My introduction to jazz.

ericwood992

New member
Picture the scene - 1960 at about 10.30pm, almost dark smoke filled basement of the Black Lion pub in Manchester (England), one single low-power light bulb hanging by a thread of wire from the ceiling, hard rough wood chairs grouped around a small stage raised about four inches above the floorboards, and the Johnny Dankworth Seven in all their glory playing "Moanin" (Bobby Timmons).

Until this, I had been a strictly "Classics only" listener (for many years!!).

I WAS CONVERTED!!! From that moment on, I have never been able to decide which I prefer, the jazz cellar or the concert hall.

Has anyone else had this kind of life changing experience?
 

John Watt

Member
I had an art scholarship offered to me from a Toronto university,
and a bursary offer from a new Hamilton college, Sheridan, just as exciting.
My best friend's parents wouldn't let him go to Toronto by himself to see a band in the hockey arena,
Maple Leaf Gardens, because he was just sixteen. They let him go if he took me with him.
After seeing Jimi Hendrix I dropped out two months before graduation,
and got a factory job so I could order a Marshall from England and bought the first Stratocaster sold here.
My fiancee wanted a hope chest, washer and drier, but that never happened.

Once Jimi made me a player, I didn't stop.
Talking with McCoy Tyner between his sets was just as much an influence.
 

Mat

Sr. Regulator
Staff member
Sr. Regulator
Regulator
Picture the scene - 1960 at about 10.30pm, almost dark smoke filled basement of the Black Lion pub in Manchester (England), one single low-power light bulb hanging by a thread of wire from the ceiling, hard rough wood chairs grouped around a small stage raised about four inches above the floorboards, and the Johnny Dankworth Seven in all their glory playing "Moanin" (Bobby Timmons).

Hi Eric, ^^ that is a great description. But one thing I'm missing from your story is the cigarette smoke :D

I, too, started with classical music. Only some years later I started listening to jazz. There wasn't any "life changing experiences", though. For me it all happened gradually.

P.S. A silimar thread where people shared their stories alread exists. You can read it here (click).
 

ericwood992

New member
Thanks Mat! I've amended my smoke to cigarette smoke and slipped my post into the 'similar one' you kindly linked me to. Nice of you! What a friendly bunch you all are here!
 

Mat

Sr. Regulator
Staff member
Sr. Regulator
Regulator
You're most welcome, Eric. We're all doing our best to keep this place friendly. Glad you're enoying it here.
 

Dorsetmike

Member
My "introduction" was the purchase (second hand) of two 78s, one was Dodo Marmarosa, Mellow Mood, don't recall the artist or title of the other my father who was under the impression that there was only classical music, particularly Beethoven and opera, I still strongly dislike most opera, except those by early composers like Purcell, Monteverdi etc. He did allow some Victorian songs like come into the garden Maude, Lost chord etc and did perform them in almost a boy's treble round the family piano. The other records that sometimes got played were comedy numbers by the likes of Spike Jones and Arthur Askey.

Soon after that I got fed up with the home restrictions and joined the RAF in '51, the NAAFI canteen at a training school had a decent music set up and played a lot of Kenton, Earl Bostik, Muddy Waters, Muggsy Spanier etc, as well as current "pop" like Kay Starr, Les Paul and Mary Ford etc, occasional revisits kept me "topped up" until late 1954 when I started two and a half years in the middle east, then Voice of America's Music USA was a nightly must (except for a few jars on payday once a fortnight) and some time spent in the church choir and associated church club, (I was also singing using the "family" unbroken voice, usually taking the alto line, but moving up to Soprano line occasionally when numbers were low.)

Music USA introduced me to far more than just Dodo Marmarosa, and is probably the major influence on my jazz listening, in '55 moving from Egypt to Iraq, I found there was a jazz club, mostly leaning towards "modern " as we then called it; Brubeck and Mulligan featured strongly, I moved on to Cyprus in '56 and again Music USA became regular listening, I also bought a decent radio and a turntable and started buying records, Mary Lou Williams, Elgart, Lunceford, and Mel Powell with Quinichette on "Borderline" one of the mid 50s Vanguard series.

On return to UK I got together with other like minded jazz listeners and we would go into Birmingham to JATP and other concerts, I saw and heard Ella, Jimmy Giuffre, Shelley Manne, MJQ, and numerous others, but the memories from over 50 years ago afre getting fragmented. In later years, late 60s through the 70s I heard live, Ellington, Basie, Herman, the Miller band under De Franco, Oscar Peterson, Joe Pass, Swingles, Loussier, Nat Gonella, Don Lusher, George Chisholm, less memorable for me were some UK trad bands, Chris Barber, Acker Bilk, I did enjoy the Dutch Swing College who I saw in Bristol around 1989/90.

I must admit to also having bought records by Focus and Renaissance in the 70s, also saw Renaissance live twice, er I had to take my daughter and her mate, that's my excuse.

I think the stand out concerts must be, first and foremost MJQ, then Basie, Ellington and Herman, Oscar Peterson with Joe Pass also in there.
 
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ericwood992

New member
Hello Mike,
It sounds as though we had some similar experiences. I was in the RAF from 1954 to 1956; only National Service, but we had no decent NAAFI where I was stationed (South West Signals Centre, Corsham, Wilts.) I did go into Bath once or twice to hear classical concerts, but as I said, it was not until I got back home in Manchester that I discovered jazz. But like you in Birmingham, I went to live concerts in Manchester to see and hear Duke Ellington, Herman, Louis Armstrong, Peterson and Ella, Jacques Loussier, Brubeck, Dizzy Gillespie, MJQ and more of the American greats. Very sadly, I never managed to get to a Basie concert, one of my biggest regrets.

I actually loved the UK trad bands, and still do of course (on record/CD). I think this was due to the atmosphere created in the kind of setting in which they used to play, especially early sixties in pubs and small jazz clubs. Close encounters with all that talent I found absolutely fantastic. Dankworth, Welsh, Humph, Bruce Turner, Barber, Ball and Bilk, plus all the popular but largely uncelebrated almost anonymous small bands who used to tour the North West (maybe further afield). Yes, once I discovered jazz it really became a hobby!
I remember vividly, drinking and chatting at the bar with Paul Gonsalves, chatting with Tubby Hayes in the gents at a pub in Staffordshire where he was performing, chatting with Jacques Loussier, Pierre Michelot and Christian Garros back stage in the Palace of Fine Arts in Mexico City, and sitting on the front row of a small intimate concert given by Stan Getz in a small club, also in Mexico. Very special moments.

This and all the other forms of music which I enjoy have been the 'main events' of my life, except for my wife and family whom I adore and fit them in where I can!! My wife likes a little jazz and some Country music, but I would not call her an enthusiast. Pity! But she does encourage me by accompanying me to concerts. The best we can get in Cornwall though are Brass Band concerts which I do and always have done, enjoy, especially Black Dyke.

Anyway Mike, nice talking (?) to you. Thanks for sharing your experiences with us and hope you haven't all been too bored by mine!
Best regards,
Eric.
 

Dorsetmike

Member
I consider myself lucky, I saw Peterson, Ellington, Basie and the "Miller band" at Oakengates, Telford, before leaving the RAF, then saw Ellington, Basie and Herman back home in Bournemouth and Peterson with Joe Pass. The "decent NAAFI" was at Yatesbury, just east of Calne.
 

ericwood992

New member
Yes Mike, I think that we were both lucky to experience these wonderful orchestras and soloists first hand.
I visited Yatesbury once briefly but didn't have time to visit the NAAFI.
 

Dorsetmike

Member
I did 4 courses there between 1951 and 1961, the early 50s were the best there, by '57 it had lost the spirit and energy, probably because more of us had cars and could get out more (or had gained SWMBOs)

I recall one time when the Avon City Stompers from Bristol were performing in the station "Theatre", their clarinettist had an accident earlier in the day so could not attend, one of the lads was dragged up on stage by his mates and perforned admirably (he did belong the the amateur station band)

Yep, number 2 Radio School RAF Yatesbury was a good place to be then, it's now a flattened field, all the wooden huts gone, one or two more solid buildings remain used by farmers.
 
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ericwood992

New member
RAF Hawthorn was the place! Four or five (can't remember) nissan huts and a lift shaft down to signals centre 120 feet underground. Music possibilities: one piano and a pianist (eventually became my best friend) in the mess.
 
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