Brian Ebbatson has brought this tribute by Nick Tomalin on London Jazz News to my attention regarding Bill Kinghorn who died on April 28 this year aged 86.
Although born in Newcastle, to the best of my knowledge he wasn't active on the local jazz scene, his main areas of activity were Leeds and later London although he did hold a teaching post in Newcastle in 1967.
He was obviously a rare talent as Nick Tomalin has praised him at the very highest level.
I wonder if any of our readers have memories that they would like to add? - Lance
3 comments :
I was a pupil at Foxwood school in Leeds in the 1960s when Bill Kinghorn (and Graham Hearn) were running the music department.
In about 1965 Bill spent a large proportion of the music department budget on a drum kit and a string bass and a staff/student piano trio was formed with Bill on piano, Graham on drums and me on very dodgy bass. He taught me absolutely loads but in a kind of oblique way - 'listen to some Red Garland or try Horace Silver'. He had a regular Sunday night pub gig with a trio and he used to encourage me to sit in on piano. He did show me a few chord voicings but his overarching advice was listen, listen, listen. He was also an orchestral composer. Great bloke!
I was Bill Kinghorn’s cousin and was invited to listen to him play at the Milvain Club on the West Road-no longer there- along with a bloke called Alan who was playing double bass.
On another occasion I accompanied him to Kenton Lodge Training College where he had been invited to play some Dave Brubeck material..
He later taught.in Leeds then was appointed to head of jazz at Leeds College of Music, later moving to Harrogate.
Jim Hutchinson
My guess is the bass player could possibly be Al Collins who was the top man around that time.
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