post the money prior to you posting, the cost of the recording including postage.
I was a member of " Lancashire Society of Jazz Music" still got the card 540, other clubs i was a member was "York Club" 2 Bootle Street, Manchester, "Manchester Jazz Club"when the Zenith Six was resident, "Oasis' 45-47 Lloyd Street, Manchester,"Club Southside:with the South Side Jazzmen as resident, plus "Imperial Club" Stockport,"The Bamboo Club" Hazel Grove, "Buxton Jazz Club" Buxton, i still have my membership cards for these and a few others, but would love to get hold of the recordings and more if there are any around.
Great Memories.
Neville F. Jones ( nevfjones4 * yahoo.com) (replace * with @)
35 McConechy Drive, Victoria Point, Queensland 4165, Australia
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