George Tyndale
Encyclopedia
George Tyndale, [Sky] (15 June 1913, Manchester, Jamacia – 4 Dec. 1991, Dorking, England) was a Jamaican tenor saxophonist
and clarinet
ist.
and on Canadian cruise ship
s before taking up saxophone
. As a key soloist in the society band of the pianist Milton McPherson he became a leading tenor saxophonist in Jamaica
.
to join Jiver Hutchinson
, with whom he remained for five years and made tours of India
and Europe
. He then worked in Cambridge
with the trumpeter Ken Turner. With Cab Kaye
he toured Belgium
and Holland (1950–51), after which he rejoined Hutchinson to tour Sweden
and worked with Joe Harriott
.
, Tyndale developed a reputation for reliability as a section player and worked with Ted Heath
, Harry Gold
, and the Squadronaires
. He recorded with Caribbean singers and appeared extensively at nightclub
s, in particular with Joe Appleton
's band and for a period as a leader at the Sunset, a rendezvous popular with London
's black population. Tyndale attained national prominence when he changed to baritone saxophone
on joining John Dankworth
’s orchestra in 1960; he then spent several years with semi-professional groups.
Tenor saxophone
The tenor saxophone is a medium-sized member of the saxophone family, a group of instruments invented by Adolphe Sax in the 1840s. The tenor, with the alto, are the two most common types of saxophones. The tenor is pitched in the key of B, and written as a transposing instrument in the treble...
and clarinet
Clarinet
The clarinet is a musical instrument of woodwind type. The name derives from adding the suffix -et to the Italian word clarino , as the first clarinets had a strident tone similar to that of a trumpet. The instrument has an approximately cylindrical bore, and uses a single reed...
ist.
Early career
He started on clarinet and worked in BermudaBermuda
Bermuda is a British overseas territory in the North Atlantic Ocean. Located off the east coast of the United States, its nearest landmass is Cape Hatteras, North Carolina, about to the west-northwest. It is about south of Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada, and northeast of Miami, Florida...
and on Canadian cruise ship
Cruise ship
A cruise ship or cruise liner is a passenger ship used for pleasure voyages, where the voyage itself and the ship's amenities are part of the experience, as well as the different destinations along the way...
s before taking up saxophone
Saxophone
The saxophone is a conical-bore transposing musical instrument that is a member of the woodwind family. Saxophones are usually made of brass and played with a single-reed mouthpiece similar to that of the clarinet. The saxophone was invented by the Belgian instrument maker Adolphe Sax in 1846...
. As a key soloist in the society band of the pianist Milton McPherson he became a leading tenor saxophonist in Jamaica
Jamaica
Jamaica is an island nation of the Greater Antilles, in length, up to in width and 10,990 square kilometres in area. It is situated in the Caribbean Sea, about south of Cuba, and west of Hispaniola, the island harbouring the nation-states Haiti and the Dominican Republic...
.
Move to England
In 1945 he moved to EnglandEngland
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
to join Jiver Hutchinson
Jiver Hutchinson
Leslie George "Jiver" Hutchinson was a Jamaican jazz trumpeter and bandleader.Hutchinson played in the band of Bertie King in Jamaica in the 1930s, then moved to England, where he played with Happy Blake's Cuba Club Band. In 1936 he played in Leslie Thompson's Emperors of Jazz and in 1938 with Ken...
, with whom he remained for five years and made tours of India
India
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
and Europe
Europe
Europe is, by convention, one of the world's seven continents. Comprising the westernmost peninsula of Eurasia, Europe is generally 'divided' from Asia to its east by the watershed divides of the Ural and Caucasus Mountains, the Ural River, the Caspian and Black Seas, and the waterways connecting...
. He then worked in Cambridge
Cambridge
The city of Cambridge is a university town and the administrative centre of the county of Cambridgeshire, England. It lies in East Anglia about north of London. Cambridge is at the heart of the high-technology centre known as Silicon Fen – a play on Silicon Valley and the fens surrounding the...
with the trumpeter Ken Turner. With Cab Kaye
Cab Kaye
Nii-lante Augustus Kwamlah Quaye, better known as Cab Kaye was an English-Ghanaian-Dutch jazz musician, bandleader, entertainer, drummer, guitarist, pianist, songwriter and singer. His singing was influenced by Billie Holiday and he often accompanied himself on piano with a graceful, rhythmic style...
he toured Belgium
Belgium
Belgium , officially the Kingdom of Belgium, is a federal state in Western Europe. It is a founding member of the European Union and hosts the EU's headquarters, and those of several other major international organisations such as NATO.Belgium is also a member of, or affiliated to, many...
and Holland (1950–51), after which he rejoined Hutchinson to tour Sweden
Sweden
Sweden , officially the Kingdom of Sweden , is a Nordic country on the Scandinavian Peninsula in Northern Europe. Sweden borders with Norway and Finland and is connected to Denmark by a bridge-tunnel across the Öresund....
and worked with Joe Harriott
Joe Harriott
Joseph Arthurlin 'Joe' Harriott was a Jamaican jazz musician and composer, whose principal instrument was the alto saxophone....
.
Performances
An expansive soloist in the style of Ben WebsterBen Webster
Benjamin Francis Webster , a.k.a. "The Brute" or "Frog," was an influential American jazz tenor saxophonist. Webster, born in Kansas City, Missouri, was considered one of the three most important "swing tenors" along with Coleman Hawkins and Lester Young...
, Tyndale developed a reputation for reliability as a section player and worked with Ted Heath
Ted Heath (bandleader)
Ted Heath, musician and big band leader, led Britain's greatest post-war big band recording more than 100 albums and selling over 20 million records...
, Harry Gold
Harry Gold (musician)
Harry Gold Harry Gold Harry Gold (born Harry Goldberg; (26 February 1907 – 13 November 2005) was a British dixieland jazz saxophonist and bandleader.The eldest of six children, born to a Romanian mother, Hetty Schulman, and a German father, Sam Goldberg. Gold's career spanned almost the whole...
, and the Squadronaires
The Squadronaires
The Squadronaires is a Royal Air Force band which began and performed in England during and after World War II. The official title of the band was 'The Royal Air Force Dance Orchestra', but it was always known by the more popular title "The Squadronaires"....
. He recorded with Caribbean singers and appeared extensively at nightclub
Nightclub
A nightclub is an entertainment venue which usually operates late into the night...
s, in particular with Joe Appleton
Joe Appleton
Joe Appleton was a jazz saxophonist and clarinetist from the West Indies.Appleton moved to Britain in the 1920s, and he played in dance bands both there and on the Continent through the end of the decade...
's band and for a period as a leader at the Sunset, a rendezvous popular with London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
's black population. Tyndale attained national prominence when he changed to baritone saxophone
Baritone saxophone
The baritone saxophone, often called "bari sax" , is one of the largest and lowest pitched members of the saxophone family. It was invented by Adolphe Sax. The baritone is distinguished from smaller sizes of saxophone by the extra loop near its mouthpiece...
on joining John Dankworth
John Dankworth
Sir John Phillip William Dankworth, CBE , known in his early career as Johnny Dankworth, was an English jazz composer, saxophonist and clarinetist...
’s orchestra in 1960; he then spent several years with semi-professional groups.
Selected recordings
- Jiver Hutchinson: Cherokee/She’s Funny that way (1947, Sup.C18167);
- Annie Laurie/I Can’t Get Started (1947, Sup. C18167);
- Exactly like You/Rosetta (1947, Sup. C18168), Cab Kaye: Saturday Night Fish Fry/ School-bop (1951), 1 , Astraschall 4005);
- Mood Indigo/Solitude (1951, Astraschall 4001);
- Pete Pitterson: Mango Time (1951, Esquire 5-053) [ci];
- Ivan Browne: Little Fly (1954, London CAY108);
- Rupert Nurse: Lord Kittchener “Birth of Ghana” (1956, Melodisc 1390);
- African Waltz (1960, Col. SEG8137), John Dankworth: African Waltz, Moanin’;
- John Dankworth: The Criminal (1960, Col. SEG8037)