Ken Colyer
Encyclopedia
Kenneth Colyer was a British jazz
trumpet
er and cornet
ist, devoted totally to New Orleans jazz
. His band was also known for skiffle
interludes.
, grew up in Soho
, London and was a member of a church choir. When his older brother Bill (born William John Colyer in 1922 — died January 2009) went off to serve in World War II he left his jazz records behind, which influenced Ken Colyer. He joined the Merchant Navy
at 17, travelled around the world and heard famous jazz musicians in New York and Montreal.
In Britain, Colyer played with various bands and joined, in 1949, the Crane River Jazz Band (CRJB) with Ben Marshall
, Sonny Morris and Monty Sunshine
. The band played at the Royal Festival Hall
on 14 July 1951 in the presence of HRH Princess Elizabeth.
Parts of that group merged with other musicians including Keith Christie
and Ian Christie
to form the Christie Brothers' Stompers. Colyer rejoined the Merchant Navy and in New Orleans played with his idols in the George Lewis
Band. He was offered the job of lead trumpeter on a tour, but was then put in prison and deported.
He was invited to take the trumpet lead for the Chris Barber Band
and so formed the first Ken Colyer's Jazzmen: Chris Barber
, Monty Sunshine
, Ron Bowden (born Ronald Arthur Bowden, 22 February 1928, Fulham, London), Lonnie Donegan
and Jim Bray (born James Michael Bray, 24 April 1927, Richmond, Surrey). They made their first recordings on Storyville
in 1953. The next, brief, band in the mid 1950s featured Bernard "Acker" Bilk on clarinet.
Then followed Colyer's band line-up with Mac Duncan (trombone), Ian Wheeler (clarinet), Johnny Bastable (banjo), Ron Ward (bass) and Colin Bowden (drums), later joined by Ray Foxley
(piano). This band played together until the early 1960s when the new front-line featured, at various times, Sammy Rimington
and Tony Pyke (clarinet), Graham Stewart and Geoff Cole (trombone), Bill Cole (bass) and Malc Murphy (drums). In January 1963, the British music magazine NME
reported that the biggest trad jazz event to be staged in Britain had taken place at Alexandra Palace
. The event included George Melly
, Diz Disley
, Acker Bilk, Chris Barber
, Kenny Ball
, Alex Welsh
, Monty Sunshine
, Bob Wallis
, Bruce Turner
, Mick Mulligan
and Colyer.
In 1971, after a bout with stomach cancer, Colyer took his doctors' advice to stop leading a band. The band continued to work under the leadership of banjoist Johnny Bastable, as his "Chosen Six", recruiting John Shillito (trumpet). Colyer continued with a solo career into the 1980s. He moved to the south of France in his last years. Lake Records was started by re-issuing Colyer albums (from the Decca
catalogue) and the current catalogue contains most of his best recordings.
Colyer's materials for a biography, "Goin' Home" (published 2010), was compiled by Mike Pointon and Ray Smith. It won an accolade from the House of Commons Jazz Society in May 2011.
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...
trumpet
Trumpet
The trumpet is the musical instrument with the highest register in the brass family. Trumpets are among the oldest musical instruments, dating back to at least 1500 BCE. They are played by blowing air through closed lips, producing a "buzzing" sound which starts a standing wave vibration in the air...
er and cornet
Cornet
The cornet is a brass instrument very similar to the trumpet, distinguished by its conical bore, compact shape, and mellower tone quality. The most common cornet is a transposing instrument in B. It is not related to the renaissance and early baroque cornett or cornetto.-History:The cornet was...
ist, devoted totally to New Orleans jazz
New Orleans Jazz
New Orleans Jazz may refer to:*Dixieland, a style of jazz music*New Orleans Jazz National Historical Park*Utah Jazz, a professional National Basketball Association franchise that was previously based in New Orleans and known as the New Orleans Jazz, in recognition of the jazz music of New Orleans*A...
. His band was also known for skiffle
Skiffle
Skiffle is a type of popular music with jazz, blues, folk, roots and country influences, usually using homemade or improvised instruments. Originating as a term in the United States in the first half of the twentieth century, it became popular again in the UK in the 1950s, where it was mainly...
interludes.
Biography
He was born in Great YarmouthGreat Yarmouth
Great Yarmouth, often known to locals as Yarmouth, is a coastal town in Norfolk, England. It is at the mouth of the River Yare, east of Norwich.It has been a seaside resort since 1760, and is the gateway from the Norfolk Broads to the sea...
, grew up in Soho
Soho
Soho is an area of the City of Westminster and part of the West End of London. Long established as an entertainment district, for much of the 20th century Soho had a reputation for sex shops as well as night life and film industry. Since the early 1980s, the area has undergone considerable...
, London and was a member of a church choir. When his older brother Bill (born William John Colyer in 1922 — died January 2009) went off to serve in World War II he left his jazz records behind, which influenced Ken Colyer. He joined the Merchant Navy
Merchant Navy
The Merchant Navy is the maritime register of the United Kingdom, and describes the seagoing commercial interests of UK-registered ships and their crews. Merchant Navy vessels fly the Red Ensign and are regulated by the Maritime and Coastguard Agency...
at 17, travelled around the world and heard famous jazz musicians in New York and Montreal.
In Britain, Colyer played with various bands and joined, in 1949, the Crane River Jazz Band (CRJB) with Ben Marshall
Ben Marshall
Ben Marshall is an English footballer, currently playing for Sheffield Wednesday on loan from Premier League Side Stoke City.-Stoke City:...
, Sonny Morris and Monty Sunshine
Monty Sunshine
Monty Sunshine was an English jazz clarinetist, whose main claim to fame was his clarinet solo on the track "Petite Fleur", a million seller for the Chris Barber Jazz Band in 1959...
. The band played at the Royal Festival Hall
Royal Festival Hall
The Royal Festival Hall is a 2,900-seat concert, dance and talks venue within Southbank Centre in London. It is situated on the South Bank of the River Thames, not far from Hungerford Bridge. It is a Grade I listed building - the first post-war building to become so protected...
on 14 July 1951 in the presence of HRH Princess Elizabeth.
Parts of that group merged with other musicians including Keith Christie
Keith Christie
Keith Ronald Christie was an English jazz trombonist. He was the brother of Ian Christie....
and Ian Christie
Ian Christie
Ian Christie was an English jazz clarinetist best known for playing in a number of trad jazz ensembles of the 1950s....
to form the Christie Brothers' Stompers. Colyer rejoined the Merchant Navy and in New Orleans played with his idols in the George Lewis
George Lewis (clarinetist)
George Lewis was an American jazz clarinetist who achieved his greatest fame and influence in the later decades of his life.-Ancestry:...
Band. He was offered the job of lead trumpeter on a tour, but was then put in prison and deported.
He was invited to take the trumpet lead for the Chris Barber Band
Chris Barber
Donald Christopher 'Chris' Barber is best known as a jazz trombonist. As well as scoring a UK top twenty trad jazz hit he helped the careers of many musicians, notably the blues singer Ottilie Patterson, who was at one time his wife, and vocalist/banjoist Lonnie Donegan, whose appearances with...
and so formed the first Ken Colyer's Jazzmen: Chris Barber
Chris Barber
Donald Christopher 'Chris' Barber is best known as a jazz trombonist. As well as scoring a UK top twenty trad jazz hit he helped the careers of many musicians, notably the blues singer Ottilie Patterson, who was at one time his wife, and vocalist/banjoist Lonnie Donegan, whose appearances with...
, Monty Sunshine
Monty Sunshine
Monty Sunshine was an English jazz clarinetist, whose main claim to fame was his clarinet solo on the track "Petite Fleur", a million seller for the Chris Barber Jazz Band in 1959...
, Ron Bowden (born Ronald Arthur Bowden, 22 February 1928, Fulham, London), Lonnie Donegan
Lonnie Donegan
Anthony James "Lonnie" Donegan MBE was a skiffle musician, with more than 20 UK Top 30 hits to his name. He is known as the "King of Skiffle" and is often cited as a large influence on the generation of British musicians who became famous in the 1960s...
and Jim Bray (born James Michael Bray, 24 April 1927, Richmond, Surrey). They made their first recordings on Storyville
Storyville Records
Storyville Records is a large international record label based in Copenhagen, Denmark, specializing in jazz and blues music. Besides its original material, Storyville Records has licensed and reissued many vintage jazz recordings that previously appeared on such labels as Paramount Records,...
in 1953. The next, brief, band in the mid 1950s featured Bernard "Acker" Bilk on clarinet.
Then followed Colyer's band line-up with Mac Duncan (trombone), Ian Wheeler (clarinet), Johnny Bastable (banjo), Ron Ward (bass) and Colin Bowden (drums), later joined by Ray Foxley
Ray Foxley
Raymond Geoffrey 'Ray' Foxley was a jazz pianist who played with Ken Colyer and Chris Barber....
(piano). This band played together until the early 1960s when the new front-line featured, at various times, Sammy Rimington
Sammy Rimington
Samuel 'Sammy' Rimington , is an English jazz reed player. He has been an active New Orleans jazz revivalist since the late 1950s....
and Tony Pyke (clarinet), Graham Stewart and Geoff Cole (trombone), Bill Cole (bass) and Malc Murphy (drums). In January 1963, the British music magazine NME
NME
The New Musical Express is a popular music publication in the United Kingdom, published weekly since March 1952. It started as a music newspaper, and gradually moved toward a magazine format during the 1980s, changing from newsprint in 1998. It was the first British paper to include a singles...
reported that the biggest trad jazz event to be staged in Britain had taken place at Alexandra Palace
Alexandra Palace
Alexandra Palace is a building in North London, England. It stands in Alexandra Park, in an area between Hornsey, Muswell Hill and Wood Green...
. The event included 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...
, Diz Disley
Diz Disley
Diz Disley was an Anglo-Canadian jazz guitarist and graphic designer. He is best known for his jazz guitar playing, strongly influenced by Django Reinhardt, and for his collaborations with the violinist Stéphane Grappelli....
, Acker Bilk, Chris Barber
Chris Barber
Donald Christopher 'Chris' Barber is best known as a jazz trombonist. As well as scoring a UK top twenty trad jazz hit he helped the careers of many musicians, notably the blues singer Ottilie Patterson, who was at one time his wife, and vocalist/banjoist Lonnie Donegan, whose appearances with...
, Kenny Ball
Kenny Ball
Kenny Ball is an English jazz musician, best known as the lead trumpet player in Kenny Ball and his Jazzmen.-Career:...
, Alex Welsh
Alex Welsh
Alex Welsh was a Scottish jazz musician, who played the cornet, trumpet and sang.-Biography:Born in Edinburgh, Scotland, Welsh started playing in the teenage 'Leith Silver Band' and gigged with Archie Semple's 'Capital Jazz Band'. After moving to London in the early 1950s, Welsh formed his own band...
, Monty Sunshine
Monty Sunshine
Monty Sunshine was an English jazz clarinetist, whose main claim to fame was his clarinet solo on the track "Petite Fleur", a million seller for the Chris Barber Jazz Band in 1959...
, Bob Wallis
Bob Wallis
Robert 'Bob' Wallis was a British jazz musician, who had a handful of chart success in the early 1960s, during the UK traditional jazz boom.-Biography:...
, Bruce Turner
Bruce Turner
Bruce Turner was an English saxophonist, clarinetist, and bandleader.Born Malcolm Bruce Turner in Saltburn, he learned to play the clarinet as a schoolboy and began playing alto sax while serving in the Royal Air Force during World War II...
, 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 Colyer.
In 1971, after a bout with stomach cancer, Colyer took his doctors' advice to stop leading a band. The band continued to work under the leadership of banjoist Johnny Bastable, as his "Chosen Six", recruiting John Shillito (trumpet). Colyer continued with a solo career into the 1980s. He moved to the south of France in his last years. Lake Records was started by re-issuing Colyer albums (from the Decca
Decca Records
Decca Records began as a British record label established in 1929 by Edward Lewis. Its U.S. label was established in late 1934; however, owing to World War II, the link with the British company was broken for several decades....
catalogue) and the current catalogue contains most of his best recordings.
Colyer's materials for a biography, "Goin' Home" (published 2010), was compiled by Mike Pointon and Ray Smith. It won an accolade from the House of Commons Jazz Society in May 2011.
Singles
Ken Colyer's Jazzmen- Decca F10241 "Goin' Home" / "Isle of Capri" (1954)
- Decca F10332 "La Harpe Street Blues" / "Too Busy" (1954)
- Decca F10504 "Early Hours" / "Cataract Rag" (1955)
- Decca F10519 "If I Ever Cease to Love You" / "The Entertainer" (1955)
- Decca F10565 "It Looks Like a Big Time Tonight" / "Red Wing" (1955)
- Decca FJ10755 "All the Girls Go Crazy About the Way I Walk" / "Dippermouth Blues" (1956)
- Tempo A117 "Just a Closer Walk with Thee" / "Sheik of Araby" (1956)
- Tempo A120 "If I Ever Cease to Love" / "Isle of Capri" (1956)
- Tempo A126 "My Bucket's Got a Hole in It" / "Wabash Blues" (1956)
- Tempo A136 "Maryland, My Maryland" / "The World is Waiting for the Sunrise" (1956)
- Columbia DB4676 "The Happy Wanderer" / "Maryland, My Maryland" (1961)
- Columbia DB4783 "Postman's Lament" / "Too Busy" (1962)
Albums
- Decca Skiffle Sessions, Lake Records, LACD 7
- The Lost 1954 Royal Festival Hall Tapes, [Upbeat Jazz Records - 2004], URCD 198
- More Lost 1954 Royal Festival Hall Tapes, [Upbeat Jazz Records - 2008], URCD 205
- Live at York Arts Centre (1972), Upbeat, URCD 210
- The Crane River Jazz Band
- Club Session with Colyer