What’s New? (and occasional blog)
Oct 2024 Up to sunny Fulham today with Terry Peaker to rummage through Zoot’s record collection at the invitation of his daughter, Marisa. Came away with some super vinyl jazz albums that Marisa wanted to go to a good home, plus a couple of dvds of the Paul MacCallum benefit gig that we did at the O2 Islington in 2018, and the Dec 2019 Bulls Head gig with Jim Mullen on guitar. Nice to see Marisa again plus Maggie Bell, who made me a nice cup of tea (Marisa supplied the posh biscuits). We’re planning a memorial gig for Zoot in the new year.
Oct 2024 A nice tribute to Zoot from Sir Elton John in The Guardian today (16 Oct). https://www.theguardian.com/music/2024/oct/15/elton-john-zoot-keyboard-geniuses-party
Oct 2024 Zoot Money’s funeral yesterday (30 September). We saw him off in style and Ronnie Johnson’s and my joint eulogy went off fine, thank goodness (we were both nervous), with a message from Andy Summers that I read out, plus a very moving tribute from Zoot’s daughter, Marisa. So nice to see so many musician mates, plus several brave souls who’d made the trip up from Bournemouth. Nice chats with Alan Price, Maggie Bell, Mike Patto etc. Everyone seems to be up for a memorial gig in the new year. Still seems strange not to be swapping daily insult texts with my good mate Zoot.
Sep 2024 Another nice Zoot Money obituary in today’s Guardian. https://www.theguardian.com/music/2024/sep/13/zoot-money-obituary
Sep 2024 Tomorrow, 14 September marks the 10th anniversary of the unveiling of the blue plaque outside the Downstairs Club. It’s a bitter-sweet memory, as although it was a great day, if you scroll down to the photos on the page below there are too many of my old music mates who were there and are no longer with us – Nick Newall, Paul McCallum, Pat ‘Peewee’ Shehan, Graham ‘Wes’ Douglas, Allan Azern, and of course just last Sunday 8 Sep Zoot Money. Nevertheless a super day.
Sep 2024 Cutting from the print Daily Telegraph 13 Sep 2024.
Obituary in Daily Telegraph 13 Sep 2024
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
Sep 2024 How nice to see a well written and comprehensive obituary of Zoot Money in The Daily Telegraph of 11 September online. Only a couple of minor mistakes (regarding The Stormers), unlike the sloppy job that appeared in the Bournemouth Echo a couple of days ago.
My 80th birthday, with Zoot Money and his daughter, Marisa.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
Aug 2024 Well that was a first! It’s only lunchtime and I’m back from doing a morning gig at a jazz club at The Hope pub in Windsor. Arrived at venue at 9.30 and was back home by midday. I’ve never even started a recording session that early! But what a great time, with Ronnie Johnson and me doing a wee duo set and a lovely bunch of appreciative people. And on Sunday it’s another daytime gig with a quartet backing Alex Clayton-Black at Norwood Green. As I can’t drive at night any more it’s so nice to be getting daytime gigs. Daytime is the new nighttime!
June 2024 Off to sunny East Molesey last night for Pete Giles’s 80th birthday bash. Great fun and so nice to see my old mate and bass player extraordinaire Terry Davis after more than 20 years. Had to leave early due to my worn out mincers meaning I can’t drive after dark, but nevertheless a great evening. And now off to Hammersmith Hospital to see our beloved leader, Zoot Money, who’s a bit poorly at present.
June 2024 Another show recorded today on Brooklands Radio, with Pete and Yasmine Giles, 12 months after the last one I did with them. Great fun once again. This one is about the beginnings of rock’n’roll in the UK in the 1950s (I remember it well) and how skiffle got us all into playing in public, and thence into rock groups. Will post a link when the show’s going to be broadcast (assuming they don’t edit all my bits out!)
Mar 2024 A cracking night at the Bulls Head, Barnes. Volume not too loud (thanks, Mr. Sound Man) and the band very tight. ZM, despite his ailments, on top form and another great spot from Alex Clayton-Black. Nice to see Mike Berry there again and a great surprise as our old drummer from the Savanna Showband, Chris Sheppard, turned up with Mrs S. – the first time I’ve seen him in over 15 years. Going to bed tired but happy.
Jan 2024 Another super reunion lunch with the surviving members of the Tequila Sunrise show-band, at Marlow. Loads of laughs and reminiscing, plus a few comparisons about aches and pains. L-R Al Kirtley, Mick Kirby, Ian Leigh, Barry Caws, Tony Eden, Dave Crabtree.
Tequila Sunrise reunion lunch, Marlow Jan 2024.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
Dec 2023 Up to the Bulls Head, Barnes again on a wild, windy night for the last gig of 2023 and my first gig as an 81-year-old. Loads of laughs with the chaps and another classy spot from Alex Clayton-Black. I’ve added a pic to Gallery 2020s
Dec 2023 I’ve added a pic of me with my two great-grandkids to My Family
Oct 2023 Got the chance to play with the great Art Themen, standing in for the usual Big Roll Band horns, at the Bulls Head, Barnes. Great player and a real gent. Art and I have a mutual friend in common – Spike Wells. Great guest spot too by Alex Clayton-Black doing a couple of numbers by Etta James and Peggy Lee.
Sep 2023 Another Saturday night gig at the Bulls Head, Barnes, with the Big Roll Band, playing to a packed house. Nice to see some new faces among the familiar ones, and had a nice chat with Mike Berry, whom I remember from his TV appearances as a singer in the 1960s, plus later as an actor in Are You Being Served. A really nice bloke (and I’m not just saying that because he liked my piano playing!)
Jul 2023 Down to a very wet and windy Bournemouth this weekend for the usual Friday nighter at a packed Jazz Cafe, Sandbanks, with a super guitarist, Mark Owers, sitting in for Ronnie Johnson, who couldn’t make it. Then ZM’s and my duo lunchtime gig at a not so packed St. Peter’s Church, Bournemouth, though nice to see some familiar faces. All exhausted from a rotten drive down in pouring rain (my windscreen wipers packed up twice), but we got through the gigs, with his Zootship pulling out all his remaining energy. I’ve added some pics to Galleries 2020s. There’s also a nice review of the Sandbanks gig at this blog spot.
Jul 2023 Well the Brooklands Radio broadcast sounded okay and my wee bit didn’t get edited out. Not sure of their listening figures but there were at least two people tuned in as Pete Giles was listening as well as me. And tomorrow it’s down to God’s Own Country for the Big Roll Band gig at Sandbanks and the Zoot Money/Al Kirtley duo gig at St. Peter’s Church in Bournemouth on Saturday. You’ll find a link to the Brooklands Radio thing by clicking here. (My bit’s a few minutes in.)
Jun 2023 Another outing for my Nord piano at the Bulls Head, Barnes with Zoot Money’s Big Roll Band, our first gig at the Bull on a Saturday night. Don Lang did a great job depping for Nick Payn, and another classy spot by Alex Clayton-Black.
Jun 2023 Good fun today doing a show with Peter Giles on Brooklands Radio, chatting about the early days of rock’n’roll. It’s being broadcast on 11 July.
May 2023 Get-together today in Marlow of the six surviving members of Tequila Sunrise. What a great time, and lots of laughs.
Apr 2023 First outing for my new Nord piano last night at the Bulls Head, Barnes with Zoot Money’s Big Roll Band. Lots of merry mayhem as usual, with a very nice spot by Alex Clayton-Black. The piano was a joy to play, but a bit heavy to schlepp in and out of the car. And so to bed…
The new toy
Feb 2023 Sad to learn of the death of the Big Roll Band bass player, Kenny Wilson, after an illness of a couple of years. We shared many gigs and a lot of laughs until Kenny was forced to give up playing as his illness worsened, but he still turned up and videoed the band several times. There’s a short clip of Kenny laying down a solid bass line at The Jazz Cafe, Sandbanks, Dorset in 2021 on YouTube.
Feb 2023 Another great night at the Brewery Tap, Brentford, sitting in for the middle set backing Alex Clayton Black at her tribute night for her dad, the late great Kenny Clayton. Three piano players this time – Alan Berry, Nigel Fox and yours truly, with Mike Knight on guitar, Terry Peaker on bass and Tim Walmsley on drums, and a great violinist plus a super young female tenor player. Great fun!
Jan 2023 Completely unexpected visit this morning from Peter Giles who was running in a cross-country league event on Chobham Common. Lots of great laughs, chats and reminiscences over a coffee and nice to hear that he and Yas are still doing gigs.
Jan 2023 Ambushed yet again re my 80th birthday, this time at dinner with our good friends Kevin and Terri Adams at The Thatched Tavern, Ascot, for what I thought was just a meal with our mates. Then out came a mini cake with one candle and birthday icing while the other diners (including Zoe Wanamaker, who was at the next table) all sang Happy Birthday. Aw, shucks…
Dec 2022 Back at the newly-refurbished music room at the Bulls Head, Barnes for my first gig as an octogenarian. (80 is the new 79). Full house and Zoot Money knocking em out as usual. Evening slightly marred by me getting banged on the head after the gig by the steel security gate, but the bleeding’s stopped now, so I’ll be alright really (sob, sob).
Dec 2022
Zoot Money and Al Kirtley at Al’s 80th
.
.
.
.
.
Nov 2022 Added an audio (with still photos) of Alex Clayton-Black, Mike Knight and me doing the Steve Miller arrangement of Born to be Blue, to YouTube (please click on YouTube button on right to access it).
Oct 2022 Feeling sad at the death of Jerry Lee Lewis, the last of my teenage rock’n’roll heroes. He was an inspiration for me when I switched from guitar to piano in 1961. Been thinking of all the JLL tunes I’ve played over the years and here they are:
Whole Lotta Shakin’ Goin’ On
It’ll Be Me
Great Balls of Fire (see YouTube link on right)
Breathless
Down the Line
High School Confidential
Break Up
Loving’ Up a Storm
Big Blon’ Baby
Little Queenie (used to do Chuck Berry version too)
John Henry
Hang Up my Rock and Roll Shoes
When I Get Paid
What’d I Say (though I always preferred the Ray Charles version)
Livin’ Lovin’ Wreck
As Long as I Live
And of course many more that he covered later.
Oct 2022 Feeling gutted as this month’s gig at the Bull’s Head has been cancelled, due to the refurbishment of the music room being behind schedule. So there goes the chance to do all the Kenny Clayton tribute numbers we’d been working on. Apparently there’ll be some sort of memorial gig in November, venue unknown at present. I expect there’ll be a lot of musical “faces” at that but maybe we’ll get the chance to do the odd number. We’ll see. Next gig at Bull will be December 22nd, two days after my 80th birthday!
Oct 2022 So sorry to learn of the death of Kenny Clayton. He’d been musical director for Petula Clark, Matt Monro and many more, and was a great pianist and a bloody good laugh. I’ll always cherish the memory of Kenny and me both pounding away at my piano backing his daughter Alex doing Martha and the Vandellas’ Dancing in the Street a couple of years ago. We’ll be doing a tribute at the next Zoot Money’s Big Roll Band gig on 27 October at the Bull’s Head, Barnes, so I’ve been busy writing out charts of songs associated with Kenny.
Sep 2022 Great night tonight at the Brewery Tap, Brentford, playing a few tunes backing Alex Clayton Black. Great bunch of musos, including Mike Knight on guitar and my fellow-Big Roll Band member Terry Peaker on bass. And at last I got to play Stevie Wonder’s Don’t You Worry ‘bout a Thing. What a great number!
Sep 2022 I’ve added a couple of pics of the Hanwell gig to Gallery 2020s.
Aug 2022 Great gig at The Viaduct, Hanwell last night for Andrew Moodie’s birthday bash with Alex Clayton-Black and a super guitarist, Mike Knight. I managed to get through all the material with just a couple of mistakes (it’s an aged memory thing – I actually used the piano music stand for the first time but kept forgetting to look at the chord sheets) and we seemed to go down really well. Hope some more gigs with Alex and Mike transpire.
Aug 2022 Met up with my old mate Michael Giles (ex-King Crimson) yesterday for a pub lunch in Hungerford, our first in three years. Loads of laughs and putting the world to rights, plus rather more discussion than hitherto of our aches and pains, as befits a couple of octogenarians (well I nearly qualify). Now got to put in some work on new (to me) material for trio gig on Saturday.
Aug 2022 It’s been a couple of weeks of ups and downs (or more correctly downs and ups). Two days after the Bulls Head gig, Mrs. K. and I went down with COVID, as did Zoot’s daughter, Marisa, who was also at the gig. Lasted a week and a bit like a bad summer cold. Got the all clear in time for a super day on Tuesday, when my daughter and son-in-law arranged a flight in a light aircraft down to the south coast, with lunch in the Isle of Wight. Mrs. K. preferred to stay on terra firma so my son Pete was the fourth passenger. Absolutely amazing and I actually got to fly the plane from west of Basingstoke down to near the Devon border. My first light aircraft flight over the Isle of Wight since I looped the loop in a two seater Chipmunk (and was subsequently airsick) when I was 13! Came home tired but happy.
L-R My son-in-law Billy, my son Pete, my daughter Emma, and me
Biggles (me). at the controls
Approaching the Isle of Wight for lunch
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
Jul 2022 A stonking gig at the Bulls Head, Barnes last night. The music room was absolutely rammed and I’ve never seen it so full. Great sound balance and Zoot Money on top form, enjoying an encore for his 80th birthday celebrations, with lots of his family members in the audience. Great drumming from Peter Miles, sitting in for Mark Fletcher who was doing a studio session, and so nice to see my old band mates, (from my days as a lead guitarist), John Berryman and Howard Parsons. Tired but happy.
Terry Peaker, Mark Fletcher and Ronnie Johnson chilling out before the soundcheck, with Rig Kirtley and Kenny Wilson
.
.
.
.
Jun 2022 Great gig at Pizza Express, Holborn last night. Nice venue and super crowd (we got a standing ovation, and it wasn’t just the staff clearing away the chairs). First time I’ve driven any distance since my “accident” just over three weeks ago and first time having to drive into central London in 30 years. Traffic was awful but gig made up for it. Loads of laughs with the other guys in the band so feeling cheerful despite my aching leg.
Jun 2022 Not much to report on music front as I managed to get run over by my own car while trying to fix rear parking sensors. Amazingly, although my car weighs 2.7 tons, no bones broken but leg hurts like stink and is swollen to size of a barrage balloon. Got three weeks for it to get better before Big Roll Band gig at Pizza Express, Holborn. Ho hum….
Apr 2022 A cracking gig at the Bulls Head, Barnes last night to a small but appreciative crowd. Zoot and the band all on top form plus the usual top-notch guest spot by Alex Clayton Black, and a good sound balance for once. And now to unload the band gear….
Apr 2022 I’ve added a bit more about me playing solo piano accompaniment for Matt Monro to The London and South East Years (you’ll find it about halfway down the page).
Mar 2022 Been hearing occasional sound of crickets chirping and thought it was a sign of spring, until I discovered it’s a symptom of tinnitus. Ok well, at least now I can look my band mates in the eye.
Feb 2022 More fun and frolics at the Bulls Head, Barnes last night with the BRB. ZM in fine form after I gave him a piece of birthday cake he’d been pestering me for, and which I’d rescued from James Wood’s party the day before. (For video of Zoot Money’s great discovery please click on IMG_0237.) First gig we’d done since November as December one was cancelled due to Omicron COVID scare. Gigs are so rare each one feels like a reunion! And now to unload the band gear….
Jack Honeyborne accompanying Alex Clayton-Black
Alex Clayton-Black with her dad, Kenny Clayton
Jan 2022 Two, (yes two!) FaceTime sessions with his Zootship over the past few days, and very useful, particularly in honing our techniques at insulting each other. (We did a bit of playing too.) Just as well, for me at least, that next gig at Bull’s not till February as I’ve hurt my left big toe badly and am limping like a drunken sailor. At least Covid Omicron’s left me alone so far, although both my kids have had it. Meanwhile, I’ve been rummaging through old photos and have added another pic of me with Trendsetters Limited to Gallery 1960s.
Dec 2021 Just heard the gig on 30 Dec at the Bulls Head is cancelled due to COVID. Damn and blast, was really looking forward to that. ZM and I will have to make do with a FaceTime sesh next week. He says he doesn’t want to learn any hard new numbers but I’ve told him all numbers are hard for him so we might as well get adventurous. We’ll see. Will report back.
Nov 2021 A corker of a gig last night at the Bulls Head, Barnes. Great crowd and everyone played well, plus yet another brilliant guest spot by the maestro Kenny Clayton and his daughter Alex Clayton-Black. And I got to play the wonderful Steve Miller arrangement of Born to be Blue, backing Alex on vocals with a tasty solo from John Altman. Got home tired but happy.
12 Nov 2021 60 years ago today we did the first ever gig of the first (semi pro) version of Zoot Money’s Big Roll Band at the Downstairs Club, Bournemouth. I did send his Zootship a cake, thinking he could share it out amongst the current members of the BRB at our next gig on Thursday 25 November at the Bulls Head, Barnes, but unfortunately he’s eaten it.
(NB You can read more about the genesis of the Big Roll Band at the page on it. )
Sep 2021 (well I’m writing this on 1st October actually) Back to the dear old Bull’s Head, Barnes last night for the first time in 19 months. Small but enthusiastic crowd (including my granddaughter Katie, seeing her grandpa on stage for the first time). Great night and everyone played well, including Peter Miles on drums, sitting in for Mark Fletcher who’s gone down with the lurgy. Brilliant guest spot by Alex Clayton-Black (who’s sounding more and more like Anita O’Day) and I managed to get through Peggy Lee’s “Black Coffee” with her without mistakes, even though Alex’s dad, the legendary Kenny Clayton was watching. Got home tired but happy.
Aug 2021 Another week, another festival, this time the Retrofestival at Newbury Show Ground. A vast festival site with all sorts of vintage stuff on display (including us). A successful set on the Ricky-Tick stage and then back home for chocolate and ice cream. Yummy!
Aug 2021 More jolly japes, this time in Southampton at the “1865” for the Long John Baldry Festival. Lots of aged former mods turned up in their 1960s gear but I didn’t spot any Lambrettas or Vespas parked outside. (Presumably they don’t make mobility scooters.) Just one set of 90 minutes and home by midnight for a good night’s kip (which is how we measure gigs these days).
July 2021 Full house for Friday’s gig at the Jazz Cafe, Sandbanks, and so nice to see so many old friends there. Absolutely sweltering on stage, but as we were lugging the gear out afterwards the heavens opened and we got drenched. Then a great lunchtime session on Saturday at St. Peter’s Church, Bournemouth, with a surprisingly good turnout. Andy Urquhart, who’d been playing with the band on Friday, came along and joined Zoot and me for some numbers on flugelhorn. A good, fun weekend, but I’m now absolutely shattered!
July 2021 It’s back to my hometown on Friday for another gig at the Jazz Cafe, Sandbanks, this time with the band augmented by Andy Urquhart on trumpet. Then the following lunchtime it’s back to St. Peter’s Church, Bournemouth for a duo session with Zoot and me to launch their Jazz Festival. (If no-one turns up will that count as self-isolation?)
June 2021 Well, first gig in 16 months last night at The Wharf, Teddington. Nice swish venue in a lovely tranquil setting on the river. Just four of us – Zoot Money, Ronnie Johnson, me and a super tenor player called Damian Hand. Bit difficult keeping volume down (most of the punters were eating in the restaurant) but his Zootship was on top form and we managed it without bass and drums. “New” eyes (post- cataract surgery) worked well too driving home in the dark and no probs on my first journey on a motorway since Feb 2020. Haven’t unloaded gear from car yet as I swear that keyboard’s put on weight since I last schlepped it!
June 2021 Actually had a real (yes, folks, no electronic communications involved) rehearsal with Zoot Money and Ronnie Johnson round my gaff. So nice to see them after 16 months, although of course Zoot and I have been doing our weekly online sessions. And our first gig (just the three of us) is coming up on the 25th June at The Wharf, Teddington. It’ll be a bit strange being back playing on stage again but it’ll be good fun and will give us a chance to try out new material. Hopefully will be able to report a resoundingly successful gig in a couple of weeks time (unless of course nobody turns up).
May 2021 In a weak moment I put in an entry to the music (experienced amateur) section of the King Lear Prizes competition for the over-65s. Just heard that I didn’t win (sob, sob) but did get “highly commended”, so yet another “nearly” achievement. Come to think of it, I’ve never ever won anything for an achievement in over 78 years, so at least I’m maintaining my unblemished record. I did, though, win two points in a school cross-country run once. However, thanks to the Statute of Limitations I can now reveal that I cheated a bit. (Stopped halfway round for a smoke and got a lift on a mate’s motor scooter for most of the last leg. I do hope no-one from Bournemouth School reads this and rescinds my points.) Oh yes, my music entry was a re-recording of the I’m Hip video you’ll find on YouTube.
May 2021 I’ve had a steady stream of complaints from my fan base (a retired Indian Army officer living in sheltered accommodation in Eastbourne) at the lack of activity on this page. Trouble is, nothing much has been happening, apart from me getting my second COVID jab and having a couple of eye operations. But… a few gigs (remember them?) are starting to roll in. On 23 July Zoot Money’s Big Roll Band’s doing the Jazz Cafe, Sandbanks, and the following lunchtime his Zootship and I are doing our double act at St. Peter’s Church in Bournemouth. Then a couple of festivals – Southampton on 6 August and Newbury on 13 August. ZM and I are still doing our weekly online “rehearsals”, which are a bit like Waldorf and Statler from the Muppets, and should have some new material ready to launch on an unsuspecting British public. So watch this space….
Jan 2021 Had my COVID vaccine jab yesterday (hours before snow arrived) at the Lakeside Club, Frimley. Amazingly efficient system throughout whole process but a bit strange sitting looking at stage where I saw Chuck Berry perform about 30 years ago. Zoot Money had his jab in Hammersmith a couple of hours before me. He had Oxford, I had Pfizer, so we’ve this morning been comparing any side effects. I’ve just got a faint pain in the arm (like a mild bruise) where the jab went in. He hasn’t but seems to have a complete inability to type or spell correctly (which implies no side effects whatsoever).
Jan 2021 Just done a virtual jam with Zoot Money over FaceBook Messenger, working on some new material for when we get back gigging. Sound quality over our phones left a bit to be desired but good fun and we had the usual arguments over chords. Gonna do the same tomorrow.
Jan 2021 RIP Tom Marsh, a good solid bass player with whom I did the Swanage Carnival for many years plus an extremely drunken mini-tour of France in 1996 (click on the YouTube button on the right to find a clip of us doing Great Balls of Fire). Also sad to see that Gerry Marsden of Gerry and the Pacemakers fame has also died. We opened for him at the New Theatre, Oxford in 1964 and as I brushed past him while going offstage, for a fleeting instant I thought I was looking at Zoot Money. Mentioned this to his Zootship the other day and it turns out they were often mistaken for each other.
Oct 2020 It’s no to Nord. Spent a couple of hours down at Andertons in Guildford trying out the Nord Piano 4 and have decided to keep trusty Technics. The Nord is a great piano but it’s not two grand’s worth better than my one hundred and fifty quid Technics. Got home and fiddled around with some of the mysterious switches and faders on my mixer and have managed to largely EQ out the offending overtone pulsing I was getting from close chords in the lower register on the Technics, so problem solved at no expense. Flush with the wealth of not forking out two grand decided to spend a tiny part of it on a record turntable for Rig’s birthday and it’s great! Plays cassettes and CDs too. Christened it with my 78rpm single of Chuck Berry’s Johnny B. Goode ( which we were playing on my wind up gramophone in 1961 when we came up with the name Big Roll Band) and you can hear all the crackles perfectly. And, amongst the pile of old records came across a 45 shellac single (unlabelled) which is of me playing piano with an unknown group doing what I think must be two original numbers. Must have recorded that in Bournemouth in the early 1960s but the only session like it that I remember was playing for Tony Blackburn at a studio in Yelverton Road. The vocalist doesn’t sound like Tony though (who wasn’t a bad singer) and the only track from his session I remember doing was “Voice in the Wilderness”. Thought of sending MP3 of it to Tony but he might think it was a crude attempt at blackmail as the vocal is so crappy. (Hmm, blackmail might not be a bad idea. Must think further about this…)
Oct 2020 Thinking of upgrading my piano, ready for when (hopefully!) things get back to normal. My trusty Technics SX-P50 still works fine but maybe it’s time to splash out on a new Nord Piano 4. Been listening to comparative tests of up-range pianos and the Nord sounds far and away the best. It’s a bit heavier than my Technics but I’m not yet completely decrepit and there are always roadies to help out at gigs. Played an earlier model Nord a couple of years ago at Nick Newall’s wake and the action was superb, so maybe I’ll take the plunge. More details if and when the deed is done.
Oct 2020 A nice action shot of Zoot Money with the 2nd version of the Big Roll Band at the Downstairs Club in 1962 has been added to The Downstairs Club and the naming of Zoot Money’s Big Roll Band.
Apr 2020 Quite a nice response to the “I’m Hip” video, which has had a couple of hundred plays on Vimeo. I’ve now added it to YouTube.
Apr 2020 No gigs to report as all venues are closed and we’re under lock-down due to Covid-19 pandemic. However, there is a little video that I did yesterday of a version of Blossom Dearie’s “I’m Hip” that I recorded yesterday which you can watch at Vimeo.
Mar 2020 A couple of pics (courtesy of Tina nee Swan) of a gig at the White Cross, Richmond as part of the 1984 Richmond Festival have been added to Gallery 1980s.
Feb 2020 Another night of merry mayhem with the Big Roll Band at the Bull’s Head, Barnes last night. And at last I got to play (for the first time) Dancing in the Streets, backing Alex Clayton-Black, who gave her usual faultless performance. Even her dad, the great Kenny Clayton, got up and joined in that on the upper register of my piano. I think he’s a rocker at heart!
Feb 2020 Lunch today at Four Horseshoes, Chobham with old Tequila Sunrise band mates Dave Crabtree, Barry Caws, Tony Eden and Mick Kirby. Lots of laughs and reminiscences about gigs and will have a repeat performance in a couple of months. For pic see Gallery 2020s.
Feb 2020 Had to pull out of December’s gig at the Bull’s Head due to a dose of the dreaded lurgy but now match fit again. Up to the Brewery Tap, Brentford last night for Alex Clayton-Black’s birthday bash. Wonderful evening – Alex sang superbly and her dad, Kenny Clayton was on top form as usual. Several other muso mates there, viz Zoot Money, Kenny Wilson and Terry Peaker and I got up to back Alex on Steve Miller’s “Born to be Blue”. Seemed to go down ok, despite a dodgy sustain pedal on the electric piano. And later this month off down to Cardiff for another Big Roll Band gig. And so it goes on!
Dec 2019 A few videos by Alex Thomas and Alberto d’Cruz from last Thursday’s gig at the Bulls Head have been added to YouTube. Just click on the YouTube icon on the right of the page, then click Playlists, then “A Few Gigs”.
Nov 2019 Another absolute corker of a gig with Zoot Money’s Big Roll Band at the Bull’s Head, Barnes last night, with the great Jim Mullen on guitar. His Zootship was on top form and at last I got the chance to play Peggy Lee’s “Black Coffee”, backing Alex Clayton-Black on vocals. Feeling tired but very happy!
Pinewood Studios, Iver Nov 2019. Just part of the audio editing suite.
Nov 2019 Across to Pinewood Studios, Iver, Bucks. today (12 November) to sit in on part of audio edit for the movie ‘The SHU’, produced by my son Pete. Studio was amazing, and the size of a multiplex cinema. I’d thought the control rooms at Abbey Road and Olympic recording studios were pretty impressive but not compared to this! A far cry from when I was producing corporate videos for Lloyds Bank, when the editing room was so small you felt you should be peering out at the screen through coat hangers! A top oscar-nominated team working on the edit and the chance to meet at last Aaron Fjeldmann, director of the movie, and a really nice bloke. Am determined to make the premier of the movie, wherever it’s shown.
Aug 2019 Another stonking Big Roll Band gig at the Bulls Head with a packed room and Zoot Money cramming in a seemingly impossible number of tunes, including several from those fabulous early 1960s days at the Flamingo, Soho. Nice to see John Berryman and Howard Parsons there (my former fellow-band mates from Dave Anthony and the Ravers) and a couple of super songs from Alex Clayton-Black, accompanied on one by her dad, the redoubtable Kenny Clayton, still strutting his stuff at the age of 83. (I told Kenny that when I grow up I want to be him!) And…I even got to sing BVs (backing vocals) in “I Go Crazy”. Back at the Bull on 26 September.
Zoot Money sitting in with Art Themen, Spike Wells, Simon Thorpe and Kate Williams.
Aug 2019 Up to Bull’s Head, Barnes, tonight, this time not to play but to listen to Art Themen Quartet, with an old bank colleague, Spike Wells (former member of Tubby Hayes’s group) on drums. Brilliant playing, aided by Simon Thorpe on bass and Kate Williams, daughter of John Williams, the classical guitarist, on piano. Managed to drag Zoot Money along with me and he got up for a couple of stonking blues numbers. Great night!
Aug 2019 Nice long lunch in Hungerford today with Michael Giles, reminiscing about all sorts of things, and as usual we didn’t stop laughing for four hours. Brilliant fun, as always, and for once, we had our picture taken (see Gallery 2010s).
Jul 2019 Great gig at Eel Pie Club, Twickenham last night. It was the hottest night of the year but very effective air conditioning in the club, despite a packed house. Zoot on top form and both sets went down brilliantly.
Jul 2019 Another couple of busy days, playing-wise. Thursday 18 July was Paul McCallum’s funeral, with a huge turnout, including lots of musos, then on to the wake for a bit of playing with Zoot Money, Ronnie Johnson, Nick Payn, Kenny Wilson and Papa George. Then on Friday down to the Jazz Cafe, Sandbanks for an absolutely stonking gig playing to a full house. And so nice to see so many familiar faces again, including Colin Allen, over from Sweden, who popped in to say hi. I’ve added a pic of the Sandbanks gig to Gallery 2010s.
Jun 2019 A real corker of a gig at the Bull’s Head, Barnes tonight, with everyone on top form and some really swinging drumming from Mark Fletcher, former house drummer at Ronnie Scott’s. A great trumpeter, Matt Round, sitting in too, plus the great Kenny Clayton who sat in for a hilarious version of Smoke Gets in your Eyes. And so to bed…
Jun 2019 Sad to say that Paul MacCallum, former bass player of Zoot Money’s Big Roll Band, and one time member of The Wombles, died today, 26 June, after a long illness. Zoot and I got to see him in hospital yesterday for what turned out to be the last time. RIP to a fine bass player and a really nice bloke.
Jun 2019 A busy couple of days in Bournemouth with a Big Roll Band gig playing to a packed house at Flirt’s at The Triangle on Thursday, and then a lunchtime duo gig the following day for Gert and Daisy (aka Zoot and me) at St. Peter’s Church to launch Bournemouth Jazz Week. The surprisingly big audience at St. Peter’s seemed to like it, and not only did we sneak in a couple of jazz standards into the set, but Zoot managed to avoid any swearwords in his chat. And the real bonus was seeing so many old faces from our 1960s Bournemouth days, including Roger de Souza, drummer with the Al Kirtley Three, who I hadn’t seen since 1969! I’ve added a few pics to Gallery 2010s. And we’ll be back in God’s Own Country on July 19th for Zoot’s birthday gig at the Jazz Cafe, Sandbanks.
Jun 2019 More jolly japes round Uncle Zoot’s house today working through our duo set that we’ll be doing at St. Peter’s Church, Bournemouth next Friday lunchtime (21 June), the day after the Big Roll Band gig at Flirt’s, Bournemouth. It’ll be a real leap in the dark for the two of us with no drums, bass, guitar or horns, but I hope we can give the audience (if there is one) a few laughs.
May 2019 John Cherry has now launched a fascinating site with lots of details about the early days of the Bournemouth rock music scene. Check out the Menu at Bournemouth Beat Boom. It’s also been added to Links.
Apr 2019 A video which someone took of last Thursday’s gig at the Bulls Head has been put on YouTube. It’s now included in A Few Gigs.
Apr 2019 More fun and games at the Bulls Head, Barnes last night, this time with an Anglo-Scottish line up, as Don Lang was filling Nick Payne’s place on tenor, and joining his fellow Scots Jeff Allen and Kenny Wilson. (I managed to sneak in a quote of Scotland the Brave into a solo but it was in a minor key, so I think I got away with it.) Nice to see a couple of familiar piano players in the audience, Geoff Hiscott and Bob Haddrell, and some great playing by the guys, including John Altman on soprano. Another stonking performance from Zoot Money of course, and a nice full room and a great and appreciative crowd. For a pic see Gallery 2010s.
Mar 2019 Three funerals/memorial services in three weeks, today’s at Hanworth Crematorium for Paul Williams, one time bassist/vocalist with the Big Roll Band and many other bands. Then on to Hampton Court Palace Golf Club for the wake/gig. Some superb players there, including Geoff Dunn from Procol Harum, and I got the chance to do a few toons with Zoot, Papa George, Ronnie Johnson, Patrick Johnson, Ronnie’s son, with Paul “Rhino” Edwards from Status Quo on bass, and a superb female drummer, Sophie Alloway. Great send-off for Paul, a fine musician and a nice bloke.
Mar 2019 Another outing for my piano last night with a stonking gig with Zoot Money at the Bulls Head, Barnes, including John Altman guesting on soprano sax and a great couple of vocals from Paul Cox. Everyone on absolutely top form and lots of laughs. Great fun! (NB. and a rather flattering mention of yours truly by ZM in his interview in this month’s Blues in the South magazine.)
Feb 2019 I’ve at last added links to their (mostly) Wikipedia pages for all the people I’ve worked with listed in A shameless bit of name dropping.
Feb 2019 A little anecdote about Rory Blackwell which Zoot Money recently reminded me of has been added to The Bournemouth Years (Lead Guitar).
Jan 2019 Just watched DVD of October’s Paul MacCallum benefit gig at O2 Islington. Great audio and video recording and a super memento of the gig. (Not allowed to post it though!)
Dec 2018 Absolutely full house last night for the Big Roll Band gig at the Bull’s Head, Barnes. For once I did the whole gig (a rare outing for my Technics piano) and great fun playing again with Zoot Money, Ronnie Johnson, Nick Payne, Kenny Wilson and Steve Laffey, plus super guest spots by Alex Clayton-Black and Todd Sharpville. Now feeling completely shattered.
Nov 2018 In between all the music malarkey I’ve managed to finish my new book, ‘Speed Dial’. It’s really aimed at pre-teens but grown-ups might find it a good yarn too. It’s available (completely free for five days from 12 November) on Amazon Kindle at Amazon.
Oct 2018 Amazing turnout for the Paul MacCallum benefit gig at the O2 Islington last night and Paul managed to come along and stay for most of the gig. Top man! Nice chat with Alan Price about the north east and the Blacketts, and for the first time I heard my piano from front of house with Pricey playing some lovely stuff on it. I’ve added a few pics to Gallery 2010s. Great banter with all the guys. Nick Payne and John Altman said one of my solos sounded like Ramsay Lewis, then corrected it to Ramsay MacDonald. (Told them to watch out as Lloyd George knows my father.) Now totally shattered and I haven’t even unloaded the car yet. Getting too old for this game…
Oct 2018 Quick visit with Zoot yesterday to Paul MacCallum at the hospice in Surbiton. We managed to cheer him up by Zoot and me slagging each other off as usual and by Zoot telling a few dirty jokes. Promised Paul he’d get a DVD of his benefit gig on Monday at the O2 Academy, Islington. Looking forward to playing on that – my first full gig with the BRB in ages. ZOOT’s roped me in for that just in case we get a request for something he doesn’t know, e.g. The Valeta Waltz. (The tragedy is that I do actually know that!) But first is (hopefully) my wee spot at tonight’s gig at the Bull’s Head, Barnes. More details later.
Sep 2018 ‘How I nearly became a dummer’ added to (Musical) sweepings from the factory floor.
Sep 2018 Just back from lunch with Dave Crabtree and Barry Caws (all of us ex-Tequila Sunrise veterans). Bags of laughs and piss-taking and have added pic to Gallery 2010s.
Sep 2018 It’s one long social whirl at present. Lunch yesterday in Hungerford with Michael and Peter Giles and great fun talking over old times, then when I got back nice long chat with Rob Tibble, and tomorrow Zoot Money and I are visiting his old bass player, Paul MacCallum, who’s in a nursing home at present. Then next Monday having a mini-Tequila Sunrise reunion lunch with Dave Crabtree (tenor sax) and Barry Caws (trumpet).
And finally, have just heard from that wonderful jazz guitarist, Terry McAvoy, that he’s going to visit, and bringing his guitar. How lucky I am to still have so many good mates from my music days!
Aug 2018 Yet more fun up at the Bull’s Head, Barnes last night with some Zoot Money merrymaking. (Missed his last gig as I was in hospital for a hernia operation.) Nice guest spot by Paul Cox, who came up and sang a few belting numbers, then the usual ‘guestie’ by yrs truly, including three new numbers, one of which, Billy Preston’s ‘Nothin’ from Nothin’, now includes a bridge and additional verse written by Zoot and me. And…did Bobby Darin’s ‘Irresistible You’ for the first time since we did it with the first Big Roll Band in 1961! This time, though, it was in Bb, a key that hadn’t been invented in 1961 (at least to our knowledge at the time). I also managed to sneak into ‘Rockin’ Pneumonia and the Boogie Woogie Blues’ a quote from the Laurel and Hardy theme, ‘Dance of the Cuckoos’, as well as the Theme from The Archers. Wonderful fun!
Jun 2018 Well what an amazing morning! Zoot Money and I have been at Paul and Viv MacCallum’s house, listening, and playing with, Derek Paravicini. He’s been blind from birth, has severe learning difficulties and is autistic, but boy can he play piano! Fluent in any key and lots of different styles and a super technique. Did the Flight of the Bumble Bee at breakneck speed, then added a boogie left hand to it, including walking octave bass. Played stuff by Shearing, Beatles, Bach and Miles and could mix styles. Best bits, though, were when Zoot and I joined in (swapping bass and top line). Derek seemed to really like that and asked for more. You can see a Channel 5 documentary on him by clicking here.
May 2018 Two nights running of watching Zoot Money! (Is this a record?) This time at The Acre, Windsor, and only a trio – no bass, so his Zootship had to cover that with his left hand. Great playing, though, of course, and a huge clamour for more from the audience at the end. Thought I’d get away with not being called up, but Zoot had other plans and Bob Haddrell (a super jazz pianist) and I were roped in to do some licks on Rockin’ Pneumonia and the Boogie Woogie Blues. Great fun!
May 2018 Well that was a first! Up at the Bulls Head, Barnes tonight for another swinging Zoot Money gig and Uncle Zoot kindly let me do a solo spot, just yours truly playing the piano and singing the old Blossom Deary song ‘I’m Hip’. I managed somehow to get through Dave Frishberg’s tongue-twisting lyrics without ‘corpsing’ on stage and the audience reaction was even better than I’d hoped for. And of course Zoot’s set was swinging just like it always does. A magic evening! (NB. I think that was the only time in over 60 years of performing that I’ve ever played and sang to a live audience with no accompaniment, although I did once do it on a BBC Radio 4 broadcast – that was recorded, though.)
Apr 2018 An absolutely super afternoon yesterday up at Hadley Wood Golf Club for the Nick Newall memorial gig. Met, and played with, some terrific musicians – and what a great bunch of people! All credit to Nigel Tully MBE for organizing it, and to the incomparable Zoot Money for holding all the music together and turning a jam session into some sort of order! Met up with Gary O’Toole (drums) for first time since he played with us at Palookaville, Covent Garden, back in the 1980s, but sadly didn’t get to play with him, nor with the superb Tina May, but Annabel Williams (voice coach for The X Factor, Britain’s Got Talent, etc.) sat in with us. (I mucked up the bridge in Georgia, as she does it in Bb and I couldn’t do my normal changes, but managed a half-decent version of Billy Taylor’s ‘I Wish I Knew How it Feels to be Free’. (Sir Ray Davies of The Kinks was also there but I’m ashamed to say I didn’t notice him.) There are some nice pics of the day in Galleries 2010s.
Apr 2018 Up at Money Mansions in Fulham again for another meeting about the memorial bash for Nick Newall next week. Met Nigel Tulley MBE for the first time and what a nice bloke he is. Like me, he never went pro as he enjoyed his day job, but that hasn’t stopped him running the Dark Blues for decades, and he’s still the Executive Chair of the National Youth Jazz Orchestra. A proper chap, and the driving force behind the Nick Newall tribute bash.
Mar 2018 Down to Bournemouth with my two kids plus Zoot Money for Pat Sheehan’s funeral. Zoot and I muscled in on the piano at the wake for a few rock’n’roll numbers that Pat would have appreciated. (See pic in Galleries 2010s).
Mar 2018 Gutted to learn that Pat ‘Peewee’ Sheehan, drummer with the Sands Combo when I was with them in 1962/3, died yesterday. A lovely bloke and godfather to my two kids.
Feb 2018 A rare 1957 photo of the Blue Earth River Boys skiffle group, featuring the Dowlands Brothers, has been added to The Bournemouth Years (Washboard) (about halfway down the page).(Photo courtesy of Michael Hyder.)
Feb 2018 More highjinks at the Bulls Head, Barnes tonight, with a packed house for Zoot Money’s Big Roll Band. Got roped in to play a medley of Fats Domino tunes, then a nice battle of quotes with Zoot in the breaks of ‘Rockin’Pneumonia and the Boogie Woogie Blues’. Then we were joined for a stonking set by Denise Gordon, including a blinding version of Lawdy Miss Clawdy, which I haven’t played in public for nearly 60 years (but still managed to remember the Floyd Cramer intro to the Elvis version!) And, I met Zoot’s son Rob, an absolutely super bloke. What a great night! (And our 27th wedding anniversary too!) (Sorry for all the exclamation marks! Will calm down in a minute!)
Feb 2018 Added a short clip to Gallery: the future? of my youngest granddaughter, Yasmina Kirtley, aged 6, playing octave keyboard bass with me.
Feb 2018 Managed to upload to YouTube (see button on right) a snippet from my son’s phone of the last bit of the solo in Mose Allison’s ‘Parchman Farm’, taken at the White Hart, Bagshot Oct 2017. (Mercifully he missed out my vocals). Rig’s on the right, youngest granddaughter, Yasmina, in foreground, and eldest granddaughter, Holly, hides her face before adjourning to the bar with her friend.
Jan 2018 Great fun at the Windlesham Club gig and nice to see so many friends from the Brickies come along, plus my two old muso mates Tony Eden and John Dunsterville, who came all the way from Bucks. Really great venue, nice people and I’m looking forward to playing there again.
Jan 2018 Well it’ll be three of the old Birdland team – Peter Giles, Mick Kirby and me – back together again for the next jazz gig. This one’s at the Windlesham Club on Saturday 27 January, and we’ll be trying out some new material by Joe Sample, Bob James, Tom Scott etc. Really looking forward to it!
Dec 2017 Thanks to Dave Hayes, we’ve now discovered an original Big Roll Band business card. Images of it added to the page on the forming of the Big Roll Band. Just scroll down a bit to find them.
Nov 2017 Across to Claygate for my ‘guestie’ spot at Pete and Yasmine Giles’s show, with the great Ronnie Johnson (ex Van Morrison, Georgie Fame, Leo Sayer etc, etc) on guitar. Great fun playing Elton’s ‘Saturday Night’s Alright for Fighting’ and it seemed to go down pretty well.
Oct 2017 Sitting in again with Zoot Money’s Big Roll Band at the Bulls Head, Barnes. This time it was a medley of Fats Domino numbers (RIP Fats – another of our Rock’n’Roll heroes gone) plus a stonking version of Let the Good Times Roll. Great fun, as always!
Oct 2017 Back at The White Hart, Bagshot today for another jazz gig, this time with Andy McBride on drums and my old mate Pete Giles on bass. Great fun and made all the better by having a bigger crowd (swollen by family and friends, to whom a big thanks!)
Oct 2017 Sad to hear that Nick Newall, tenor player with Zoot Money’s Big Roll Band died today. He was a great guy, modest with a quiet sense of humour, and a lovely player (see some of the YouTube links on the right).
Aug 2017 Another pretty full week (at least at my age). Small though very appreciative crowd at Sunday’s jazz gig and looks like there may be more gigs to come. Then lunch in Claygate with Pete Giles, having lots of laughs and plotting strategy for reviving the ‘Birdland’ combo. Friday up to O2 Arena to see my son Pete’s run-through with Bros. What an impressive venue! Sounded very tight and Pete’s technique on percussion was great. Nice chats with Luke Goss, who I hadn’t seen for 35 years, and what a nice bloke he is, as is his lovely wife Shirley. (Didn’t get chance to tell her how I nearly got fixed up with her sister, Linda Lewis, back in the early ’80s, but perhaps that’s a story better untold!) Then back to O2 on Saturday for the gig, with Rig, my daughter and son-in-law, daughter-in-law, and three grandkids. Oh yes, and not forgetting my son Pete, who played like a seasoned pro. Gig was too loud for my old ears but very proud of my son!
And… have agreed to guest at Pete and Yasmin Giles’s gig in Claygate on November 11. Will be doing Elton John’s ‘Saturday Night’s Alright for Fighting’. Never played it before but, along with 400,000 people, saw Elton do it in Central Park in 1980. Should be fun but have decided not to wear complete Donald Duck outfit like Elton did (complete with tail and webbed feet!)
Aug 2017 The hour draweth ever closer… My first jazz gig in nearly 15 years is coming up this Sunday, 13 August. It’s at the White Hart, Bagshot from 6.00 to 9.00 pm with the Phil Berry trio. Hope to see a few familiar faces there and will try to vary my mistakes to maintain some semblance of interest among the audience. And… it’s the first outing for the new keyboards!
Aug 2017 The two 1961 tracks by Zoot Money and the Blackhawks are now on my page at SoundCloud. Just scroll down to the grainy b&w pics and you’ll find them. This is the earliest surviving recording of either Zoot or me, and may be the earliest studio recording of any Bournemouth rock group.
Aug 2017 Well, it’s nearly crunch time. My first jazz gig in nearly 15 years is coming up this Sunday, 13 August, at the White Hart, Bagshot from 6.00 to 9.00 pm. I’ve had to put in a lot of work on my chops, and hopefully it’ll pay off, particularly as I’ll be playing my lovely Technics piano plus the new Roland synth. The only downer is that my kids won’t be there as Emma’s away on holiday and Pete will still be in the middle of rehearsals for his Bros gig at the O2 Arena the following weekend. However, a few good mates (both musos and non-musos) have said they’ll be there so it could be a bit of fun, if I don’t screw up completely. (Watch this space for the verdict!)
Jul 2017 A little p.s. to the previous post. The shellac recording is definitely of Zoot Money and the Blackhawks. The drummer, Pat Sheehan, also has a copy, complete with label showing the name of the band. It would have been recorded in 1960/61 and is still the oldest recording of Zoot Money and probably the oldest recording of any Bournemouth rock group. I wasn’t a member of the Blackhawks (I was a lead guitarist at the time, although I did switch to piano for the odd number) so I must have been roped in just for the Jerry Lee Lewis number. Blimey, that means I’ve been sitting in with Zoot Money for nearly 60 years (and still playing some of the same piano licks!)
Jul 2017 It’s been a busy few days. Down in Bournemouth for the weekend with Rig and my two kids, plus two granddaughters and sat in for a few tunes with Zoot Money at the Jazz Cafe, Sandbanks. A joy as always and the band was very tight. Then stopped off in the New Forest on the Sunday for Keith Collins’s birthday bash and played a set with Keith and some nice guys, including Roger Deacon-Smith, who I last played with at the Potters Arms, Hamworthy in 1969! And on drums for part of the set was Freddie Beale junior, with whose father we worked at Rockley Sands in the mid-1960s. (We behaved appallingly to Freddie senior, but at least I’ve now apologized to his son for that.) Then on Tuesday up to Derby and back to buy a used Technics P50 piano, thanks to Pete Giles’s expertise on eBay. It was a 500 mile round trip but well worth it, as it sounds and plays great! NB. It looks like the shellac recording which Zoot and I had put onto CD isn’t of the first Big Roll Band, but predates that, and is of Zoot Money and the Blackhawks with me sitting in for the Jerry Lee Lewis number. Personnel are: Zoot Money vocal and rhythm guitar, Al Kirtley piano, Rog Collis lead guitar, Roger Bone bass, and Pat “Peewee” Shehan drums. It must have been recorded in 1960/61 and is certainly the oldest Zoot Money recording, and may be the oldest recording of any Bournemouth rock group.
Jul 2017 The best laid plans etc etc… Sunday’s gig at White Hart now postponed until 13 August. That means that I’ll be doing my first live jazz gig in nearly 15 years less than a week before my son Pete does his first live gig in 20 years. (His is at the O2 Arena though!)
July 2017 Up at the Bulls Head, Barnes last Thursday and sat in for a couple of tunes with Zoot Money and the guys. Had to follow a masterful performance by Kenny Clayton, but managed to get through OK, helped by some wonderful tenor sax playing by Dave Lewis. And… this Sunday, 9th July, yours truly is back in the saddle for my first jazz gig in nearly 15 years! It’s a trio gig led by my old mate Phil Berry on bass, and it’s at the White Hart, Bagshot from 3.00-6.00 pm. Will report back afterwards if it goes ok – if I screw it up this could be my last blog!
June 2017 Nice start to the month. Up Henley way last week to meet up with my old trumpeter mate from Tequila Sunrise, Barry Caws. Lots of laughs and reminiscing. Then yesterday up to Hammersmith for a couple of pints with Zoot Money, and yet more laughs. We’ve now got the 1961 recording of the Big Roll Band converted to CD and I’ll put it on SoundCloud when ZM’s sorted out PRS/PPL. And finally, am at last starting to understand my new Juno synth, though much more work needed before I can let it loose on an unsuspecting British public.
May 2017 As I assume no one reads these ramblings I’m sure Zoot Money won’t mind me revealing that he’s just discovered a 1961/62 shellac recording of the original Big Roll Band. Only two numbers – Jerry Lee Lewis’s ‘Break Up’ with Zoot on vocals, Rog Collis on guitar, me on piano, Mike Montgomery on bass and Johnny Hammond on drums, and instrumental ‘Peter Gunn Theme’ – same lineup but with Zoot on rhythm guitar. Poss the oldest rock recording in Bournemouth. Will add it to Soundcloud when Zoot’s converted it to digital (which could take some time!)
May 2017 Never thought I’d see my phizog alongside that of Jerry Lee Lewis, but it’s just been featured in the Bournemouth Echo article on the Bure Club, following my interview by Nick Churchill (see March 2017 entry below). It seems that when you reach a certain age, people want to pick your brains, while there’s still something left to pick. (NB. 2nd rehearsal of the jazz quartet coming up tomorrow.)
Apr 2017 Lots of musical developments. Last Sunday we bumped into my old bassist mate, Phil Berry (he plays on lots of tracks on my albums), at the White Hart, Bagshot, playing with a very tasty trio. Mentioned I was getting back to playing and Phil asked if I fancied any trio work. It is tempting, as he’s such a good player, but I haven’t done trio jazz work since the 1960s, so I’ll have to work on my chops. Then, first rehearsal yesterday of the potential jazz-funk quartet and it’s looking very promising. Next one coming up soon. And finally a couple of Bournemouth trips coming up; the first one’s a mini-reunion on 9 May instigated by Al Stewart (‘The Year of the Cat’), and Nigel Street and I, plus others will get together for a natter. Then on 14 July I’m instructed by Zoot Money to sit in for a few numbers at the Jazz Cafe, Sandbanks, which will be nice, as my kids, plus at least one granddaughter, will be there. And finally on 16 July I’m playing at Keith Collins’s birthday bash near New Milton. I think it’s time to splash out on some new keyboards!
Apr 2017 We spent a nice Sunday afternoon at the Sunningdale Lounge chatting with two DJs from Solar Radio, Big H, and Angus Kemp and his lady. And what a couple of nice blokes they are – and so knowledgeable about jazz and funk. And…first rehearsal for the jazz quartet coming up on 18 April, so I’ve got a lot of work to put in on my chops.
Mar 2017 RIP Chuck Berry, one of the founding fathers of rock’n’roll. This clip from the movie Hail! Hail! Rock’n’Roll is one of my favourites. It struck me at the time that thousands of young guitarists around the world who’d faithfully copied Keith’s guitar lick (rather than the original) would suddenly realize that they’d been playing it wrong. Play video
Mar 2017 Blimey! Three ‘interviews’ (in the broadest sense) done in the last 24 hours. First one was just by email, giving memories of the old Bure Club, Christchurch, for Nick Churchill, Bournemouth author and journalist, then a face-to-face recorded interview here with Tom Murphy re the Hippodrome/Royal Arcade Ballrooms in Boscombe, and finally a chat on the phone with Guy Mowbray, an ex-muso and writer from Chesterfield, who’s writing a book on the Small faces and wanted info on Don Fay, baritone player from Bournemouth, who played with the Faces. How strange that when you have to talk in depth about a subject, little details emerge that have lain dormant in your mind for years. (I wonder what else is lurking in the dark recesses of my brain.)
Mar 2017 A lot’s been happening so far this year. Firstly, while hunting for an old jazz chart I came across a pile of old photos, many of which have now been added to the Galleries section. Secondly, it turned out that the 1,000th listener to Hill Street Blues was my granddaughter Katie, who was obviously following the plays counter and jumped in when it reached 999. (It’s comfortably past 1,000 now). But the big news (for me at least) is that Pete Giles and I are putting together a jazz quartet (or at least trying to). We’ve teamed up with a couple of nice guys who are really experienced and hope to have the first run-through in a couple of weeks. But will we get any gigs??????
Dec 2016 Once again, up to the Bulls Head, Barnes for more merry mayhem, and Zoot Money and I at last managed to stumble through Ray Charles’s ‘Don’t Let the Sun Catch You Crying’ – a first for us, as neither of us had done it before, (although we did talk about it earlier this year down the pub). His Moneyship’s new Hammond keyboard ‘Baby Beast’ sounded great, but the highlight of the evening was John Altman (check out his Wikipedia page!) sitting in on soprano sax and swapping licks with Nick Newall, who was on fine form. And now, as 2017 beckons, I must get down to finishing the next book, ‘Legal High’.
Dec 2016 On, on, and ever onwards. Over the last 4 weeks I’ve sold 6 more copies of my book ‘Act of God’, after nearly a year of deafening silence on the sales front. And… as if that isn’t enough excitement, Zoot Money, fresh from his tour with the Manfreds, has bought a new Hammond keyboard. It looks fab from the photos and I’ve demanded a go on it before the doors open at his gig at the Bulls Head, Barnes on 29 December. And… finally, one of my tracks (Hill Street Blues) has now reached 935 plays on SoundCloud. Who’ll be the 1,000th listener? Mustn’t get too excited, though. It’s been on SoundCloud for over 5 years, so it hardly qualifies as going viral (more like a grumbling appendix).
Dec 2016 Great lunch with Peter Giles on Tuesday, not only having lots of laughs but also plotting a possible new jazz-funk combo. If we can pull this off it should be great fun, but lots of work to do (including working my chops back up). And… have sold another copy of ‘Act of God’! That’s another 99p, (less of course Amazon’s commission). That villa in the south of France is drawing ever closer.
Nov 2016 Spent several hours today gassing round Zoot Money’s gaff and we never mentioned Brexit or the US election once. Are we really that out of touch? (If so, thank God!)
Oct 2016 I’ve added ‘Out-of-the-ordinary gigs’ to (Musical) sweepings from the factory floor in Odds and Ends.
Oct 2016 The Downstairs Club/Disque a Go! Go! has now got its own Wikipedia page, which you’ll find here.
Sep 2016 Spent a couple of hours happily swapping text insults with Zoot Money. I was doing so well with my rapier wit and then he got in his best line just as my phone went flat. (I told him I was hoping to play some numbers that were younger than me. He replied that that includes practically everything that’s been written.) Grrr! Will get him at play time.
Aug 2016 Had a call from my old mate Dave Crabtree, sax player in our old jazz quartet ‘Birdland’. He’s bought an electronic sax and wonders if we might put together another 4/5 piece. Oh yes, bring it on! All sorts of possibilities, ranging from straight-ahead jazz to jazz-funk a la David Sanborn etc! Will I actually get to play Sanborn’s Chicago Song in anger? (I know the synth part). Mustn’t count chickens, but this could be very interesting.
July 2016 I’ve added a shameless bit of name-dropping to the end of the Biog blow-by-blow section, which you can see by clicking here
July 2016 Blimey! Just received 25 quid royalties from PPL for The Bare Necessities Megamix which reached no. 14 in the charts in 1991. Maybe it’s due to the new movie of the Jungle Book that’s now on release. Most of this massive payout was from the BBC, who must have some cash to spare since they sacked Chris Evans from Top Gear. At this rate I’ll soon be breaking even on music! Maybe I should retire (again).
July 2016 Managed to upload a snippet of last Thursday’s Zoot Money gig at the Bulls Head, Barnes. To view it click on the YouTube button on the right of this page.
June 2016 Yet another super night at the Bull’s Head, Barnes. Zoot was in fine fettle and an even bigger sound than usual with two great saxes (Nick Newall and Mornington Lockett). And on drums Bob Jenkins (from Be Sharpe), whom I still think of as Bob junior, as I knew his parents from Bournemouth days. (His dad, Bob senior, was a great alto player and his mum a super vocalist). Plus, my old mate Peter Giles came along to listen, still the fittest septuagenarian in the country and still smoking! The highlight of the evening, though, was after the gig with yours truly pushing Zoot Money’s car up Barnes high street trying to bump start it. I should come out of traction next week. (Now you really owe me one, ZM.)
June 2016 Chatting on the phone yesterday to Peter Giles, younger brother of Michael (see below), and he mentioned he’s now ranked 2nd worldwide in the over-70s road running ratings. And he’s still smoking!
June 2016 The 1964 recording of ‘In A Big Way’ by Trendetters Limited, complete with images which someone’s put together has been added to the videos on YouTube. Just click the YouTube button on the top right to access them.
June 2016 Life’s just one long social whirl at present, at least by my puny standards. Lunch today down in Hungerford with Michael Giles, and as usual we didn’t stop gassing for five hours. How nice it is to meet up with mates you’ve known since you were both teenagers and find you both still want to carry on talking when it’s time to leave.
June 2016 Jolly boys’ outing down to Poole, Dorset yesterday with Zoot Money for funeral of Johnny Hammond. Lots of laughs (though not during the service) with Ed Roberts, Ken Langdown, and met Tony Letts for the first time since 1966 when he sold me a superb Singer Gazelle convertible (which was written off a few weeks later when Ed Roberts’s then girlfriend sideswiped me with her VW Karmann Ghia when she was pissed – she ended up in hospital.) Zoot tells me he had an email last week from Andy Summers lamenting my death. Eh?… if it were true, I’m sure I would have known. At least, though, I can now use Mark Twain’s line of reports of my death being greatly exaggerated. And.. Zoot’s given up dope!!!! No wonder the economy’s in the doldrums. ZM’s asked me to suggest new material for his set (i.e. old standards that can be dressed up and bluesified). Hmm… must fish out my vast collection of Gracie Fields albums.
May 2016 Another old muso mate bites the dust. Johnny Hammond, drummer with the original Big Roll Band, Al Kirtley Three etc, sadly died yesterday (15 May). He was a good, solid drummer and a good laugh, and as Roy Phillips, later of The Peddlars, put it to me he’s now reached his coda. Now Hammond’s left the stage, there’s only Zoot and me left out of the original 5 members of the Big Roll Band. (I’ve explained to Zoot that if I go before him and he plays at my funeral to remember that the Dead March is in a minor key.)
You can see a video of John Hammond and me playing in France in 1996 here.
Apr 2016 2016’s turning out to be a lucrative year for yrs truly’s music and literary efforts. Music payouts YTD now exceed a staggering ten quid, thanks to both the 1967 Abbey Road session for The Giles Brothers and The UK Mixmasters single that got to number 14 in 1991 (see Discography). On top of that, royalties have been pouring in for my 2012 book ‘Act of God’ (see my Amazon page) and have now reached 27 US cents. And, as you’ll see from that page, a used copy of ‘A History of the Blacketts’, which sold out last November, is now on sale for £210! If I pop my cloggs will the price soar even higher? Or would nobody notice (except me)? I think it’s time for a lie down until the excitement passes.
Apr 2016 I’ve unearthed a few more photos, mostly of Palookaville, Covent Garden, which have been added to Gallery 1990s
Apr 2016 Over the years I’ve had hundreds of enquiries from one or two people about the cartoon of me in the top panel on these pages. It was drawn one drunken night at Mori’s Bar, in Rue de France, Nice by Jack Pennington, who was one of a bunch of us who used to go to the Nice Jazz Festival every year. (Click here for image.) Jack was an accomplished cartoonist who drew cartoons of a number of jazz musicians, and following his death in 2006 a number of eminent jazzers played at a memorial concert for him. You’ll find a report of that here.
Feb 2016 A brief postscript to last night’s gig at the Bulls Head. Whilst chatting with Zoot Money about a documentary recently shared on Facebook about Screaming Lord Sutch, featuring the promoter Reg Calvert, Zoot reminded me that it was his act that Sutch had disrupted at one of our gigs at Weymouth, and not, as I’d thought, Dave Anthony’s. Zoot had been doing a slow (for him) number when Dave Sutch came swinging towards us hanging from the roof supports and belting out Tarzan calls. Such vignettes could of course be of immense importance to future students of ancient rock history and I’ve corrected the piece in The Bournemouth Years (Lead Guitar) (NB. This is probably the only recorded instance of anyone out-looning Zoot Money.)
Feb 2016 Yet another night of merry-making at the Bulls Head, Barnes with Zoot and the guys. Sat in for a few numbers as usual, this time including a few Fats Domino ones, as it’s his 88th birthday tomorrow (Fats, not Zoot). And how nice to see Ronnie Johnson back playing after he broke his hip last year while going offstage in Dublin on the last night of the Leo Sayer tour. Ronnie kindly gave me a copy of his 2005 album ‘Field Day’ – wonderful stuff, and reminiscent of Pat Metheny. (NB. Sad to say that my big brother, Stan Kirtley died last Friday, aged 94. Wonderful, modest guy – former Spitfire pilot and later a Wing Commander, who could play Honky Tonk Train Blues faster than any of us, including Rick Wakeman etc, and even Mead Lux Lewis, who wrote it.)
Jan 2016 I’ve added a transcript of my brother Stan talking about his RAF experiences, including as a Spitfire pilot in World War II, which you’ll find by clicking here.
Nov 2015 Uploaded another composition to SoundCloud and Reverbnation. Check out Sunrise. Now that’s out of the way am wrestling with complexities of Logic Pro so I don’t have to bother my son or grandson for help.
Oct 2015 Yet another night of happy mayhem at the Bull’s Head, Barnes (see pic in Gallery 2010s. Sat in for a number, as did the wondrous Kenny Clayton, who played some awesome chord inversions in ‘Georgia’. And I got to meet two really nice Blackett cousins, who’d found out about the gig. And… Paul MacCallum apparently saw, while in Bournemouth recently, someone up a ladder cleaning the blue plaque outside the old Downstairs Club (see Blue Plaque page) Could it have been Ed Roberts trying to retrieve one of his false nails?
Oct 2015 Just added an image of a programme from a Trendetters Ltd gig with Gerry and the Pacemakers to The Bournemouth Years (Piano)
Oct 2015 Nice little reunion gig tonight with my old mates, Dave Crabtree, Mick Kirby and Tony Eden at Dave’s daughter’s wedding. First time all four of us had played together since Tequila Sunrise days more than 30 years ago. Lots of laughs and just one set of Jerry Lee Lewis, Spencer Davis, Status Quo, Billy Joel etc numbers. (Old musos never die, they just do shorter gigs.) (See pic at Gallery 2010s)
Sep 2015 Just added to Soundcloud playlist a wonderful track by my old mate, the late Tony Lee. Check out Teach Me Tonight. Got to know Tony and his wife Olga while I was working in Richmond in the early 1980s and often used to give him a lift to his gigs at the Bulls Head, Barnes, where we sank many a pint.
Sep 2015 Whilst hunting for something else, came across a box of old tapes of gigs from many years ago. I’ve added two tracks from them to SoundCloud, viz ‘The Cat’ from a Four Way Split gig at The Windmill, Windlesham, Surrey in 1996, and ‘George’s Dilemma’ from a Birdland gig at Palookaville, Covent Garden, London in 1989. Just scroll down through the first few SoundCloud tracks to play/download them.
Sep 2015 Just spotted in the Bournemouth Echo site that in a list of readers’ past favourite rock venues someone has included the Al Kirtley Trio residency at the Potters Arms, Hamworthy. How nice that it’s remembered after 45 years.
Aug 2015 Sad news. Rog Collis, guitarist and leader of the first two versions of Zoot Money’s Big Roll Band, died in Thailand on 14th August. Another good mate gone. Zoot and I had a two-man wake for Rog down the pub today (19 Aug).
Aug 2015 Just found a YouTube posting by someone of “In a Big Way” by Trendsetters Ltd. Looks like whoever posted it has borrowed some images from my galleries, but who cares? I like the attention! Now added to Discography
Jul 2015 On 17 July 2015 I returned a Count Basie LP to Dan Stooks, son of the late Jerry Stooks, (see towards the end of Downstairs Club page for pic). I borrowed the LP from Jerry Stooks in 1962 and have had it for 53 years. Is this a record? (pun intended)
Jul 2015 Well I never! In January I signed my first ever song publishing contract (for Dinero y Efectivo) and now there’s another one coming up, this one for Friday Night is Rock’n’Roll. At this rate I could give up my day job, if I had one.
Jun 2015 Finished recording a version of a song wot I wrote over 30 years ago. Thanks to my son, Pete, for the drums, and of course for his patience in recording it. Check out Friday Night is Rock’n’Roll
May 2015 Just discovered that, sadly, the old Potters Arms pub in Hamworthy, Dorset has closed for redevelopment. That was a super twice-weekly residency for The Al Kirtley Three in 1969/70. I’ve added an image of the pub to The Bournemouth Years- Piano
Mar 2015 Well I’ll be hornswoggled! Just discovered that a letter I wrote to the Daily Telegraph last October is included in “What Will They Think of Next?”, their book of readers’ letters that never made it on to the Letters page. So at last have achieved much-deserved fame for being unpublished. (Not quite sure that’s the epitaph I’d have chosen, but whatever…) Oh yes, letter reads:
SIR – Having endured the Eurovision Song Contest, any remaining doubts I might have had about voting Ukip have now been dispelled. Yours etc…
Mar 2015 Another pic, this one of me doing a muso’s “tic-tac” sign, added to Gallery 1990s
Feb 2015 Up at the Bull’s Head, Barnes again on Thursday. Zoot and the guys were in absolute top form and swinging like a garden gate. Zoot was singing and playing like a demon. I accused him of practising but he stoutly denied it. Sat in for a couple of numbers and Nick Newall told me he could actually here my steam piano for once through the monitor at the other end of the stage. I should’ve gone and sat there…
Jan 2015 What’s going on? Over the last 4 weeks I’ve had nearly 500 plays of Burning Up the Carnival on Soundcloud. Up till then I’d had about 20 over three years. And they look like real plays, not ones by a robot. It’s very gratifying, particularly as the sound quality’s so poor, as it was taken off a cassette tape of a live recording at Palookaville, Covent Garden about 25 years ago. Keep the plays coming, guys! P.S. The YouTube recording of Dinero has now had more than 200 views too!
Jan 2015 Had some really nice compliments from musician mates whose opinions I respect about Dinero y Efectivo. Aw shucks, fellas!
Dec 2014 What a great Christmas it’s been! Apart from Rig’s Christmas tunes (see earlier post below) being played on Soundcloud all over the world (including Kazakhstan!), we had a super night on Boxing Day up at the Bull’s Head, Barnes, where I got to sit in for a few Ray Charles numbers with Zoot Money and the guys. Kenny Clayton, Petula Clarke’s former musical director, got up too and played a super version of Georgia. And… I had an extra Christmas present from my clever son, Pete, who’s put on YouTube a 1930s video to the audio of Josh and my tune Dinero y Efectivo. You’ll find it on YouTube. A nice bit of editing by Pete, especially the shots of the piano player during the keyboard solo and the bits where the brass section stands up for the riffs. Plus, he quantized my piano playing in the last verse and chorus. I’ve never been quantized before but it didn’t hurt a bit (in fact you could say it put me in my place!). (p.s. it’s not Josh and me doing the dancing, honest.)
Dec 2014 After much persuasion (and bullying) finally persuaded my wife, Rig, to record an album of English/American and Norwegian Christmas tunes. She did a great job and you can hear them on Soundcloud. When you get to the page scroll down a bit and you’ll find them.
Dec 2014 Whoops! Just realized I uploaded an MP3 version of Dinero y Efectivo to Soundcloud (see previous post). The proper WAV file (with much better sound quality) has now replaced it.
Dec 2014 Never thought I’d end up working for my grandson, Josh Kirtley. You’ll find our track Dinero y Efectivo on Soundcloud (K2 has a combined age of 91 years, nearly all of them mine)
Produced, engineered and mixed by Josh Kirtley. All keyboards, bass and Spanglish “vocals” by Al Kirtley. Tune written by Al Kirtley. So stick on those headphones, crank up the volume and have a listen!
Nov 2014 I’ve managed to restore the link to the two tracks recorded by my brother Stan Kirtley in New York City in April 1944. You’ll find them by clicking the MySpace button in the “Find Me On” panel on the top right of this page. (The MySpace button is the left one out of the three.) When you get into the MySpace page just click on “Music” in the panel headed “Al Kirtley” and you’ll find the tracks.