Liverpool drummer Jonny Dale has written his first book - The
Jonny Dale Experience. Jonathan Philip Edward (aka "JPED"), born
in 1949 in London, might not be a household name among jazz drummers
but, nonetheless, he is a worthy subject for an autobiography.
Having known and played with him for two years in the NW of the UK, I can assure one and all that he is a first rate professional. His beat is solid, he has an admirable stylistic range and demonstrates a flexibility when working with a variety of bands that is remarkable.
Jonny's "experience" started in Wimbledon, growing up in a well to do family led by a patriarchal father, Philip Dale, with whom Jonny stayed very close to throughout his life. The same went for the rest of the family of two siblings and his mother, Susan, who tragically died when Jonny was in his thirties.
The warmth shown toward his family and close friends throughout the book gives the reader a strong sense of the magnanimous and benevolent nature of the author. He takes everyone that he encounters at face value and is deffo a glass half full kinda fella.
JPED immigrated to South Africa in the early 1970s, settling in Margate where he played with a number of bands in residencies at hotel and resorts which were pretty much the norm then. Nowadays, those gigs, along with live music have all but disappeared.
Jonny's second wife, Simonne, a talented singer and percussionist who he met in Margate, was born and raised in Zimbabwe . They soon became engaged and married and have since produced two sons, Simon and Tim, both of whom have become fine musicians in their own right.
The family returned to the UK in 1997 spending a few years in Sussex before moving to Liverpool in 2001. This move was prompted by an opportunity dictated by a higher calling that would also bring about Dale's return to jazz drumming. He had always maintained jobs like managing gyms, travelling sales, and finally an executive role in an organisation called The Sweet Partnership.
This post consisted of collecting coins from charity machines throughout the NW - not a million miles from busking on the street! Happily, none of these aforementioned jobs lasted long enough to permanently sever his love, need and commitment to pursue his percussive proclivities, and since age 65, JPED has remained a full time drummer. Thank God for that!
Dale's writing style exudes a playful freedom from the conventional rules of highbrow, academic, prose. He does not let himself capitulate to traditional syntax and punctuational standards. More of a Roads, as opposed to a Rhodes Scholar approach. His lengthy sentences are worthy of sentencing themselves, one could say. Despite this, the reader is still able to grasp the gist of his endearing ramblings.
Currently, Jonny and Simonne Dale (known affectionally as "Jamonne" as they are inseparable in both music and day to day life) are very active on the Liverpool jazz scene Their 5-piece Latinised combo, "Sequoia" plays frequently and maintains a residency at The Sefton Park Cricket Club. A somewhat rustic, yet likable venue in a gentile, leafy part of South Liverpool that offers jazz on a biweekly basis.
Long live JPED and his heartwarming account of his "experience" as well has his rich contributions to Jazz in Liverpool.
Frank Griffith.
Available as an eBook via Amazon.
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