Coventry Jazz Clubs

Hello Tom. Good to see the picture, sadly it was after Dud had died. I think it was probably taken in 1966 just after I had left the band for college. I still keep in touch with some of those people - John Falloon, Bob Caldwell, Brian Bates and Mac Randle and occasionally see Mike Kemp and Derek Habberjam. Keep well, all the best.

Now, let me see, I believe I first met you when we were introduced by the Alderman whilst all three of us were strolling through Sir Lady Herbert's Gardens. Hold on, I had at that time already known you for a while, were you not at one time wont to sit in on some class of a reed instrument with the Tierra Buena Jazzband Monday evenings (nights we called them back then) at the Pilot in Radford? Had you not the sweetest (in a rugged fashion, of course, lest there be any misunderstanding) of a reed instrument tone that ever existed? And you certainly showed me around that sandlot on the road to Coventry from down Mexico or Meriden way where LAWRENCE OF ARABIA had been filmed? And do you recall that when our walk back to Coventry came to a halt each and every Sunday morning (over more Sundays than Beecham had pills; specifically, four or five) at Ma Brown's, and listened to that elderly Irish ex-soldier of the British army who had served gloriously in the declining days of the British empire in India, that gentleman that described the many and various places in India that bore the legend DOGS AND SOLDIERS NOT ALLOWED. I learned of John's death in 2014 or later, and wrote to Mo that I had no idea of John's departure. for all that she and I had agreed in 2008 that my September visit that year probably would be my last, she likely thought that I should keep in touch. My return to Toronto was on so many levels vexatious that I neglected my duties to John and Mo. That I should at least tried to keep in touch.is clear. It beggars belief that I should hear from you indirectly, by way of a forum that no longer compels my interest as once it did (my own problems, not the Forum's), but hear from you I did. I thought those Sunday morning walks, which began with a Basie or Herman recording, played in that one-room bedsitter on Holyhead Road, Sunday walks that my son, Sam, thought spanned years, were (are) among my fondest memories).

I will try to identify all of the musicians in the Dud Clews Jazz Orchestra photograph, for my own purposes, for the Captain's. Johnny Astle - drums, Ian (I think) Hamilton - bass, Brian Bates, Jock Falloon - trumpets, Mac Randle, Colin Notsure - cl/ten, Bob Caldwell, unknown - other reeds, Derek Habberjam, Paul Munnery - trombones, Michael Kemp - piano, Bernard Overton - banjo/guitar. LongfordLad

Colin Wharton - Tenor/clarinet. Tom Holt (me) - Baritone/Alto. Not sure if you got piano right - the pianist position was a bit of a revolving door.

Sorry, Tom, that I failed to name you, but I at least got Colin Wharton's first name right. While I agree with what you assert respecting the piano bench, the person playing piano in the photo definitely is Mike Kemp from my recollection, but then it all is so long ago. Goodness, I forgot you! Thank you for what you gave us all. Imagine - in the 1960s - a band in the provinces dedicated to the music of Oliver, Henderson, et al. Best regards, The first person on the door in the history of the club.

Does anyone have any memories of the jazz club held alternate Mondays at the Bulls Head, Binley Road, in the early 1970's? I was in my early 20's and lived virtually next door in Coombe Street, and remember standing at the upstairs bar with Stan Tracey and cannot recall who else I saw! On the other Mondays there was the Folk Club, where I attempted a few spots and so got a thoroughly rounded musical education.

Hi Alex, welcome to the forum. Hopefully someone will share some memories.

Can anybody put any names to the faces in this photo? I played trombone (Barry Jones).

And this one.

Hi, Trombone Harry. I love these photos with the guys in their jazz hats and the fabulously mod singer. What is the approximate date of the photos and where did you play?

Foleshill Jazz Club, Railway Tavern, taken by Richard Sadler, probably 1951-2. I believe this is the Buena Tierra band that later moved to the Pilot Hotel. There's an advert for them in the Umbrella Club magazine. If you go to Cov Dig and search 'jazz', you'll find more from this set.

Does anybody have any memories of the Idaho Jazz Club which ran on Thursday nights in the 1950's at the Mercer's Arms? We played a mixture of trad, Ellington and modern. It packed punters in for several years. Personnel included Paul Barnes and John (Jock) Falloon on trumpets, his brother Rab (guitar), myself (trombone), Bob Caldwell (alto), Art Griffiths (tenor), Chris Allen (drums), Malcolm Pickup (piano) and Chris Smith (bass), I think. Incidentally we all had attended the Coventry Art School. Paul Barnes left to front TV programmes on Granada, Central and BBC TV, replaced by Garth Bass. Eventually Paul went on to become an executive at Anglia TV. Rab Falloon, to the disgust of us self-opinionated young jazz musicians, joined Victor Sylvester and I remember that several months later Rab, on a return visit, waved a wad of bank notes in our faces which put us all in our place! I also remember that the Rialto Casino ran a Midlands Jazz Club competition which we subsequently won. I remember starting the evening in my Rialto band jacket, changing for the competition into my Idaho jumper, blowing our competitors off the stage, before switching back to my Rialto band jacket to see out the rest of the evening.

With help from John Ashby ("The Captain" on here) and the photo below from this post, I can reveal two things about this image.... the drummer's name is John Astle..... and he (and therefore the bass player, too) is right handed. So, the scan of the above image is mirrored.

I'm thrilled by these music memories. Recalling where a band played, then where they moved onto. Brill.

Hi Rob I've updated that asset. Thanks for the info. Any more on the jazz club, please let me know. Ben