[Dixielandjazz] Kenny Ball

Tue, 26 Nov 2002 23:42:26 EST

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In a message dated 11/26/02 6:59:40 PM Central Standard Time, 
james@jiming.demon.co.uk writes:

> ><< Do any of you English "cats" know if Kenny Ball is still alive and 
> active?
> >
> > >>
> >
> >Kenny Ball is still alive but not that active at the moment having 
> undergone
> >major surgery not that long ago. I understand that his band is still 
> touring
> >and he goes and appears with them but is unable to play at the moment. The
> >word is that he is slowly recuperating.

    I remember the Kenny Ball band when they came to Chicago in the 60s.  Bob 
Scobey had his band comfortably and permanently ensconced in a club called 
Bourbon st. on Rush St. in Chicago.  Scobey got a deal to tour Europe with 
the Harlem Globetrotters.  The British & American Musicians union had cooked 
up a crazy arrangement where in if an American band came into England a 
corresponding British band had to play in the States.  This put a real cramp 
on things but the Brits felt that it was necessary to keep the British music 
scene fairly free of American infestation.  So, Scobey and the Globetrotters 
arranged for Kenny Ball to come to Chicago and to play at Bourbon St.  

Bourbon St. was a thriving club with a mix of conventioners, locals and jazz 
fans.  The Kenny Ball Band with its driving enthusiasm and repertoire was a 
big hit. I went in there a number of times after gigs and really enjoyed 
Kenny's group.  I met the trombonist, John ? and invited him to my house but 
we never did get together.

I don't know if Kenny Ball ever came back to the States but they certainly 
made their mark in Chicago.

Jim Beebe

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<HTML>In a message dated 11/26/02 6:59:40 PM Central Standard Time, james@jiming.demon.co.uk writes: 
 
 
<BLOCKQUOTE TYPE=CITE style="BORDER-LEFT: #0000ff 2px solid; MARGIN-LEFT: 5px; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0px; PADDING-LEFT: 5px">&gt;&lt;&lt; Do any of you English "cats" know if Kenny Ball is still alive and active? 
&gt; 
&gt; &gt;&gt; 
&gt; 
&gt;Kenny Ball is still alive but not that active at the moment having undergone 
&gt;major surgery not that long ago. I understand that his band is still touring 
&gt;and he goes and appears with them but is unable to play at the moment. The 
&gt;word is that he is slowly recuperating.</BLOCKQUOTE> 
 
&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; I remember the Kenny Ball band when they came to Chicago in the 60s.&nbsp; Bob Scobey had his band comfortably and permanently ensconced in a club called Bourbon st. on Rush St. in Chicago.&nbsp; Scobey got a deal to tour Europe with the Harlem Globetrotters.&nbsp; The British &amp; American Musicians union had cooked up a crazy arrangement where in if an American band came into England a corresponding British band had to play in the States.&nbsp; This put a real cramp on things but the Brits felt that it was necessary to keep the British music scene fairly free of American infestation.&nbsp; So, Scobey and the Globetrotters arranged for Kenny Ball to come to Chicago and to play at Bourbon St.&nbsp; 
 
Bourbon St. was a thriving club with a mix of conventioners, locals and jazz fans.&nbsp; The Kenny Ball Band with its driving enthusiasm and repertoire was a big hit. I went in there a number of times after gigs and really enjoyed Kenny's group.&nbsp; I met the trombonist, John ? and invited him to my house but we never did get together. 
 
I don't know if Kenny Ball ever came back to the States but they certainly made their mark in Chicago. 
 
Jim Beebe</HTML>

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