[Dixielandjazz] George Melly

[Graham Martin]

It was sad news indeed for me to hear of the death of George Melly and I was pleased to see that The Weekend Australian newspaper had a full column obituary. It seems his fame was wider than I had thought. It also reminded me of the rather charming name of that early band in which he was the vocalist(?) - Mick Mulligan's Magnolia Jazz Band. They were a pretty rough, but enthusiastic, band and sounded nothing like the name the beautiful magnolia blossom might suggest. They improved a lot when people like Roy Crimmins and Lennie Hastings joined the band.  

George once claimed to be the only holder of a British passport that listed his 'occupation' as 'blues shouter'. I have got to say that I was not too keen on his singing style but there is absolutely no doubt that he was the consummate entertainer, especially in the 1950s when he was part of Mick's band. Actually, George wrote several autobiographical volumes and, like Bill, my favourite was "Owning Up", which dealt with the years with Mick. What a bawdy mob they were!  

I don't know why I remember this, but it was typical of the stage act of the Mick Mulligan band in pre jazz boom years. I was attending a jazz club in Harrow (Mick and myself were from Harrow) and the tune was "Didn't He Ramble". In those days, most local jazz clubs were held in community and civic type halls. In this one there was a pull-down fire curtain at the front of the stage with several local business advertisements showing on the bottom section, one of which was for a local funeral director. George did the normal "Ashes to ashes. Dust to dust. If the Devil don't get you ..." and looking up at the curtain, "Saville & Sons must." I guess you had to be there.... Or perhaps several black velvets consumed before going to the club made it seem funnier.

I thought members might be interested in this cut from The Independent's obituary for Mick Mulligan, who died only last December:

"It was in Mick Mulligan's Magnolia Jazz Band that the young and equally outrageous George Melly came to fame. Comrades who burnt the candle at both ends and in the middle they were in some ways opposites - despite his outrageous behaviour Mulligan was essentially shy, carefully sidestepping Melly's exotic and profligate flamboyance. In their day the two men burned a trail of scorched earth through the pubs and virgins of Britain and, as their admiring colleagues would say, neither has anything to come back for (Melly is of course very much alive). The word "raver" was coined to describe them because of their ceaseless roistering."

Now they can truly say that, "neither has anything to come back for" The pair are likely raving their way through gigs with the big jazz band in the sky. I would think right now!

This is the full Mick Mulligan obit:

http://news.independent.co.uk/people/obituaries/article2094638.ece

After I left the UK, I understand George was one of the favourite touring jazz acts and always attracted the best of musicians to play with him - Johnny Chiltern's Footwarmers and then the Digby Fairweather Six.

It was definitely Trad Jazz Dad! So wheel out the Tardis guys. I'm going back to the 1950s AGAIN!!!

British jazz, and we ex denizens (pommies), will miss the personality of one George Melly.

Vale George - 'Blues Shouter'.

Grah

Graham Martin
COOCHIEMUDLO ISLAND
Queensland, AUSTRALIA

E-mail: grahmartin at bigpond.com