Ian Christie
Encyclopedia
Ian Christie was an English jazz
clarinetist best known for playing in a number of trad jazz
ensembles of the 1950s.
Christie's brother was Keith Christie
, a noted trombonist who died in 1980. Their father was a piano tuner and banjoist who played in a local Blackpool
banjo band. Ian took lessons under Charlie Farrell, but joined the Royal Air Force
and took up photography
as his primary interest. After Keith joined Humphrey Lyttelton
's band, Ian soon followed, and completed his photography studies with Lyttelton's financial help. Ian also worked extensively with Mick Mulligan
and George Melly
in the 1950s and 1960s.
Aside from music, Christie also pursued other interests in the ensuing decades, working as a film critic for The Daily Express for over 25 years and continuing to work as a photographer. He worked in trad jazz ensembles into the 2000s, with the Wyre Levee Stompers, the Merseysippi & Parade Jazz Band, and the Tony Davis Band, among others. In his later years he played with Graham Tayar in his "Crouch End All Stars".
Jazz
Jazz is a musical style that originated at the beginning of the 20th century in African American communities in the Southern United States. It was born out of a mix of African and European music traditions. From its early development until the present, jazz has incorporated music from 19th and 20th...
clarinetist best known for playing in a number of trad jazz
Trad jazz
Trad jazz - short for "traditional jazz" - refers to the Dixieland and Ragtime jazz styles of the early 20th century in contrast to any more modern style....
ensembles of the 1950s.
Christie's brother was Keith Christie
Keith Christie
Keith Ronald Christie was an English jazz trombonist. He was the brother of Ian Christie....
, a noted trombonist who died in 1980. Their father was a piano tuner and banjoist who played in a local Blackpool
Blackpool
Blackpool is a borough, seaside town, and unitary authority area of Lancashire, in North West England. It is situated along England's west coast by the Irish Sea, between the Ribble and Wyre estuaries, northwest of Preston, north of Liverpool, and northwest of Manchester...
banjo band. Ian took lessons under Charlie Farrell, but joined the Royal Air Force
Royal Air Force
The Royal Air Force is the aerial warfare service branch of the British Armed Forces. Formed on 1 April 1918, it is the oldest independent air force in the world...
and took up photography
Photography
Photography is the art, science and practice of creating durable images by recording light or other electromagnetic radiation, either electronically by means of an image sensor or chemically by means of a light-sensitive material such as photographic film...
as his primary interest. After Keith joined Humphrey Lyttelton
Humphrey Lyttelton
Humphrey Richard Adeane Lyttelton , also known as Humph, was an English jazz musician and broadcaster, and chairman of the BBC radio comedy programme I'm Sorry I Haven't a Clue...
's band, Ian soon followed, and completed his photography studies with Lyttelton's financial help. Ian also worked extensively with Mick Mulligan
Mick Mulligan
Peter Sidney "Mick" Mulligan was an English jazz trumpeter and bandleader, best known for his presence on the trad jazz scene....
and George Melly
George Melly
Alan George Heywood Melly was an English jazz and blues singer, critic, writer and lecturer. From 1965 to 1973 he was a film and television critic for The Observer and lectured on art history, with an emphasis on surrealism.-Early life and career:He was born in Liverpool and was educated at Stowe...
in the 1950s and 1960s.
Aside from music, Christie also pursued other interests in the ensuing decades, working as a film critic for The Daily Express for over 25 years and continuing to work as a photographer. He worked in trad jazz ensembles into the 2000s, with the Wyre Levee Stompers, the Merseysippi & Parade Jazz Band, and the Tony Davis Band, among others. In his later years he played with Graham Tayar in his "Crouch End All Stars".