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Many musicians played a part in the British modern jazz story during from the 1940s through to the early 1960s. Further information can be found on the website for those listed on this page. The site also has record discographies for all the major figures as well as indications for records made by others. Of the musicians who played regularly at Club Eleven on its formation back in 1948 only tenor sax player Ronnie Scott became a lasting figure in the British jazz scene. Johnny Dankworth remained a major figure in the popular music scene leading what was probably our best jazz tinged big band. It was always hard to make good money solely as a jazz musician in the 1950s and 1960s and bands tended to form and reform shuffling the same personnel, hoping to hit the commercial bullseye. Modern jazz was difficult music to play. It demanded a high standard of musical and technical ability to cope with the fast tempos and complex harmonies and the best performers were something of a musical elite whose abilities were in demand elsewhere. Victor Feldman soon emigrated to America and Jimmy Deuchar and Derek Humble signed up for commercial work in Germany. |
Jazz groups have many unsung heroes especially double bass players and drummers. Besides those highlighted on these pages many others played their part, often without much opportunity to be featured, and without them jazz would not have existed as we know it. Details of other musicians who appeared on the jazz scene during the period covered by this website, and are not currently listed, will be added in the future. Bands such as Ted Heath, Jack Parnell, Vic Lewis, Kenny Baker, and Ivor and Basil Kirchin played a part in nurturing young musicians who became jazz musicians in time. They often gave temporary employment to otherwise out of work jazz musicians. Going further back in time the bands of Harry Parry, Harry Hayes, Tito Burns, Buddy Featherstonhaugh, George Chisholm and Carlo Krahmer made their individual contributions to the music... The part played by the black British swing bands during the 1940s is also important to the early modern jazz in Britain. |
Many more musicians than are listed on this website were involved in the UK jazz world in the twenty years from the mid 1940s to the mid 1960s. I have a list of about fifteen musicians that I wish to add details of to the site. Most of these musicians were not band leaders and the majority of them did not experience much in the way of recording opportunities, but they did play in the jazz clubs. I hope to add biographical and recording details for those listed but for many of them there is little information available from the music press of the time. I am reliant on information from visitors to this site, many of whom will remember these musicians at some club or other. Any information on musicians listed below, plus any others, would be appreciated: saxes, clarinet, flute: Don Honeywell, Alex Leslie, Phil Goody, Rex Morris, Dougie Robinson vibes: Roy Marsh double bass: Eric Dawson |