Burt Butlers                                                                    

       Jazz Pilgrims  archive page early 60's onwards        Archive page Two

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                                     These  tracks  and  photo's  are  archive  Jazz   in  the  Kent  and   Sussex
                                     venues, in  the  early  60's  to  the  early  90's,  some  of  the  pub's  no       
                              longer   exist's ,  and  many  of  the  muscians   are  sadly  no  longer  with  us, so 
                             come  and  enjoy  the  traditional   jazz  that  we  played, heard  and  grew  up  with

                                                                                                                                                     Burtie  Butler 
                                                                         
                                                               
          
                                                        The Cavemens Jazz Band
                                                             The Tishomingo Jazz Band
                                                                The Tuxedo Jazz Band
                                                              The San jacinto Jazzmen
                                                              The John Kelk Jazz Band
                                                               The Chianti Jazz Group
                                                             Early Tony Pink Jazz men
                                                          The George Wooding Jazzmen 
                                                            The Phoenix City Jazz Band 
                                The Old Timers Jazz Band / The Original New Orleans Jazz Band

                                      
         

   

  
   This is one of the early recordings of Kent jazz,

In the nineteen fifties the Granville Hotel in Ramsgate was unoccupied apart from the ground floor bars and the ballroom.  These were run by ballroom dancing instructors Billy and Florrie Hamilton.  In 1955 Chatham House sixth former Peter Darby persuaded them to let out a cellar under the hotel as a jazz club for ten bob a week.  The teenage band and their friends put in a cement floor, opened up the space by putting in a lintel between two rooms and hung Chianti bottles with candles on the walls.  All this was done with a joint effort by students at local art colleges and various secondary schools from Ramsgate.  The original Cave jazz band comprised Steve Knight (cornet), Arthur Robinson (soprano sax), Dave Corsby (clarinet), Dave Dagley (trombone), Dave Brunwin (guitar), Mike Oliver (piano), Mick Shrubsole (tea chest bass), John Dadds (drums) and Pete Darby (washboard and harmonica).  The club flourished and the personnel and the style and standard of the band changed.  The band became the Chianti Jazzmen appearing at the Coronation Ballroom in Ramsgate often as an eight piece band opposite name big bands such as Ted Heath.  Several of the band became fully professional musicians with trumpeter Al Smith joining Sid Phillips, pianist Mike Oliver joining the Clyde Valley Stompers and guitarist Eric Flynn embarking on a tv and film career

                                                                   
                                    
                                The Cavemen's Jazzband in residence circa 1956, photo from the Dave Corsby collection

                                                                        
                              Steve Knight            Dave Dagley             Dave Corsby        Arthur Robinson         Mike Oliver           Dave Brunwin
                                  cornet                     trombone                    clarinet                   soprano                    piano                        guitar

                                                                                                   
                                                                         Pete Darby                  Mike Shrubsall                John Dadds
                                                                    Washboard / Harm            Tea chest bass                     drums                                                 back to index

                                               so soak up the atmosphere of the late 50's and hear the lads playing: 
                                            
                                                                  When the Saints go marching in

                                    cave band track was reprocessed from a direct cut 78 which emits blue powder
                                                                                                                                       Dave Corsby

                                                                                                                                        
   
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                           This was a wonderful presentation of Jazz put on at the Kings Hall, Herne Bay, Kent on the
                      Saturday 17th September 1960 by, Vic Caira, president of  the San Jancinto Jazz Club. So
                      click on to the underlined titles of each band to relive the atmosphere at the Kings Hall on that
                      great afternoon back in 1960.

                                                                            
                                                       Kings Hall circa the 30's but still looks the same in 2006

                                              CONCERT ....................................Commencing  2.30pm
                                              DANCE.........................................Commencing  8.00pm
                                                   programme   .    .    .    .     .     .    .    .   sixpence

                            intoductions to the bands were by Vic Caira, Clare Thomas and Rosalyn Young

   
                        WELCOME JAZZ LOVERS
                       Nowadays there is much discussion concerning different styles and aspects of jazz that all to often
                       one cannot get to the hot music through the hot air.
                       One of the objects in presenting these five excellent Local jazz Bands, all with their different styles,
                       that between them they practically retell the history of small band jazz, is that this afternoon you may
                      for once sit back, relax, and enjoy them all, and then this evening come and participate yourselves
                      by dancing to the happy music they create. When its all over we would be very glad to receive one
                      sweet letter from you.
       
                     Stomp off, let's go,
                               Yours

                                     VIC CAIRA,                                          PAM LAWS  (now PAM CLAYSON)
                       President, San Jacinto Jazz Club                             Secretary and Business Manager
  

                         The Tishomingo Jazz Band
                    First formed in the Summer of 1955 the Tishomingo Jazz Band became the resident band of the
                   Whitstable and Tankerton Jazz Club when this started later on in the same year. Weekly sessions
                   were held every Wednesday at the Bear and Key Hotel in Whitstable. These continued until 1959
                   when for a short while the club moved to the Duke of Cumberland Hotel. The group now plays
                   regularly at the Cave Jazz Club in Ramsgate on alternate Thursdays and Saturdays.
         
                                                        
                                                                The Tishomingo Jazz Band circa 1960
                                                                 photo from the Dave Bone collection

                                                                                 PERSONNEL
           
                                                                              

                                     MAURICE HOVERY                           ROBIN WALKER                                DAVE BONE
                                               trumpet                                              trombone                                         clarinet/leader

               
                                                                                                  
                               ROY GASTON-WILLIAMS                BRIAN HIGENBOTTAM                           JIM DAVIS
                                                  piano                                               banjo/guitar                                     double bass
                                                                                                                                        possible Brian Askew playing at the concert
                                        
                                                                     
                                                                                                  
                                                                              back to index               
                                                                                                      BILL AMBRO                                                                                   
                                                                                                              drums

                                            click on to the titles to hear

                                   Beale Street Blues                 Wolverine Blues                   Side-walk Blues

                                   As Long as I Live                     Go Ghana                          Mood Indigo

                                    Ole Man Mose                        Savoy Blues                          Panama

                                                                                  Signing off

 

                                               

                        Another fine write-up from local Herne Bay historian Ralph Carter, about the Tishomingo Jazz band, this
                                                                 was in "The Times " issue Thursday 16th June 2005      

                                                                               

                                          Not the original Tishomingo but close, the occasion was Jean and Dave Bones's 40th Wedding Aniversary
                                                              in their garden, High View Avenue, Herne Bay, Kent. date 2nd July 2000

                                 Four standing left to Right:  Séan Maple tmb, Roy Gaston-Williams piano, Dave Bone clt/leader and Mo Hovery tpt
                                                             seated on left Bill Ambro drms and on the right Jim Davis bass.

    top of page                                                                                                                                                                                        back to index 

                                                                                    __________________________________

                                The Tuxedo Jazz Band 

                                The start of the Tuxedo Jazz Band was the integration of two jazz bands the Perdido Street Jazz Band
                          from Sittingbourne, Kent, and the Apex Jazz Band from Chatham.
     

                          The Perdido Street Jazz Band 1957 - 1958

                                                               
                                                               
Conservative Club, Milton Regis. 1958
                                                    
band members:
                                       
               Bill Wright tea chest bass,  Roger Corden clt,  Sos Sears drs,
                                                                                 Doug Waring tmb and Burtie Butler bnj
                                                                                         also Mick Rose tpt ( no photo )
                                                 in the very early years around 1954/55 the band played in the Crescent hall,
                                                Crescent Street, Sittingbourne, Kent. and then at the Conservative Hall, Milton Regis,
                                                Sittingbourne, Kent. I think the entrance charge was 9d  (about 4½p).                                                     back to index 

                                                                   
                                                                Newspaper cutting 1958 in the local rag East Kent Gazette      
    

                          The Apex Jazz Band 1957 - 1958
                                
The Members of the Apex Jazz Band were:
                                        Dave Hill tpt, Roger Griffin clt, Brian Nye bnj and Brian (Bugsy) Summers bass

                                                                     
                                                             Brian (bugsy) Summers                           Brian Nye

                         When we met up in Sittingbourne, we practised round a friend's house in Albany Road
                         Sue Grandson, now Sue Knowles, the original Tuxedo Jazz band personnel was:

                         Dave "Jaik" Hill tpt,   Dave Jarrett clt,   Doug "Perc" Waring tmb,  Brian "Bugsy" Summers,
                         Robin "Burt" Butler  and  Bob "Sos" drums.

                      The band had personnel changes when Bernard Jack took over from Brian Summers on bass,
                      then Gordon Hurley took over from Bernard Jack.
                     We had Dave Nicholls take over from Dave Jarrett on clarinet followed by Pete Danby and finally
                     Dennis Lear.
                     Later Dave Chandler took over from Doug Waring on trombone, followed on later by Sam Weller
                    then John Cooper took over from Burtie Butler and finally Roy Neal took over from Sos Sears on drums.
      

                                                              
                                                                                  Silent Movie
                                             
This has to be the earliest Silent video  it was taken on a super 8 camera
                                                  no sound, it was taken at Highfield House around 1960/62, the band members are:
                                                                   Dave Hill tpt,  Bob Boorman tmb (picture),  Jim Lewis clt
                                            Burtie Butler bnj, Humphrey Mayes bass ( just see in the background) and Sos Sears drms

                                                                                  so click on the picture to watch the movie

      

                                                          
                                     Sittingbourne Carnival   1956/57                                                         Sittingbourne Carnival 1961/62
                        Bill Wright bass, Burtie Butler bnj, Sos Sears drms,                     Sos Sears drms, Gorden Hurley bass, Burtie Butler bnj
                           Brian Preston, Jaik Hill tpt, David Jarrett clt                                  Pete Danby clt and Doug Waring tmb.
                                        and Doug Waring tmb
              
                   Formed only ten months ago from two groups who were disbanding, the Tuxedo Jazz Band is the   
                    resident band of the Cedars Club in Sittingbourne, and part resident at Highfield House, Maidstone
                   In July of this year 1960 the band appeared on independent television and were awarded First Prize
                  on the talent show " Home Grown " and this  success earned them two further dates on I.T.V. which
                   have not yet been played.
       

                                                                     
                             Dave ' Jaik ' Hill                                   Doug Waring                                       Pete Danby
                              trumpet / leader                                       trombone                                             clarinet

                                                                 
                         Robin 'Burtie' Butler                                   Don Hurley                                   Bob 'Sos' Sears
                                   banjo                                                 double bass                                          drums

                      
                           Southampton TV Studios                                           Collecting our cheque for the first heat £25
     
                                                                       
                                                     Collecting our cheque for £100 for winning the grand final
                                               The Tuxedo Jazz Band taken at Southampton TV Studio's circa 1960/61

     

                                                                     
                                         Dave (Jaik) Hill                   Doug Waring                     Dave Nicholls
                                            trumpet/leader                      trombone                            clarinet
                                                                        (Sean Maple is on trombone)

                                                                            
                                       Robin (Burtie) Butler                  Don Hurley                  Bob (Sos) Sears
                                                 banjo                                    bass                                drums                          
  back to index

                                                Bourbon Street Parade                         Muskrat  Ramble

                              PERSONNEL ON THE TWO RECORDINGS AT KINGS HALL HERNE BAY 1960
                                                                        
so click on titles to listen

                                              
                                     
Don Hurley in later years               Burtie Butler in later years

     

 

       
    

       Above are recollections of the Cedars Club that was very popular in the late 50's to the early 60's of which the Tuxedo Band
      was the resident band . In the picture above right,  from left to right:    Fred Page double bass, Dave Chandler trombone,
      Dave a regular fan of the Tuxedos,  Burtie Butler banjo on bended knee, Dennis Lear clarinet, Bob (sos) Sears  drums,
      Doris Stagg proprietor, Shirley the barmaid  (not Yvonne Stagg as in the article) and the two girls Susan Gawthorp and
      Angela, nee Jenner who brought in the photo to the local newspaper The East Kent Gazette and Times Wednesday 26th
      May 1999
                                                                     
                                                           
                            
Cedars Club Sos, Jaik, Burtie and Doug 1960                          Burtie and Jaik with Kenny Ball and Vic Pitt
                                                                                                                                  when they were playing at the Corn Exchange Jazz Club
                                                                                                                                               on a Tuesday evening in February 1962 

               

                                       
                                                                                                                              This picture taken at Highfield House, Maidstone, Kent
                                                                                                                              which was run by a Miss Julia Edwards who tragically
                                                                                                                             died in car accident, which drove off a ferry in Cornwall.
                                                                                                                              circa 1962/63   bass player Barry Forcette
                                             

                                                    
                                              Above two pictures are the Tuxedo Band around 1963 with new personnel taken at the new Jazz Club
                                                             at the Wig and Gown, Maidstone, Kent.       from the Roy Neal photo collection 
                                      band members:
                                     Denis Lear clt, John Cooper bnj, Roy Neal drms, Ray Manning piano/bass, Dave Hill tpt and Sam Weller tmb.
                                                                                                                         (not Mannering)

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                                                              _________________________________ 
              

                      The San Jacinto Jazz Band
                      The San Jacinto Jazzmen grew from the humble origin of a folk skiffle group in one of Herne Bay's
                      leading Youth Clubs. They first took up instruments to play as a jazzband in 1958 and progressed
                      so well that they opened the San Jacinto Jazz Club in February of 1959. The band features many
                     original numbers  composed by its musicians which have come extremely popular with the club
                     members. Many of these will be played here today.

                                                                                          

                                                     A great poster from the Vic Caria collection circa 1961/62

           

                              
                                  The San Jacinto Jazz Band circa 1959                                  Vic Caira trumpet
                                        from the Vic Caira collection
              

                                                                                     PERSONNEL
                                                           
                                                                                                

                         GERRY RICKWOOD  trumpet       PETE DANBY   clarinet        SÉAN MAPLE   trombone
 

                                                                                       

                         RON WOODWARD  bass/leader     RONNIE BLAKE   guitar      GEOFF SANDERS   drums

                                               
                  
                    Two great photo's taken from the Vic Caira collection of the San Jacinto Jazz Band taken outside
                                                            the Kings Hall on the Saturday 17th September

                               click on to the titles to hear ( recorded Kings Hall, Herne Bay, Kent.  Saturday 17th September 1960)

                 Policeman, Please Don't Tow My Car Away                  Pete's Regret                  Saturday Blues

                                                                                                                                                                           back to index

                           

                               

                         A great write-up from Herne Bay historian Ralph Carter recalling the late 50's and 60's in "The Times"
                                                  issued Thursday 3rd February 2005 , all about the San Jacinto Jazz Band

 

                                Just had an e-mail from Ron Woodward today 21st October 2006, he has just got
                                 married last Sunday 15th October ( my 66th birthday) to Carol, and sent me this
                                 photo of members of the San Jacinto Jazz Band 45yrs on:

      

                                                               
                            Séan Maple tmb, Geoff Sanders drms, Ron Woodward bass, Vic Caira tpt, Ronnie Blake gtr.
     top of page                                                                                                                                                   
back to index

                                                                 ___________________________________
  

                            The John Kelk Jazz Band
                           The resident band of the Canterbury Jazz Society. This band was formed as long ago as 1950 to
                           play New Orleans Jazz it is renowned for the purity of it's music and it's refusal to be diverted by
                           modern trends or popular sounds in jazz.. Besides having played in most of the jazz clubs in East
                          Kent the Band is in great demand for street parades such as the Hastings Jazz Festival as Brass
                          Band Jazz is a speciality. The rags and marches presented today will recall the purist form of
                          instrumental jazz , the music of the legendary Buddy Bolden who led his band through the streets of
                          the Crescent City in the early part of this century.

                                                 
      
 The John Kelk Jazz Band taken at the Marlow Theatre circa 1960                                            The John Kelk Jazz Band,
                                                                                                          but with Mark Alexander on trumpet instead of Barry Campbell
                                                                                                                                        taken at the Canterbury Jazz Club in the early 60's
                                                                                          picture's from the Mark Alexander collection

                                                                                     PERSONNEL
 
                                                                                         
                             Barry Campbell                             Norman Halliday                         Ted Chappell
                              trumpet/leader                                    clarinet                                     trombone
       
                                                                                         
                                  John Kelk                                      Bill Cole                                 Cliff Elvidge
                                      banjo                                      double bass                                    drums

                                                                                                                                                                         back to index

                               
                  Young Mark 16yrs old 1958                                 Mark Alexander trumpet and drums