[Dixielandjazz] Acker

[Patrick Ladd]

Acker lived at Pensford. About 8 miles from my home and within easy reach of Bath and Bristol. I couldn`t claim to have known him but he was always around  `the scene`.

Although `Stranger on the Shore` which was only the background music for a TV series will always remind me of him, his appearance on  local TV News with his band when he had just returned from a tour in Germany which really established him was the defining moment for me. His interview was hilarious. His thick Somerset accent and his sense of humour came through clearly. The interview  closed with the expected `Will you play something for us`. Acker picked up his clarinet, turned to the band and said `Blow, you buggers` and played the show out.
I knew a guy from Pensford who was in Ackers early group. He told me that the band won a local talent contest in the very early days, and part of the prize was the opportunity to play at the dance which followed the contest. Unfortunately the band only knew two tunes, one of which they had won the contest with and were stuck trying to be a `real  band ` for the evening, more or less making it up as they went along. I was also told that before the band had settled into its regular combination various musicians came and went and it was not unusual that an instrument which no one could play was required for an arrangement.  Acker would depute someone to be able to play  by next Saturday and an instrument would be borrowed or hired and someone in the band would learn the simple fingering  or a couple of chord shapes well enough to be able to get through the number.

One thing Acker never had a problem with was the waistcoats and bowler which seems to worry some of our listmates so much.

Pat