[Dixielandjazz] British Ban of US Musicians

[Stephen G Barbone]

>  "Robert S. Ringwald" <robert at ringwald.com> wrote:
>
>
> I also saw this remark in Humph's obit.  I am curious as to what  
> brought
> about this ban?  Especially after the Glen Miller band being  
> stationed in
> the UK during WWII and being so popular?  Another stupid move on the  
> part of
> the musician's union?

Dear Bob:

This is what Wikipedia says, from an article about Gerald Walcan  
Wright 1904 to 1974, who was a UK band leader known as Geraldo. He  
also placed musicians on transatlantic cruise liners and the business  
was known as "Geraldo's Navy":

Cheers,
Steve Barbone
www.myspace.com/barbonestreetjazzband

 From the mid-1930s for a period of some twenty years, American  
musicians were banned from performing in the UK by the British  
Musicians Union. The ban was in retaliation for a similar restriction  
in the USA which prevented British musicians from working in the  
States. It was especially frustrating for post-war British jazzmen who  
wanted to see and hear their American idols. However, one way for them  
to cross the Atlantic was to join the dance bands of Cunard liners  
such as the Queen Mary, Queen Elizabeth, Mauritania and the QE2, or  
Canadian Pacific vessels like the Empress of England and the Empress  
of Canada. The Cunarders were especially popular because when they had  
docked in New York, the musicians would have one or two nights free to  
visit jazz venues like Birdland on Broadway, just north of West 52nd  
Street in Manhattan, or clubs in Greenwich Village. Some even arranged  
to take lessons with American stars during their shore leave: for  
example, Bruce Turner took saxophone lessons with Lee Konitz.