General Chat

and went back to 1963 when I discovered on Arts programme -jazz after a few moments - Chris Barber appeared with Ottilie singing.

Best thing was - each band/musican who played - their full set was broadcast - not a snippet of this and that.

I did enjoy it - that girl certainly could belt them out.

I try to watch some of those arts programmes.

I find that, now I am cemetery side of sixty, I am a little more broad minded to music and want to listen to more types to see if I can find something in them.

Have always really hated jazz with a passion and would still not ever go to a jazz performance but would have watched that programme had I known it was on just to appreciate the talent.

The thing I always particularly disliked was what I think is called scat singing, the doop doopy doo bah da bah stuff, but I am even becoming able to listen to that now.

missed it :-( I love Chris Barber - "Petite Fleur"

Yes I missed it too. I loved Chris Barber, Monty Sunshine and ottilie. Saw Chris Barber a couple of times at the Portsmouth Guildhall in the 50s, and Ella fitzgerald too. every Time we say Goodbye an all time favourite.

Sharron, I am not keen on scat either.

Ella Fitzgerald - a velvet voice - loved Kenny Ball too - he did a lot of gigs at the hospital where I worked - he was a friend of the hospital hairdresser and he did gigs "cash in hand" whenever he was in the area

This thread really took me back.

When I first met OH I wasn't all that keen but I went out with him because he went to a Jazz Club that I fancied going to. All the big bands appeared there - Chris Barber, Humphrey Lyttleton, Kenny Ball, Ken Collier, Terry Lightfoot, John Dankworth etc. OH took me to the Festival Hall a couple of times as well to see Ella with Oscar Peterson. I loved it though my father really hated me going - to him the words "Jazz Club" conjured up some drug crazed den of vice. Huh, I wish. Half of shandy and a cigarette was the closest I got to vice :-D

the only vice I got near was my father's vice in the garage :-D

Vera...I was so much like you...
I was a classical pianist with a degree in music and I met my husband a jazz trumpeter...and he took me to see Humph...I didn't like it much and we came out of the club at 9 pm as I'd had enough
Eventually we got his cousin and fiancé on trombone and guitar and practised in his aunts front room.We then got a clarinettist bass and drummer and hired a room.
We played at a few venues...then got an agent and I played jazz at the Cavern...Beatles filling in at the interval.Played with Acker Bilk,Mick Mulligan,Kenny Ball,Ronnie Scott. Etc...Been on TV and radio..all late 50s early 60's.
Like you,my dad was upset at me playing jazz after all the years training I'd had,but I've had a lot of fun ....and now I'm reliving my youth...playing again,,,did a gig last Mon at a sheltered complex and they loved it ,so going back on 19th June.
Could do with a trumpeter to complete the front line of trombone and reeds.
Never too late!,

I watched young jazz musician of the year, on Fri...but it was too modern for me,
Loved the programmes after though on BBC4. Nat King Cole,then Jazz divas both were good.
I too love Ella and what a voice Ottilie Pateson had ...so strong for such a small person.
Didn't see the Chris Barber one..what channel was it ON?I ...don't have Sky but have free view.

Glad I'm not the only one to enjoy this sort of music.

I worked the summer of 1959 in a hotel in Frinton-on-Sea, Essex

In August, there was a Jazz Festival in Clacton .......... somehow we found someone who had a car or could rent one, and 5 or 6 us, all summer hotel workers, would pile in to go the the last show, getting back to Frinto about 2 am, with all of us having to get up at about 6 am


We saw I think 3 shows .................... Humphrey Lyttleton, Johnny Dankworth and Cleo Laine ................. and I wish I could remember the 3rd one, equally famous.



I've loved certain kinds of Jazz since that day


We were in New Orleans in about 1977, and went to Al Hirt's night club ..... it was funny. OH and I had planned to go to Preservation Hall after dinner, but got talking to a couple at the next table, and they persuaded us to go with them to Al Hirt's. We had to have the obligatory Hurricane drink ......... and still have the glasses the we got free as a result :-)

I'd never heard of Al Hirt to that point .................... fading but still a fantastic trumpeter.


We went back to New Orleans in about 1988/9, and took our then 16 year-old to Preservation Hall ...................... the players there are mostly old-timers, trying to preserve "old N O jazz".


It was fantastic ........... and we couldn't drag our daughter away :-)

I am watching Sammy Davis Jnr. I know he was extremely talented but I am not getting much out of it.

I will persevere.

It irritates me and I know it shouldn't. Probably doesn't help that he is appearing with Bruce Forsyth.

I never really liked Sammy Davis Jnr ............... even though everyone said I should :-)

Cleo Laine - A good friend of mine, her father worked many years ago as a lift man in the Savoy Hotel.

She and Johnny got in the lift and as they got out, Cleo turned to him and said 'this has probably made your day seeing us'

How bloody arrogant.

Put me off her completely.

I had a creepy feeling when sharing a back stage room with Mick Mulligans band when George Melly sang with them
He was arrogant and had loads of young...and I mean young...girls all around him.
The others were OK,but he was too full of his own mportance!

I have never had much trouble with musicians when I am working but, most of what I have had has been with difficult jazz musicians.

It turned out that one who was particularly difficult with me was one that nobody will work with twice if they can help it.