Whilst studying Architecture at Bournemouth College of Art!

I used to hire paddle steamers and promote Jazz. The first event was in 1960 and was an outstanding success. I promoted this with fellow student Mike Ross from Winton if my memory serves me correct.

With my share of the profit I took a cross channel ferry, a train to Paris and then another to Madrid.

I arrived unannounced at the doorstep of a Spanish Senorita that I had met the previous summer holidays whilst working as a waiter in a Swanage hotel to help pay for my architectural studies.

We enjoyed "cuba libres" on the Calle Serano and dancing in the Retiro Park:-)

As you will see from the 2 tickets above I carried on promoting with a partner the trombone player with the Gerry Brown Jazzmen. I had suggested to him, Stewart Gledhill that Gerry Brown recorded a version of "The Green Fields of Summer" from The Alamo. He did not listen and Kenny Ball recorded it and it was an instant success making this traditional jazz band. They obviously wanted more that the seventy five pound fee agreed, but there was a contract that they could not break.