All That Jazz

Jazz memories: Hearing 'Midnight in Moscow' by Kenny Ball in the early 1960’s…that's what started it all for me! A bit over ten years later, having taken up drums, I had the chance to sit in with Acker Bilk's Paramount Jazz Band at the 100 club in London. The twenty plus years I spent playing with Owen Yateman were so much fun. I was also privileged to be able to work with some of the pioneers and greats of Australian Jazz including Roger Bell, Ade Monsbourgh, The Red Onions, Frank Traynor, Neville Stribling, Lachie Thomson and many others   Favourite jazz performers: My musical tastes begin with early pre jazz ragtime and jug bands through to the late 1920’s. I am not a big fan of the 30’s swing and the later be-bop eras, but I do love the current smooth jazz genre in all its variations.

Jazz memories: My first memory of jazz was listening to my brother rehearse with the South Coast Stompers, one of the very early Geelong jazz Bands when I was 11 years of age. He took me to a gig at the Anglesea Surf Life Club and it was the first time I’d seen a band play live. My first record was the theme from Peter Gunn by Henri Mancini. My brother in law played with The Owen Yateman Jazz band and that was another early jazz influence.     Favourite jazz performers: Benny Goodman and most bands of the swing era and the later American Neo Swing bands like Big Bad Voodoo Daddy and Royal Crown Review.