WHEN THE SAINTS WENT MARCHING IN . . . |
The story of the Saints Jazz Band |
Alan Radcliffe (clarinet, born 1929), Michael McNamara (trumpet, born 1929, died 1996) and John Edward Fish (piano, born 1927), all from Ashton-under-Lyne, played together in the Storyville Jazz Band before becoming founder-members of the Saints in 1949. The band originally worked around the Ashton-under-Lyne and Manchester areas (playing residencies at the Thatched House and at the Grosvenor Hotel). They also enjoyed considerable success on their visits to other cities, playing a celebrated Royal Festival Hall, London, concert in 1951. They also worked in Switzerland. Ron 'Slim' Simpson, the band's early trombonist, was replaced by trombonist-vocalist Fred Fydler in 1952. The band's long-serving drummer John Mills died in 1960, his place was first taken by Merton Kaufmann, then by Denis Grundy (from 1963 until 1980), thereafter the drummer was Mike Carnie. The band's original banjoist, Jim Lolley, was replaced by Jim Ashe who played banjo and guitar with the band through the 1960s and 1970s. Michael McNamara left and was replaced by Bob Connell, then by Barry Dixon. Desmond 'Dizzy' Burton took over on trumpet from 1962 until 1975. Rod Hopton joined in 1962 replacing Fred Fydler on trombone, and Reg Kenworthy on double bass took the place of the long-serving Tom Gregory. By 1970 only two original members, Alan Radcliffe and Ed 'John' Fish remained. In 1974 Radcliffe left and was replaced by Randolph Colville, then by Joe Silmon. Trumpeters in the 1970s included Denis Gilmore and Doug Whaley. The band's personnel fluctuated during its latter stages and it played its last engagements in 1982. From Who's Who Of British Jazz by John Chilton, published by Cassell. Reproduced by permission of Continuum. |
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The above tracks are featured on Swingin' With The Saints, LACD 149, available from Lake Records. Click on the link for the Lake catalogue. Another Saints CD, Great British Traditional Jazz Bands Volume 12 The Saints Jazz Band, is available from Lake on LACD 105. The Saints Jazz Band is featured on HMV's Great British Jazz CD. |
THE SAINTS JAZZ BAND with Barry Dixon Parlophone 45-R 4798 Five Foot Two, Eyes Of Blue Sweet William Personnel: Barry Dixon (tpt); Al Radcliffe (clt); Fred Fydler (tbn); John Fish (pno); Derek Gracie (bjo); Reg Kenworthy (bss); Merton Kaufmann (drs). Parlophone 45-R 4907 Roses Of Picardy There'll Be Some Changes Made Personnel as 4798 but Rod Hopton (tbn) replaces Fydler and Jim Ashe (bjo) replaces Gracie. |
E-mail: dixie4@fsmail.net |
JUST FOR THE RECORD . . . |
Yesterday, all my troubles seemed so far away... Barry Dixon is writing a book about popular music in the early 'Sixties, particularly about the birth of the Beatles and the death of traditional jazz. If you have any information you think might be useful, please send an e-mail to Barry Dixon at dixie4@fsmail.net. The book will acknowledge all contributions |