Dennis Lotis (March 8, 1921 - Feb. 8, 2023)

When I first started going to jazz concerts at Newcastle's City Hall, in the years before the MU and the AFM agreed to a reciprocal exchange agreement between the two countries, the highlight was the appearances by the Ted Heath Orchestra. This was probably the best big band the UK had had up to this point (early/mid fifties). Not only did they have the country's top instrumentalists but also three very fine singers.

Lita Roza had the boys' hearts fluttering and Dickie Valentine had the same effect on the girls. Dennis Lotis, who died on Feb. 8, was less of a heartthrob but could out-swing either of them on the uptempo numbers and outlasted them both in life and durability.

Apart from singing, he appeared in several mainly forgettable films although my lasting memory is of seeing him playing a leading role in John Osborne's The World of Paul Slickey at the Palace Theatre in London's West End. 

Critics described it as 'a critical disaster' and it only ran for six weeks. Personally, I loved it, particularly the number Bring Back the Axe. I guess it was too far ahead of its time. What, to me, was indisputable was Dennis Lotis' performance. He was a star performer in whatever idiom he chose.

Fond memories. Lance 

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