[Dixielandjazz] Ken Colyer

[Judy Eames]

Brian and all,

I came to jazz through the Chris Barber, Dick Charleworth, Acker Bilk, Kenny
Ball route.... they played my "pop" music.

Early Ken Colyer was a closed book to me and, as I said before, I first came
across him playing live in the late  70s/early 80s.   I've never heard Pee
Wee Russell or Brad Gowans live so I don't know what their charisma rating
was:-) but I like their recorded stuff.  I suppose if I'd been  a bit more
impressed by KCs live performances in his later years I might have bought
records.  As it is, I shall trawl through Tony Davis's collection , find
some Colyer and listen with open ears.

There does tend to be a snobbery in jazz circles towards people like me who
came to the music through a revival period  and don't live and breathe it.
At a time when many of you were glued to the jazz headphones, I was singing
in the London Philharmonic Choir which was a bit like having a second
(unpaid) job some weeks so there wasn't a lot of time to delve into history.
My jazz diet was mostly provided by the Grey Horse in Kingston where my
favourite band was Frog Island. I saw Ken Colyer play there with pick-up
bands but never saw him set the stage alight.

I certainly acknowledge that KC was a great force in UK jazz but I don't
like the quasi religion that now surrounds his name...... I wonder how he'd
have felt about it?

Jude





Judy Eames
Kaminsky Connection
Aston, Oxfordshire
UK
www.judyeames.co.uk
----- Original Message -----
From: "Brian Harvey" <pembroke.dock02 at ntlworld.com>
To: "DJML" <dixielandjazz at ml.islandnet.com>
Sent: Monday, June 13, 2005 2:35 PM
Subject: [Dixielandjazz] Ken Colyer


>
>
> I was saddened by the lack of appreciation and understanding of Ken
Colyer's
> work by fellow list members last week.
> Most seemed to be ignorant of the fact that he could take a pick-up band
and
> have such a catalytic effect that in just a few numbers it could sound
fine.
> They also seem blissfully unaware of his appreciation and understanding of
> the unique inner rhythms of New Orleans jazz with which he was able to
> infuse his own bands.
> When Judy said of Ken that she could not see what all the fuss was about
> then I suppose she would say the same about Pee Wee Russell or even Brad
> Gowans?
> Percy Humphrey - the much respected veteran New Orleans trumpet man said
of
> Ken after playing in the same band with him - "Ken - he knew".
> Ken's work, his greatness was obviously - and sadly - to subtle for many.
> Brian Harvey
> --
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>
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