Harry Parry...
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Harry Parry...
Harry Parry and his sextet c1949
Harry Parry and his Sextet c1949. Harry Parry is in the white jacket playing clarinet - standing next to him is saxophone player Wally Rockett - the rest of the players are probably those listed below on the February 24th, 1949 recording date.
(Photo: © Michael Cole)
Harry Parry (1912-1956), jazz musician and bandleader, was born and educated at Bangor in Wales. Between 1926 and 1934 he was employed as an instrument maker at the physics and chemistry departments of the University College of North Wales. A gifted musician, he could play a variety of instruments, his professional career began in Llandudno at Payne's cafe with a band led by Eddie Shaw. The band took a long engagement at a club in Croydon, near London and after a stint with Shaw he subsequently worked with other well known bands including Perceval Mackey where he began to play the clarinet. At the same time he had access to the London club scene with an opportunity to hear and play jazz. He was a success and formed his own bands including a swing quintet that included George Shearing. He was a huge success with this group and, in the immediate pre war years, it became one of the most talked about musical attractions in the West End pushing him into the limelight. He formed a trio, including Shearing, to play on the BBC's Radio Rhythm Club and it became the show's house band. He later became producer of the show and increased the trio to a sextet where he began a long association with the Parlophone record label selling huge quantities of records. He later became well known to the public as host and compere of BBC Radio's Jazz Club.
After the war he appeared in films and on television and also toured in India. He recorded with several musicians who later became important figures in the early British bebop scene, notably pianists Tommy Pollard and George Shearing but never got involved with bebop himself. His later bands had at best a swing feeling to them and when bop finally burst onto the scene in 1949 his own type of jazz fell by the wayside.



Harry Parry and his Radio Rhythm Club Sextet - January 28th, 1941 (Parlophone)
Harry Parry (cl), Roy Marsh (vib), George Shearing (p), Joe Deniz (g), Tommy Bromley (b), Ben Edwards (d).
I've Found a New Baby*#/Black Eyes* (2 takes)/Boog It*/Softly As In A Morning Sunrise*.
(#Sunflower CD - Harry Parry's Radio Rhythm Club Sextets - Crazy Rhythm)
(*JSP 5CD set - George Shearing - The Early Years)

May 3rd, 1941 (Parlophone)
Personnel as January 28th except Frank Deniz (g) and Sam Molineaux (b) replace Joe Deniz and Tommy Bromley.
Dim Blues*/Parry Opus*/It Don't Count/I'm Young And Healthy.
(*Vocalion CD - Parry Opus - The Harry Parry Sextets)

July 19th, 1941 (Parlophone)
Personnel as May 3rd, add Doreen Villiers (vocal).
Champagne#/Honeysuckle Rose#/Don't Be That Way (vocal DV)#/Bounce Me Brother With a Solid four (vocal DV).
(#Sunflower CD - Harry Parry's Radio Rhythm Club Sextets - Crazy Rhythm)

Harry Parry and his Radio Rhythm Club Sextet - October 19th, 1941 (Parlophone)
Harry Parry (cl), Tommy Pollard (p), Roy Marsh (vib), Lauderic Caton (solo g), Joe Deniz (g), Tommy Bromley (b), Bobby Midgely (d), Doreen Villiers (vocal).
The Java Joint^/My Melancholy Baby (vocal DV)/I May Be Wrong (vocal DV).
(^Proper Records 4CD Box set - Jazz in Britain 1919 - 1950)

First English Public Jam Session - November 16th, 1941 (HMV)
Dave Wilkins (tp), Woolf Phillips (tb), Harry Parry (cl), Aubrey Frank (ts), A Thompson (p), Joe Deniz (g), Charlie Short (b), Bobby Midgley (d).
Honeysuckle Rose/I Found A New Baby.

Harry Parry and his Radio Rhythm Club Sextet - January 11th, 1942 (Parlophone)
Harry Parry (cl), Reggie Dare (ts), Tommy Pollard (p), Roy Marsh (vib), Lauderic Caton (solo g), Archie Slavin (g), Charlie Short (b), Bobby Richards (d), Benny Lee (vocal).
Blues For Eight*/Thrust and Parry#/Someday Sweetheart (vocal BL)*/Sheik Of Araby*.
(*Vocalion CD - Parry Opus - The Harry Parry Sextets)
(#Sunflower CD - Harry Parry's Radio Rhythm Club Sextets - Crazy Rhythm)

March 27th, 1942 (Parlophone)
Personnel as January 11th except Archie Slavin out, add Doreen Villiers (vocal).
Basin Street Ball (vocal DV)/Blue Prelude/Sweet Georgia Brown/Doggin' Around.

Harry Parry and his Radio Rhythm Club Sextet - June 5th, 1942 (Parlophone)
Harry Parry (cl), Reggie Dare (ts), Tommy Pollard (p), Lauderic Caton (solo g), Charlie Short (b), Bobby Richards (d), Benny Lee (vocal).
Crazy Rhythm#/Angry (vocal BL)#/Rose Room/My Blue Heaven.
(#Sunflower CD - Harry Parry's Radio Rhythm Club Sextets - Crazy Rhythm)

Harry Parry and his Radio Rhythm Club Sextet - August 14th, 1942 (Parlophone)
Dave Wilkins (tp,vocal), Harry Parry (cl), Ken Oldham (ts), York De Souza (p), Joe Deniz (g), Sam Molineaux (b), Sid Raymond (d).
Potomac Jump*#/I Can't Dance (vocal DW)#/Rock It Out*/Who's Sorry Now#.
(*Vocalion CD - Parry Opus - The Harry Parry Sextets)
(#Sunflower CD - Harry Parry's Radio Rhythm Club Sextets - Crazy Rhythm)

November 11th, 1942 (Parlophone)
Personnel as August 14th except Joe Deniz out, add Rita Marlowe (vocal).
Jingle Bells/Blues Aroun' My Bed (vocal RM)#/Boogie/ Ain't Misbehavin'.
(#Sunflower CD - Harry Parry's Radio Rhythm Club Sextets - Crazy Rhythm)

December 8th, 1942 (Parlophone)
Personnel as November 11th.
Alexander's Ragtime Band/Travellin' Blues/Lady Be Good/Time On My Hands.

December 10th, 1942 (Parlophone)
Personnel as November 11th, except add Derek Neville (as,bs) and Primrose Hayes (vocal).
Mr Five By Five (vocal DW)#/I Never Knew (vocal PH).
(#Sunflower CD - Harry Parry's Radio Rhythm Club Sextets - Crazy Rhythm)

March 23rd, 1943 (Parlophone)
Personnel as December 10th, 1942.
You Are My Lucky Star*#/Blue Train Blues (vocal HP)*#/The Darktown Strutters Ball#/Stardust#.
(*Vocalion CD - Parry Opus - The Harry Parry Sextets)
(#Sunflower CD - Harry Parry's Radio Rhythm Club Sextets - Crazy Rhythm)

Harry Parry and his Radio Sextet - June 21st, 1943 (Parlophone)
Dave Wilkins (tp,vocal), Harry Parry (cl), Ken Oldham (ts), Derek Neville (as,bs), York De Souza (p), Sam Molineaux (b), Sid Raymond (d), Rita Marlowe (vcl).
Polly Put The Kettle On#/Dr.Heckle And Mr. Jibe#/St. Louis Blues (vocal RM)/Body And Soul*.
(*Vocalion CD - Parry Opus - The Harry Parry Sextets)
(#Sunflower CD - Harry Parry's Radio Rhythm Club Sextets - Crazy Rhythm)

July 22nd, 1943 (Parlophone)
Personnel as June 21st, except Stan Roderick (tp) replaces Dave Wilkins.
A Hundred Years From Today (vocal HP)#/Tea For Two#.
(#Sunflower CD - Harry Parry's Radio Rhythm Club Sextets - Crazy Rhythm)

August 19th, 1943 (Parlophone)
Personnel as July 22nd, except Dave Wilkins (tp) replaces Stan Roderick.
Basin Street Blues/Runnin'Wild*/Rosetta/Ida, Sweet As Apple Cider.
(*Vocalion CD - Parry Opus - The Harry Parry Sextets)

October 23rd, 1943 (Parlophone)
Personnel as August 19th.
Blue Lou/No Gin Blues/Hallelujah*/Boogie Rides To York#.
(*Vocalion CD - Parry Opus - The Harry Parry Sextets)
(#Sunflower CD - Harry Parry's Radio Rhythm Club Sextets - Crazy Rhythm)

Harry Parry and his Radio Rhythm Club Sextet - December 28th, 1943 (Parlophone)
Stan Roderick (tp), Harry Parry (cl), Derek Neville (as,bs), Ken Oldham (ts), York De Souza (p), Sam Molineaux (b), Sid Raymond (d).
Moonglow*/On The Sunny Side Of The Street/If I Had You/South Rampart Street Parade*.
(*Vocalion CD - Parry Opus - The Harry Parry Sextets)

March 3rd, 1944 (Parlophone)
Personnel as December 28th, 1943.
Jazz Me Blues/I Surrender Dear/I'll Remember April/One O'clock Jump*.
(*Vocalion CD - Parry Opus - The Harry Parry Sextets)

May 26th, 1944 (Parlophone)
Personnel as March 3rd, except Pat O'Neill (p) replaces Yorke De Souza.
Parry Party/Gone With The Wind/Boogie Bounce*/Rocky Mountain Blues.
(*Vocalion CD - Parry Opus - The Harry Parry Sextets)

Parry found himself out of a job when th St. Regis Hotel where his band was working was flattened during an air raid on London. The next year was spent earning his living at a factory making diesel engines, contributing to the war effort until he was discharged as medically unfit. He formed another sextet and began touring the music halls and recording again when the war had ended. Only Stan Roderick remained from his earlier line up.
Harry Parry Sextet - January 17th, 1946 (Parlophone)
Stan Roderick (tp), Harry Parry (cl), Alan Clarke (as,bs), Jimmy Walker (ts), Leo Ward (p), Hugh Wait (b), Irving Tidswell (d)
Southpaw Special/Midnight Blue*/The Shivers/Plink Plonk*.
(*Vocalion CD - Parry Opus - The Harry Parry Sextets)

Harry Parry Sextet - June 19th, 1946 (Parlophone)
Pat Barnett (tp), Harry Parry (cl), Alan Clarke (as,bs), Mickey Dennis (ts), Leo Ward (p), Hugh Wait (b), Irving Tidswell (d)
Okay for Baby*#/Was It A Dream?*/Lonesome Road*#/Frenesi*/Glen Island Special*/Indian Love Call*.
(*Vocalion CD - Parry Opus - The Harry Parry Sextets)
(#Sunflower CD - Harry Parry's Radio Rhythm Club Sextets - Crazy Rhythm)

October 23rd, 1946 (Parlophone)
Personnel as June 19th.
Back-bitin'/Blues In C/After You've Gone*/Liza*.
(*Vocalion CD - Parry Opus - The Harry Parry Sextets)

Harry Parry Sextet - May 27th, 1947 (Parlophone)
Pat Barnett (tp), Harry Parry (cl,vcl), Alan Clarke (as,bs), Joe Riley (ts), Dennis Wilson (p), Hank Hobson (b), Dennis Neale (d).
She's Funny That Way (vocal HP)/China Boy/Exactly Like You (PB,AC,JR out)/Ain't She Sweet (PB,AC,JR out).

November 6th, 1947 (Parlophone)
Personnel as May 27th.
I Got Rhythm/Stars Fell On Alabama/Davenport Blues/Memories.

March 17th, 1948 (Parlophone)
Personnel probably as November 6th, add Dinah Kaye (vcl).
Clarinet Blues/At The Jazz Band Ball/Little Grey home In The West (vocal DK)/Jazz Club Stomp.

Harry Parry Sextet - February 24th, 1949 (Parlophone)
Pat Barnett (tp), Harry Parry (cl), Wally Rockett (as,bs), Joe Riley (ts), Dennis Wilson (p), Jack Fallon (b), Danny Craigie (d), Dinah Kaye (vocal).
Blues Are Brewin' (vocal DK)/I'm A Ding Dong Daddy.

Harry Parry Sextet - February 24th, 1949 (Parlophone)
Cyril Ellis (tp), Jock Bain (tb), Harry Parry (cl), Eddie Macauley (p), Joe Young (bj), George Gibbs (sousa), Sid Heiger (d).
That's A Plenty/Bugle Call Rag.

From Pip Wedge: "Now, I had at around that time got to know Steve Race (and I went to work for him as his business manager from June 1950 to June 1952). Harry Parry’s Parlophone contract was running down, and Harry had the feeling that he might save it if he were to find a more ‘modern’ sound, so he asked Steve to write a couple of arrangements for him. Steve did, for Mood Indigo and Night and Day, but there’s one name missing from the listed personnel. Steve used a ‘wordless voice’, not in a scat singing role but as another instrument. The singer was one Dorothee Baronne; whether Harry’s desire to use her was in any way influenced by the fact that she was reported to be influential Melody Maker jazz record critic Edgar Jackson’s girl friend, I don’t know. Anyway, the record was attractive but no hit (even though Edgar praised it), and Harry’s contract lapsed.
Writer Rod Holcombe (see below) suggested in Memory Lane that Dorothee was used on another Parry record, I’ve Got You Under My Skin and Blue Acara, which Steve also arranged (he wrote Blue Acara after one of the many tropical fish he and his wife collected), but elsewhere in Memory Lane Dorothee is listed as being on Mood Indigo and Night and Day, which I remember clearly."
Harry Parry Sextet - September 8th, 1949 (Parlophone)
Pat Barnett (tp), Harry Roche (tb), Harry Parry (cl), Wally Rockett (as), Joe Temperley (ts), Dennis Wilson (p), Jack Fallon (b), Danny Craigie (d), Ginger Johnson (bgo.cga).
Mood Indigo/Night And Day.

Rod Holcombe: "In these years the Melody Maker was very influential with its reviews of jazz records. The regular critic Edgar Jackson was not always kind to Parry, and once or twice unreasonably harsh, which may have directly affected record sales, and public attitudes. This cannot have done much to help an already struggling Parry. Additionally his health was not good, reflecting the stresses and associated irregular lifestyle associated with touring and playing nationwide.
His last record to be issued was recorded in 1949, and was his sextet augmented to an octet. The arrangements were by Steve Race, then a trail blazing modernist, with the respected pianist Dill Jones, and trombonist Harry Roche. A young Joe Temperley was on tenor, and the singer (Dorothee Baronne) was used instrumentally à la Ellington on I’ve Got You Under My Skin and Blue Acara. His last recording session was the next year but nothing was issued from the session.".
October 26th, 1949 (Parlophone)
Personnel as September 8th except Dill Jones (p) and Denny Piercy (bgo,cga) replace Dennis Wilson and Ginger Johnson.
I've Got You Under My Skin/Blue Acara.

Harry Parry Sextet - Unknown date (probably Parlophone)
Harry Parry (cl), others unknown.
My Favourite Dream/Someones In The Kitchen With Dinah#.
(#Sunflower CD - Harry Parry's Radio Rhythm Club Sextets - Crazy Rhythm)

Harry Parry had always played the clarinet and his group repertoire had always included a proportion of 'jazz' in a popular swing style that often reflected the music of the Benny Goodman Sextet. He varied his instrumentation using vibes, guitar, sometimes without a trumpeter on his early records. Notable musicians who appeared in his various recorded groups included George Shearing, Dill Jones and Tommy Pollard (p), Stan Roderick and Dave Wilkins(tpt), Jimmy Walker (ts), Joe Temperley (ts), and Jack Fallon (b). Parry was not a bebop musician and as Club Eleven type records began to appear in the late 1940s he did not record with his sextet again. He appeared on TV with his group, including childrens shows, and acted in several radio plays but his heyday was over. He died in London in 1956 from a heart attack at the early age of 44...

Joe Temperley was one of a number of future jazz stars who played with Parry and remembers him fondly: "After Tommy I was with the Harry Parry Sextet (late 1949).... it was a fun time for me.... I was just a kid and Harry loved the way I played. But Harry was a peculiar sort of guy - like a two bottles of Vodka a day guy! He was wonderful up until the second bottle of Vodka started, then he got kind of short tempered. But I had a great time with Harry. He got a little bit disenchanted with the music business towards the end of his playing days, I guess, but I had a lot of good experience with him. I had a good time with Harry and he was very upset when I left him to go to Joe Loss..." (c1950/1).


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