Delving 'among my souvenirs' I encountered this long forgotten and somewhat tattered programme of a concert at the Royal Festival Hall which I attended in 1965. As I recall I hired a Triumph Herald to drive down to London and I have cherished memories of that car and, of course, the concert!
The concert was promoted as part of The Commonwealth Arts Festival and so we had Maynard Ferguson (Canada), Joe Harriott (Jamaica), The Australian Jazz Players plus Johnny Dankworth, Cleo Laine and Tubby Hayes as the home team.
On drums with the Aussies was Chris Karan, later to be drummer with the Dudley Moore Trio. Some years later I sold him a pair of drumsticks when I worked in a Newcastle music store. I mentioned the concert to him but he couldn't recall it.
The main reason I've posted this is due to the well-deserved resurgence of interest in Tubby Hayes. Sadly, on this occasion, although he played brilliantly, because of the number of acts I think he was only allotted 15-20 minutes.
I wonder if any other readers were present who have more vivid memories of the occasion?
Lance
On drums with the Aussies was Chris Karan, later to be drummer with the Dudley Moore Trio. Some years later I sold him a pair of drumsticks when I worked in a Newcastle music store. I mentioned the concert to him but he couldn't recall it.
The main reason I've posted this is due to the well-deserved resurgence of interest in Tubby Hayes. Sadly, on this occasion, although he played brilliantly, because of the number of acts I think he was only allotted 15-20 minutes.
I wonder if any other readers were present who have more vivid memories of the occasion?
Lance
2 comments :
Hi Lance. Although I wasn't at this concert I did catch the Tubby Hayes Big Band the previous year at the Richmond Jazz Festival 1964. Like yourself, I drove down, in the company of John Saxelby and Eddie Piper in my Morris Cowley. The band was very tight with wonderful arrangements, I can't remember all the musicians but Jimmy Deuchar and Pete King were there. The highlight of the festival for me was the singing of Jimmy Witherspoon backed by the Chris Barber Band. "Spoon" was terrific and I think that the session was recorded by the BBC. We hadn't booked any digs but we met Mike Carr at the festival and he kindly let us sleep on the floor in his flat in Finchley High Street. The trip was slightly marred after I decided to drive back to Newcastle at 2am on the Monday morning. Needless to say I fell asleep at the wheel on the Grantham Bypass and the car ran through a hotel forecourt demolishing all the advertising signs. Both of the headlights were smashed and mysteriously the rear window disintegrated, showering us with glass. However, we were unhurt and got back safely. A great weekend!
Gordon Solomon.
Well, I didn't go to the concert - and I never saw Tubby Hayes play. Despite him appearing at the British Legion Club in Lancing in the early 1960's, and me starting to get into jazz, I passed up on the opportunity - preferring to go along the coast to Brighton, for the talent on display in Uncle Bonnie's Chinese Jazz Club! Anyway, Lance - you've reminded me about the soft top Triumph Herald that my Mike had when we first met - it was ice blue, I remember, and rather exciting!
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