Showing posts with label Traditional Jazz. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Traditional Jazz. Show all posts

Monday, July 27, 2009

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.

Sunday, April 27, 2008

Humphrey Lyttelton 1921 - 2008 "the best Trumpet player in England" said Louis Armstrong

Humph died peacefully with his family and friends around him on April 25th at 7.00pm following surgery.

When I was at RMA Sandhurst (1956/58) I used to go up to London to hear him play. My closest contact with him was.

One of my best friends at RMAS was Tony Green, the editor of the Daily Telegraphs son. We had been invited to a Debs Ball at the Savoy. My MG J4 was out of action so my father had lent me his Morris 12 drop head couple, I think 1936 vintage and quite rare. Being a farmer, there was straw poking out of the boot. As we pulled up the doorman offered to park the "farm car". As we got out a voice said "Tony what are you doing here?" - " Dancing" replied my friend. "What are you doing here Hump?" "Playing" replied the very amiable jazz man. You will be missed by many Hump.

Leon Neals Photo: humphrey (2)


http://www.humphreylyttelton.com/contact