[Dixielandjazz] Ken Colyer was Trad Jazz

[John Petters]

Morning Steve,

On 16/01/2011 10:11, Steve Voce wrote:
> Humph thought that Colin Bowden was the best of the British 'New
> Orleans'-style drummers and used him on his Buddy Bolden album,
> where he tried to recreate what he thought early New Orleans jazz
> probably sounded like .

His judgement was sound.
I've put Colin into swing sessions at some of my festivals and he plays 
that style splendidly too.
That Bolden session was good. Too often I found Humph's rhythm sections 
too polite.

> I don't think any of us thought much of Colyer's playing. Compared to
> Pat Halcox for instance (or indeed to Humph himself, of course),
> he couldn't play the instrument very well and therefore was handicapped
> in trying to express himself.
I think with Ken, you have to accept his limitations. I seldom listen to 
any British jazz - life's too short - but following the launch of Mike 
Pointon and Ray Smith's superb book, 'Goin' Home - the uncompromising 
Life Story of Ken Colyer', I played the free CD several times. There was 
something about Ken which transcended the excesses of British trad. It 
was an honesty.

When I booked him to play with my band in Harlow in '85 I really didn't 
want to do the gig. My head was in the Goodman Krupa vein at the time - 
but I needed the money.

"What kind of drums do you want behind you, Ken?", I asked, thinking he 
would say press rolls, blocks etc.

"Swinging drums, man", he replied.
That was good enough for me. I enjoyed that session and the others I did 
with him at the time, one of which was recorded and issued.
We even did a session at a Basildon shopping centre with Jim Douglas, 
who Ken asked to play acoustic guitar rather than the banjo.



John Petters
www.traditional-jazz.com
Amateur Radio Station G3YPZ