Jack Sharpe...
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Jack Sharpe...
Jack Sharpe (c1955) Tenor and baritone sax player Jack/(Jackie) Sharpe was born in East London in 1930 and took up the tenor sax at eighteen with lessons from Ronnie Scott. He worked with Vic Lewis and Teddy Foster and also played in ad-hoc small groups around London, but by 1953 he had left full time professional music for the more lucrative job of driving a London taxi. He had become friendly with a young Tubby Hayes and after several stints as a London taxi driver, and working briefly with Dizzy Reece in 1954, he joined Tubby's nine piece band on its debut in April 1955. He played tenor and baritone sax and sold the taxi he had just bought to spend eighteen months, which he described as the most exciting and satisfying of his life, with the band before it folded. After this he continued as a semi-pro and had a hand in organising the big bands built around Tubby Hayes.
With Mike Senn he led the Downbeaters which later became the Downbeat Big Band which began a long residency at the Manor House pub in north London on November 5th, 1956. He freelanced and led his own sextet in 1958, and with Mike Senn he ran the Downbeat Club in Old Compton Street from 1958. Through the 1960s he was involved, as fixer and player, with the Tubby Hayes big band. He was instrumental in organising mixed dates for US and British musicians in the mid 1960s. Played many gigs through the 1980s and in 1986 got together what began as a band in Tubby's memory and turned out to be, as Brian Davis called it, "the greatest all-British modern jazz 'kicks' band ever formed". This was the Jack Sharpe Big Band. Jack did all the fixing and administration and played baritone leaving musical direction to Andy Mackintosh.
He co-led a quintet with Alan Branscombe in 1985 and sometimes a septet (The Jazz Seven) and continued to gig into the 1990s. He suffered a heart attack and died in hospital in November, 1994.

Jack Sharpe knew Tubby Hayes from very early days: "The first time I heard Tubby was at the 51 Club, Little Newport St., London, around the late 1940s. A young cherubic saxophonist who's playing exuded an excitement and musical energy unlike anyone I had heard before. Still in his teens, even the his playing had originality, authority and maturity beyond his years. In the next couple of years I got to know him well, (myself and a group of aspiring jazz musicians that included Terry Shannon, Les Condon, Lennie Davis, Ken Sinfield), when he sat in with us in a small jazz room at the George pub on Brixton Hill. The young Tubby lived in a basement flat opposite".
Jimmy Deuchar speaking in 1985... More recently I have done a lot of writing for Jack Sharpe's big band. Jack and I go back a long, long time. We grew old together! It's been a long time, but he just phoned me up and said We are getting this little band together, seven pieces It was the same combinations as the Johnny Dankworth Seven actually. Of course Jack plays the tenor and the baritone which makes all the difference. So I have done a lot of writing for that and now he has come up with the big band, which is terrific. I think that it is going to be one hell of a band. The guys he's got in this band you wouldn't believe! Really, the trumpet section alone will blow your head off. Derek Watkins, John Barclay, Steve Sidwell and of course Dick Pearce. You couldn't get a better trumpet section than that anywhere!

Jack arranged it all because he very kindly invited me down to work with the band, and he fixed up five or six gigs on the trot in a week. It was great. He laid it all on. That was actually the first time I had been down to London for a good number of years. Everybody kept saying Why don't you move back down? I'm thinking seriously about it. A very serious maybe! We really did enjoy it, my wife Moira and I. That's what makes me think about returning. I was very grateful to Jack for organising it all. If it does happen I will probably be doing a couple of gigs with Jack's big band. I'm writing for the band anyway.

(At the time of this conversation in 1985 the Jack Sharpe big band had not been recorded. It was recorded in 1987 and again in 1989, this time Jimmy Deuchar was in the line up).
An LP (now a CD) was recorded in 1987 which featured Al Cohn with Jack Sharpe's Jazz Seven - details are shown below...

Tubby Hayes & His Orchestra - March 10th, 1955 (Tempo EXA14)
Tubby Hayes (ts), Jimmy Deuchar, Dickie Hawdon (tp), Mike Senn (as,bs), Jackie Sharpe (ts,bs), Harry South (p), Pete Blannin (b), Lennie Breslaw (d).
Jordu*"/Orient Line*/May Ray*"/Monsoon*.
("Jasmine CD - Tubby Hayes - Blue Hayes, The Tempo Anthology)
(*Jasmine CD - Tubby Hayes - The Swinging Giant Volume One)
(*Proper Records 4CD Box set - Tubby Hayes - The Little Giant)

(*Acrobat 6CD Box set - Tubby Hayes - The Complete Tempo Recordings 1955-59)
(*Real Gone Jazz 4CD set - Tubby Hayes Vol.2 - Five Classic Albums plus bonus eps and tracks)

Tubby Hayes & His Orchestra - April 29th, 1955 (Tempo - (1)EXA17)
Tubby Hayes (ts), Dave Usden, Dickie Hawdon (tp), Mike Senn (as,bs), Jackie Sharpe (ts,bs), Harry South (p), Pete Blannin (b), Lennie Breslaw (d).
Sophisticated Lady(1)*"/I Let A Song Go Out Of My Heart(1)*/Deuces Wild*.
("Jasmine CD - Tubby Hayes - Blue Hayes, The Tempo Anthology)
(*Jasmine CD - Tubby Hayes - The Swinging Giant Volume One)
(*Proper Records 4CD Box set - Tubby Hayes - The Little Giant)

(*Acrobat 6CD Box set - Tubby Hayes - The Complete Tempo Recordings 1955-59)
(*Real Gone Jazz 4CD set - Tubby Hayes Vol.2 - Five Classic Albums plus bonus eps and tracks)

Tubby Hayes & His Orchestra - July 14th, 1955 (Tempo EXA17)
Tubby Hayes (ts), Dave Usden, Dickie Hawdon (tp), Mike Senn (as,bs), Jackie Sharpe (ts,bs), Harry South (p), Pete Blannin (b), Bill Eyden (d).
Fidelius*/Tootsie Roll*.
(*Jasmine CD - Tubby Hayes - The Swinging Giant Volume One)
(*Proper Records 4CD Box set - Tubby Hayes - The Little Giant)

(*Acrobat 6CD Box set - Tubby Hayes - The Complete Tempo Recordings 1955-59)
(*Real Gone Jazz 4CD set - Tubby Hayes Vol.2 - Five Classic Albums plus bonus eps and tracks)

Tubby Hayes And His Orchestra - January 4th, 1956 (BBC)
Ian Hamer, Dickie Hawdon (tp), Mike Senn (cl,as,bs) Tubby Hayes (ts), Jack Sharpe (bs), Harry South (p), Pete Blannin (b), Bill Eyden (d).
He's A Tramp*/Sophisticated Lady*/The Yellow Rose Of Texas* (TH with p,b,d only)/Almost Like Being In Love*/Ain't It The Truth*.
(*Proper Records 4CD Box set - Tubby Hayes - The Little Giant)

Tubby Hayes And His Orchestra - February 18th, 1956 (Tempo - (1)TAP2 - (2)EXA36)
Tubby Hayes (ts), Mike Senn (as), Jackie Sharpe (bs), Ian Hamer, Dickie Hawdon (tp), Harry South (p), Pete Blannin (b), Bill Eyden (d).
Orient Line(1)*^/Plymouth Rock(1)(2)*/Room 608(1)*"/Sophisticated Lady(1)*/I'll Remember April(2)*/Doggin' Around(2)*/Mambo Tittoro(1)(2)*.
("Jasmine CD - Tubby Hayes - Blue Hayes, The Tempo Anthology)
(*Jasmine CD - British Modern Jazz Scene - 1956)
(*Proper Records 4CD Box set - Tubby Hayes - The Little Giant)

(^Giant Steps 2CD set - Soho After Dark 'London's '50s Modern Jazz Scene')
(*Real Gone Jazz 4CD set - Tubby Hayes Vol.2 - Five Classic Albums plus bonus eps and tracks)

The Downbeat Big Band - November 14th, 1959
Bobby Pratt, Les Condon, Hank Shaw, Eddie Blair (tp), Hank Stampf (tb,bs-tp), Alan Branscombe (as), Tubby Hayes, Johnny Scott (ts), Jack Sharpe (bs), Terry Shannon (p), Jeff Clyne (b), Phil Seamen (d).
Along Came Betty*/The Scene Is Clean*/East Of The Sun*/Southern Horizons*/Blues At The Manor*/Confirmation*/"E"*.
("Acrobat CD - Blues At The Manor 1959-60 Tubby Hayes and the Downbeat Big Band)

The Downbeat Big Band - September 1st, 1960 (BBC Jazz Club)
Bobby Pratt, Les Condon, Jimmy Deuchar, Eddie Blair (tp), Keith Christie (tb), Alan Branscombe (as), Tubby Hayes, Ronnie Scott (ts), Jack Sharpe (bs), Terry Shannon (p), Jeff Clyne (b), Victor Feldman (d).
AH Bah Chu*/East Of The Sun*/Confirmation*/Loke Someone In Love*/Une Momentum*/Southern Horizons*/Sister Sadie*.
("Acrobat CD - Blues At The Manor 1959-60 Tubby Hayes and the Downbeat Big Band)

In early 1963 the tenor sax player Paul Gonsalves recorded a quartet with a British backing trio. Tenor sax player Jackie Sharpe was added for two titles only...
Paul Gonsalves Quartet/Quintet - early 1963 (Boom-Jackie-Boom-Chick - Vogue LAE 587)
Paul Gonsalves (ts), Jackie Sharpe* (ts), Pat Smythe (p), Kenny Napper (b), Ronnie Stephenson (d).
I Should Care/Boom-Jackie-Boom Chick/If I Should Lose You/Poor Butterfly/Blue P.G./Taboo/Village Blues*/You Are Too Beautiful*.

Tubby Hayes / Paul Gonsalves - February 25th, 1964 (Just Friends - Columbia SX(SCX) 6003)
Jimmy Deuchar (tp,mell), Les Condon (tp), Keith Christie (tb), Tubby Hayes (ts,vib,as), Paul Gonsalves (ts), Jackie Sharpe (bs), Stan Tracey (p), Lennie Bush (b), Ronnie Stephenson (d).
Tupa*/Mini Minor*/Souriya*/Baby Blue*/Amber Mood*/Just Friends*/Pedro's Walk*.
(*Vocalion CD - Paul Gonsalves/Tubby Hayes - Just Friends / Johnny Scott Orchestra - London Swings)

Tubby Hayes and his Orchestra - April 20th, 1964 (Tubb's Tours - Fontana TL5221)
Jimmy Deuchar (tp,mel), Ian Hamer, Bert Courtley (tp), Keith Christie (tb), Ken Wray (v-tb), Jackie Sharpe (bs,cl), Alan Branscombe (as,bs, b-cl), Tubby Hayes (ts,fl,vib,timp), Peter King, Bobby Wellins (ts,cl), Terry Shannon (p), Freddie Logan (b), Allan Ganley (d).
In The Night*/The Scandinavian*/Pedro's Walk*/Raga*.
(*Impressed Repressed CD - Tubbs Tours)

April 24th, 1964 (Tubb's Tours - Fontana TL5221)
Les Condon (tp), Ronnie Ross (as,bs,b-cl) replace Bert Courtley and Alan Branscombe.
Israel Nights*/Russian Roulette*/Parisian Thoroughfare*/The Killers Of W.1*/Sasa-hivi*.
(*Impressed Repressed CD - Tubbs Tours)

Tubby Hayes Big Band - probably January 31st, 1965 (BBC TV-Cast live from the Marquee Club, London *IAJRC50)
Jimmy Deuchar, Ian Hamer, Les Condon (tp), Keith Christie, Ken Wray (tb), Tubby Hayes (ts,fl,vib), Peter King, Bobby Wellins (ts), Ronnie Ross, Jackie Sharpe (bs), Terry Shannon (p), Freddie Logan (b), Allan Ganley (d).
Parisian Thoroughfare*/Young And Foolish*.
(*IAJRC CD -Tubby Hayes: England's Late Jazz Great)

In the mid 1960s Jack Sharpe arranged a number of recording dates with American musicians which gave a chance for some leading British musicians to work alongside world renowned musicians. The first of these dates was with Paul Gonsalves from the Duke Ellington Orchestra...
Tubby Hayes / Paul Gonsalves - February, 1965 (Change of setting - World Record Club T631)
Tony Coe (as,fl,ts), Tubby Hayes (ts,vib,fl), Paul Gonsalves, Ronnie Scott (ts), Jackie Sharpe (bs), Ray Nance* (tp,vln,voc), Terry Shannon (p), John Lamb (b), Ronnie Stephenson (d).
Royal Flush/Change Of Setting/Tubby's Theme/Deb's Delight/Don't Fall Off The Bridge/Child's Fancy*/Min And Madge Blues*/Speedy Gonsalves*.
(Harkit CD -Tubby Hayes & Paul Gonsalves - Change Of Setting)

Another session 'fixed' by Jack Sharpe featured the American tenor sax players Al Cohn and Zoot Sims...
Al Cohn and Zoot Sims - 1967 (World Records - Al and Zoot in London TP714)
Al Cohn, Zoot Sims (ts), Peter King (as,ts), Jackie Sharpe (as,bs), Stan Tracey (p), Rick Laird (b), Jackie Dougan (d).
Shoft/Haunted Jazz Club/Zoot's Tune/Cockle Row/Pete's Tune No.1/Flaming June/Mr George/Pete's Tune No.2.

Jack Sharpe Big Band - January, 1987 (Frog FRG716- Catalyst (a tribute to Tubby Hayes)
Derek Watkins, John Barclay, Steve Sidwell, Dick Pearce, Guy Barker (tp), Geoff Wright, Chris Pyne, Pete Beachill, Dave Stewart (tb), Andy Mackintosh (as), Jamie Talbot, Dave Bishop (ts), Jack Sharpe (bs), Dave Hartley (p), Chris Laurence (b), Harold Fisher (d).
Milestones/You Know I Care/Sharpe Edge/Suddenly Last Tuesday/Keith/Souriya/Allisamba/Warm Breeze (unissued).

Al Cohn meets the Jazz Seven - May 28th, 1987 (Frog FRG717- Keeper of the flame)
Dick Pearce (tp,flhorn), Pete Beachill (tb,v-tbn), Andy Mackintosh (as), Al Cohn (ts), Jack Sharpe (ts,bs), Dave Hartley (p), Chris Laurence (b), Quinny Laurence (d).
Bilbo Baggins*/Mood Indigo* (AC + rhythm)/Casa 50*/Keeper Of The Flame* (AC out)/High On You* (AC + rhythm)/Feel More Like I Do Now*.
(*Jazz House CD - Keeper of the flame)

Jack Sharpe Big Band - May 4th and 5th, 1989 (Ronnie Scott Club)
Derek Watkins, Mark Chandler, Jimmy Deuchar, Stuart Brooks, Simon Gardner (tp), Geoff Wright, Chris Pyne, Pete Beachill, Dave Stewart (tb), Andy Mackintosh (as), Jamie Talbot, Dave Bishop (ts), Jack Sharpe (bs), Dave Hartley (p), Chris Laurence (b), Harold Fisher (d).
I'm Beginning To See The Light*/Old Folks*/Mayfly*/Wait And See*/100% Proof*/Skylark*/All The Things You Are*/K And J*/J And B*.
(*Jazz House CD - Roarin' - Jack Sharpe Big Band live at Ronnie Scott's)


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