Burt Butlers                                                                    

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

  Home Page        Links Band Members   The Gig List     CD list for sale       chord book
         Musicians :   tpt   clt   tmb  bnj 
        
bass     drms  
 piano    singers 
              Archive pages:   1   2   3   4  5

              News Letters      1  2   3

                           Index Page


         
                                                 

                                     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 
                                                      Chris Watfords Elite Syncopators
                                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

                                                                                                                                        
   
 top of page

                  

      
        


                           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 WOODWARD  (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:
                                   Brian 'Bugsy' Summers (bass) Pete Danby (clt) Dave 'Jaik' Hill (tpt)                  Burtie Butler (banjo)
                               Bob 'Sos' Sears (drms) Dougy 'Perce' Waring (tmb) Robin 'Burtie' Butler (bnj)        scruffy is the word!!
                   

        
                                                          
                            
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)

 top of page                                                                                                                                                             back to index

                                                              _________________________________ 
              

                      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 Caira collection circa 1961/62

           

                                          
                                  The San Jacinto Jazz Band circa 1959                                  Vic Caira trumpet                              
                                                                                                                                                                                              

                                                                          from the Vic Caira collection                                                                      
                                      

                                                

                Herne Bay Carnival float, 13th August 1959 (street location               this photo taken at Pier Avenue, 13th August Vic Caira           
                    unknown) Vic Caira tpt, Mike Cole tbn, Pete Danby clt,                     (then SJJB leader) admires his team: Geoff Sanders, Pete             
                    Geoff Sanders dms, Ronnie Blake bjo and Ron Woodward bass          Danby and Ron Woodward are visibly playing; the right          
                    in full swing; Sylvia Perrin smiling prominently; side view of              arm of a sitter-in on guitar is probably that of Bill Cole
                    Brenda Culver; but where are Roy Williams-Gaston pno and              while Mike Cole tbn and Ronnie Blake bjo are obscured.
                    Bill Cole (Ronnie Blake's guitar unattended ?)                                     Also featured are several of the band's regular followers;
                    Photo's either Scrivens , John Fishpool or Fred Waters                      (L to R) Keith Alexander, Lyn(ne) Sykes, Julie Atkinson,                
               
Footnotes:                                                                                             Barbara Cooper and the back of Sylvia Perrin.
                   1, The piano was Roy's own and collected earlier from his house         Photo's either Scrivens , John Fishpool or Fred Waters
                   : it is recorded that Roy joined the float late, straight from his             Footnotes:
                   evening train.                                                                                          1, Uncharacteristically absent is Lyn Cockett  (who
                  2, Jimmy Woodward (not in either photo) collected donations               subsequently married guitarist Roger Hampshire of
                  from the public on foot.                                                                            Sittingbourne)
                  3, Brenda Culver eventually married David Borcome, a local                2, Is Geoff wearing an eye-patch (or is this just a photo
                  jazz follower and rehearsal host.                                                             blemish ?)

                                      from the Geoffrey Sanders collection and captioned by Ronald Blake 2008                                

                                click here to go to the 1957 - 1960 formative years of the S.J.J.B. by Ronald Blake.  
              

                                                                                     PERSONNEL
                                                           
                                                                                                

                         JERRY 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 Stour River Jazz Band 
                          
This band was formed (1949 - 1951) - band members are: Keith Button tpt, Norman Halliday clt,
                           Baach Birchfield sop, Ted Chappell tmb, John Kelk piano, Dave Briscall bnj, Brian Wood tba/bass
                           Ian (Eddie) Edwards  drms. Tony Coe, (Canterbury born 29th Nov 1934) played local gigs with the SRJB
                           and also with Johnny Kelks's 'Eagle Jazz Band',(1951 - 1957) which was formed from the 'Stour River
                          Jazz Band' and  from the 'Eagle Jazz Band' to the 'John Kelk's New Orleans Jazz Band' (1957 - 1964)

                                                                       

                          Here are two tracks from these two 78s recorded at A. C. Southwood Studios in Wincheap,
                     Canterbury, Kent 26th July 1950. It gives a very true insite to how we all sounded when we started.
                     But John Kelks piano playing is superb.

                                                 Careless Love                                                 Blues for Pamela       click on titles to hear

                          Band personal:
                    Jim Roberts crnt,  Baach Birchfield Soprano, John Kelk piano, Johnny & Geoff Fagg banjo's
                                                                and Ian (Eddie) Edwards drums.

                       

                            The John Kelk New Orleans 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.

                                                        

                              John playing in a Coal Board promotion film circa 1956 also Ted Chappell on trombone
                                                                   click here to watch video or picture

                                                          
                                                    
 Bill Cole                                                     Norman Halliday
                                                                          
photo's from the Brian White collection

 

                                                 
      
 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

                                                                  

                                                                   

                                                                             The John Kelk New Orleans Jazz Band, circa 1960. 

                          L/R  Cliff Elvidge drms, Ted Chappell tmb, Barry Campbell tpt, John Kelk bnj, Norman Halliday clt and Bill Cole bass. 
                                                                     this picture is from the Geoffrey Sanders collection 

                          footnote from Ronald Blake:
                          Around this time Jazz fans from Herne Bay started attending sessions at JK's Canterbury Jazz Club after months of poor
                          audiences there. Cordial relations between the two (San Jacinto Jazz Club Herne Bay ) assisted the popularity of both as
                          joint gigs and reciprocal visits became more frequent.

                                                                                              

 

                                                                                     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

                                                                          
                                                                                                                                     
     back to index
                                                                                 Norman Haliday  
                                                                          & John Beckenham drms

                                                                        picture's from the Mark Alexander collection 

                                                                    click on to the titles below to hear

                                               Tin Roof Blues                Brahms Lullaby                    Unknown
     top of page

                                                                     ____________________________________________
 

                              The Chianti Jazz Group
                            The most modern form of jazz in this concert is provided by this group. Over the last five years
                            it has concentrated on producing a fine sound in the modern manner. The group was for many
                            years the resident band of the cave Jazz Club in Ramsgate, then recently it found new success in
                            London as " Jazz at the Roebuck " near Tottenham Court Road. However it still finds time to
                            play at Ramsgate on alternate Saturdays.

                                                                                      PERSONNEL

                                ARTHUR ROBINSON  alto sax, soprano sax and flute/leader     MIKE OLIVER  piano      

                             LAWRENCE EDWARDS trumpet and valve trombone   MICK BRAY  clarinet and tenor sax

                                                       OSIE LINDSEY   bass        RON LLEWELLYN  drums

                                                     
                                                                                         Broadway                                                                
  back to index 

    top of page                                       ________________________________________
                                                           _________________1954____________________
                                                 

                                                                         THE TONY PINK'S JAZZMEN   

 
                                                     
                                                         
Sam Weller tmb, Clive Brooks piano, Tony Pink tpt,
                                   Ivan Gandon bnj, Pete Godsiff clt, no drums but the guy at the back is Bev Bromley'

                                This is probably the start of the jazz scene in the Chatham area with Tony Pink getting the
                          lads together for the early recording: this is the words from Tony Pink about a cold January evening.
                          This was recorded at the Sir Robert Peel, Chatham, Kent 10th January 1954, in an upstairs bar used
                         by the Buffalos. It cost 1/=d (one shilling for those that dont know ) for the evening with the use of the
                        piano and an electric fire, but only one bar. We eventually burnt the varnish on the front of the piano
                        by standing it too close to the electric fire! band members on the recording are:
                       
                Tony Pink tpt, Pete Godsiff clt, Sam Weller tmb, Ivan Gandon bnj, Clive Brooks piano and Colin Jeffries drms.

                                                Closer walk with thee                        Frankie and Johnny  
Ivan Gandon voc
  
                                                              So click on the titles to go back over 50 years

                                  

                 This track was sent to me by Tony Pink 5th Jan 2010 of  Patti Clarke singing     Empty Bed Blues    click on title to listen
                    
The track is a bit long with solo’s from everyone – Mick Durell bass, Terry Wells piano, Kenny Pyrke trombone, Randy Coleville clarinet
                     and myself Tony Pink trumpet - It was recorded in Mick’s front room and why we were all there I cannot recall. Possibly we had a gig
                     down at Pa Pa Joes? I really can’t remember.

 

                     have just been put in the picture of the start of the jazz scene in the Chatham area by Roy Neal :

                  Your section  on Tony Pink  1954...you state  "probably the start of the jazz scene in the Chatham  area.."  Oh  no no.. 
                     'The Good Intent' pub New Road Chatham, landlord  Jim Pitt, father of the Pitt brothers started a jazz club in his back
                     room, Ivan Wells, Ivan Gandon, the Pitt boys both on banjo, dust bin bass (forgot name) and myself on drums. That's going
                   back to the early 50's...51, I believe. Have a pix of Tony Pitt playing with us.Going to rack out more pix...Cheers for now   Skins Neal

                    regarding the above from Roy - received an e-mail from the pianist Clive Brooks  (the author of the book I read the most Trad Mad )
                    here is his reply:
                 

                 Hi Burt. Sorry, but Roy Neal's got his chronology in a twist. That early recording of Tony Pink's band definitely preceded the sessions at
                 the Good Intent, which in fact were the beginnings of the Crescent City Stompers. I know this because I was on piano with Tony and it
                 was before I took up clarinet. I then went on to play clarinet at the Good Intent, later replaced by Ivan Gandon who had switched from banjo.
                 I was practising with the Webster Brothers at Bannister's motorbike repair shop in Railway Street, and I used to go there on an old Triumph
                 Tiger 80 bike I bought in 1955 for £11 from Waldron's in  Old Brompton, then afterwards I'd drive up to the New Road for a session with the
                 band at the Good Intent. More details available if requested. Incidentally, the first paid gig I ever played was with George Wooding's band on
                Coronation Day 1953 (piano) in Blue Bell Hill village hall.  Regards  Clive.  NB I'm not  using my old e-mail address any more, it's knackered
                (like me).
                Clive

 

   top of page                                             ___________________________________
                                                                 ___________________________________

  
                                                                                         1955 - 1964

                                                           The George Wooding Jazzmen
                                                      
                                                        from 1955 to 1964, the original members of the band are:

                                   George Wooding tpt/ldr,  Pete Godsiff clt,   Sam Weller tmb,  Johnny Martin piano,
                                                            Ralph Hayward bass and Bernie Godfrey drms.
   

                                                     
                    
George Wooding tpt                                Pete Godsiff  clt                                    Sam Weller tmb

                                                       
                   
Johnny Martin piano                              Ralph Hayward  bass                            Bernie Godfrey  drms

    The above pictures are the original band taken in the Rose and Crown in Leysdown 1952/53 from the Sam Weller collection
     
         

 

                                     
                                                    
George Wooding, Pete Godsiff clt, Bernie Godfrey drms,

                                                    Ralph Hayward bass, Mick Durell piano and Sam Weller tmb.

 

                                                     
                                                The above Newspaper cuttings are from Sam Wellers collection

                                        photo's and memorabilia are now from the Don York archive collection

                                             different personnel pictures of how the lads looked forty tears ago

                  
 

                                       
             
  Bill Stotesbury bnj                 Don York tmb                      Pete Godsiff clt  and              Terry Wells piano
                                                                                                         Jack Long piano

                                       
                
Ivan Gandon clt                   Pete Burton drms                  Ralph Hayward bass          Bernie Godfrey drms

                                                                          
                                                                        George Wooding tpt/leader

                                                                           
   
                                               
                           
The George Wooding band
                                                The George Wooding Band 1962/63
                              late 1957 or early 1958                                           in fancy dress at the popular jazz club
                      at the Wig and Gown Maidstone, Kent                                 Cedars Club, Sittingbourne, Kent
                                       left to right                                                      
                   George Wooding tpt,  Ralph Hayward bass,                                            left to Right
                     Don York tmb,   Bernie Godfrey drms,                               Pete Burton drms,  Bill Stotesbury bnj,  
                       Pete Godsiff clt and Jack Long piano                            Terry Wells piano,  Ralph Hayward bass,
                                                                                                          George Wooding tpt/ldr, Ivan Gandon clt,
                                                                                                               and finally grovelling on the floor
                                                                                                                     in a true Roman manner
                                                                                                                             Don York tmb                                         

                                

                           A great write up in the Chatham Standard 30th April 1963 in the Teens and Twenties column
                            ( so young forty years ago ) band members top row Don York tmb and Ralph Hayward bass
                                           middle row Pete Burton drms, Terry Wells piano and Ivan Gandon clt.
                                           bottom row  Bill Stotesbury banjo and the leader George Wooding tpt.
      

                                  The George Wooding Jazzmen made a fine studio recording in 1964 so
                                  listen to this great band, going back over 40yrs, the personnel in this studio
                                  recording are:
                                
                                              George Wooding tpt,  Barney Richards clt,  Don York tmb,
                                           Terry Wells piano, Mick Durell bass and Bernie Godfrey drms

                        so click on each title to hear the track ( Everybody loves Sat night has a slight break in it)

                                               Chimes Blues             Fidgety Feet               Thats a Plenty

                 Everybody loves Saturday Night George Wooding voc       High Society            Nobody's  Sweetheart

                                                                         

           top of page                                                                                                                                              back to index 
    

 
                                                       
The Phoenix City Jazz Band 1962 / 63

                                                               

                                                                   taken at the Cedars Club, Sittingbourne, Kent. 1963

                                            band members:
                                                      back row: Humphrey Mayes bass, John Beckenham drms and Gilbert Warner tmb
                                                      kneeling : Derek Guiver clt, Dave Carpenter tpt and Burtie Butler bnj.

                                           original clarinet player was Mick Betts and Dave Pyrke took over from John Beckenham on drms

                                                                                                 
                                                                                                 Mick Betts here on drms

 

           top of page                                                                                                                                         back to index
 

              

                                       Chris Watford's

                       ELITE SYNCOPATORS

 

                                                               

                         This circa 1972/73 from left to right:

                         Brian Craig tpt, Sam Weller tmb, Nicola Watford piano, Chris Watford clt and Nobby Willet bnj.

 

        

                                                         The Original New Orleans Jazz Band    1985 - 1994

          These video clips were taken  in the cellar of  Chatham Town Hall  1989/1990 some lovely  memories of musicians who have left us
                                  Norman Halliday clarinet, Roland Hopkins multi musician here on clarinet,  Peter Jenns tuba, and especially
                        and old friend and stalwart of jazz Peter Baker vocals and a founder member of what is known as the Maidstone Mafia
                                                               so click on to the pictures or Video one - seven to watch

                                                 
                   Dans Les Rues Dantibes                                                  Dallas Blues                                                     Royal Garden Blues

                                                                                                 Norman Halliday                                         Roland Hopkins and Dave Pyrke
                             Video one                                                              Video two                                                                Video three

 

                                                    
                     Some of these days                                                Closer walk with thee                                               To miss New Orleans
  
                       Janet Smith                                                               Pete Baker                                                              Barney Smith
                            Video four                                                                Video five                                                                 Video six

       

                                                                
                                                                   
Cake Walking Babies

                                                                                                             Video seven

                     Musicians in the above clips :              
                                         
                                   Mick Stansell crnt and piano 1 2 3 ,  Ivan Gandon clt 1 6 & 7,  Sam Weller tmb 1 2 3 4 5 6 & 7,
                             Peter Jenns tuba 1 2 3 4 5 6 & 7,   Mark Alexander drms 1 5 6 & 7, Colin Chaplin bnj 1 4 5 6 & 7,  Dave Pyrke drms 2 & 3,
                                         Norman Halliday clt 2 & 3,  Janet Smith bnj 4,  Peter Baker vcls 5 & 7,   Barney Smith vcls 6,
                                       Leo Davis tpt  2 3 4 & 7,    Roger Mullen bnj 2 & 3,   Tony Morris clt 5 ,  Roland Hopkins clt 3 & 7
                                           David Stone clt and piano 2 3 4 & 5,      Alex Holt piano 1 4 5 6 & 7,      Dave Hopkins drms 4.

                                                                      So click on to pictures or video one to seven to watch

                                                               

                    
                                                             

                                                                        The tray of one of many CD's the band recorded

                                                              band members:
                                                             Mick Stansell crnt/sop ,  Ron 'Sam' Weller tmb, Colin Chapman bnj,
                                                                 Alex Holt piano, Pete Drage bass/tuba and Paul Baker drms
                                                                                   here are two tracks off this CD

                                                                  Black Cat on the Fence                            Dinah

                                                     The Old Timers Jazz Band     1994 - 1997       

                                                             

                                          taken at the Queen Charlotte, High Street, Rochester, Kent 1990

                        band members: top row left to right:    Mark Alexander drms, Colin Chaplin bnj, Mick Stansell crt and Alex Holt piano
                                                 bottom row left to right:    Peter Jenns tuba, Ivan Ganden reeds and Sam Weller tmb.

                           Click on Picture to activate                         Click on this picture to hear The Second Line
                          Video taken at Queen Charlotte                               here the boys are
                          of the Old Timers         early 90's                                     playing:
                             click on picture to activate                                     The Second Line

                                                                                                              Band members:
                                                                                               Mick Stansell tpt, Ivan Gandon clt,
                                                                                                Sam Weller tmb, John Kelk bnj
                                                                                                      Roland Hopkins sous and
                                                                                                        Mark Alexander drms.

                  

                                                   

                                                      The Original New Orleans Jazz Band   1990's
                                            
           taken at the Queen Charlotte, Rochester, Kent
                          
                                  
band members L/R:

                                            Sam Weller tmb,    Mick Stansell tpt,     Bill Bates drms,     Colin Chaplin bnj,
                                                   Alex Holt piano,    Ivan Gandon clt     and      Peter Jenns tuba.
                               
                                                                       photo from the Arthur Prosser collection

                                  

                                                                                                                                                                            

             back to index                                                                       pages   1     2      3       4                                         top of page