Coventry Jazz Clubs

I suspect that - for some - this thread ran its course, by which I mean that some people thought it a great idea to kill this discussion. Well, you did, and you know who you are....

It wasn't me, Officer.

No, it wasn`t you Mike. However, I might include myself among the assassins. I should have realized that the age spread between me at eighteen and most of the leading performer lights (or even the serious fans) on the Coventry jazz scene at the time could not possibly have narrowed over the years. The gap then was ten to twenty years. It came as a pleasant surprise to learn that there were folks still around who played back then; indeed, who still were playing. The problem from the outset was the direction I determined for the thread, a day-by-day (Monday through Sunday) reconstruction of the places jazz was played in Coventry. I believe I started well with words on the Tierra Buena Jazz Band, a band that played every Monday evening at the Pilot in Radford, but it was downhill all the way from there as I knew I had no idea what bands played where Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday. I fell into my jazz journalism pattern, fighting internecine battles within the music, battles that had been won or lost many years earlier, battles that were no longer of moment. So it fell apart, as I twisted in my misery, a misery out of which nobody would put me. So, no, Mike, you did not put me out of my misery, but I would have thought less of you had you bothered to do so, mon ami!

Thanks all for the memories. A bit late to this conversation, but I was a member of the Dud Clews Jazz Orchestra in its early days. Started with the band when I was 15! Alto/Baritone. Introduced by my brother Chris who played bass with a few of the bands in Cov. My mother took the money at the door and bought me my first half-pint at 15! I also did a couple of the arrangements. I was a less than average player but was held up by all the great musicians in the band. Dud was amazing and could light up the room. I read recently the Johnny Astle had passed away, there was an obituary written by Paul Munnery (trombone). Not sure who else from the band has survived. My career took me to London and away from Coventry but those were fun days and good memories.

Good to hear from Longford Lad, RS in Toronto. Sorry to say our dear friend John Astle died a short while after you last saw him. Also I remember Holtom and his brother Chris and the jazz parties at Matlock Road; we also played together in the DCJO. My jazz days began at the Modern Record Club in the YMCA run by Ray Nettleton. My live jazz listening began at the Queen in Primrose Hill Street listening to the Godiva Jazz Band with such musicians as Cy Smith, Colin Potter, Gordon Bostock, Mac Randle and Jeff Woodhouse. On the rare occasion I stood in for John Reid on clarinet at the Pilot. I was a founder member of the DCJO; Dud being an old friend from way back. My playing days ended a few years ago when I left the second tenor chair with the Avon Big Band led by Tony Noble.

Hi holttom, welcome to the forum. It's been a while since Longford Lad posted but a lot of people regularly lurk until they see something they are inspired by. Others pop in from time to time.

Hello Holtom. You were on the front line of the DCJO at the same time as me - I sat at the other end of the section next to Bob. Get your old pictures out we're all there Captain Jack

Gordon Bostock's wife May was my father's aunt. She recorded a CD of Christmas songs on her 100th birthday.

Johnnie Walker - I always remember Gordon Bostock's wife as Beth and she wouldn't be a hundred even now. I never heard her singing!

Must be one of their kids then......

Hello Johnnie Walker. I think I've worked it out. I see that May's surname was Bastock and in fact Gordon's surname was Bastock even though we all knew him as Bostock. I'm fairly sure May was Gordon's mother and I do vaguely remember him visiting her when she was quite old!

There is a topic for her on here - May Bastock

I believe Coventry's very first jazz club, about 1950, was at the Colin Campbell, next door to the Gaumont cinema, run by a man named Des Lawrence, but I know little about it.

Wish I had some old pictures (edit.....found one...see next post) but with all my travels in life...too much to describe.....much has fallen by the wayside. This quarantine has got me reminiscing which is how I fell on this forum. But great to reconnect....those were really fun days, especially for the young lad that I was.. never did understand how I got into the band but I did my best. The sax has long gone ... I just tinkle on a keyboard now.

The Dud Clews Jazz Orchestra circa 1962 at the Mercer's Arms