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| Johnny Keating... |
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Johnny Keating was born in Edinburgh, Scotland in 1927 and started his professional career as a trombonist and arranger. Having moved down to London he worked with Tommy Sampson in the late 1940s, and then early in the 1950s with the Squadronaires who were then broadcasting regularly on the BBC. He arranged for both bands and in 1950 joined Vic Lewis as lead trombonist for two years before landing a job with Ted Heath as a trombonist. Heath had heard the Squadronaires on the radio and had taken note of the trombone feature that Keating had played. Through 1952/53 Keating was employed as a trombonist but wrote several original compositions for the band during this time. Don Lusher's arrival put paid to Keating's aspirations as a trombone player for Ted Heath and he left to take up arranging again working for Ambrose and Geraldo. |
When Reg Owen, Heath's chief arranger, left in 1954 Keating was invited to fill that role, and he stayed, with just a few short breaks, until the early 1970s before he became the in-house arranger for Decca Records. In the mid 1950s Keating made two records featuring his own arrangements and premiere British jazz musicians of the time (details below) recorded in different combinations. In 1964 he made an album entitles Swing revisited that featured tenor sax player Tubby Hayes. The discography below contains full details of the jazz recordings that Johnny Keating made as leader, mostly featuring his arrangement. He made big band records, as a musician, with the the Vic Lewis Orchestra and with Ted Heath. |
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This album was titled as "No.1 in an International Jazz series by Oriole records. Nearly all the musicians were drawn from the current Ted Heath band plus others with recent associations with the band. Only George Chisholm who plays on one title only and Bill Le Sage never had been connected with Heath. The players were split into various combinations and all the conducting and arrangements were by Johnny Keating, Heath's chief arranger at the time... Johnny Keating All Stars - March 19th and 20th, 1956 (British Jazz - Oriole MG20011) Eddie Blair (tp), Don Rendell (ts), Ronnie Ross (bs), Bill Le Sage (p), Johnny Hawksworth (b), Ronnie Verrell (d). Strictly For Kyx*/Good Life*. Don Lusher, George Chisholm, Maurice Pratt, Keith Christie (tb), Bill Le Sage (p), Johnny Hawksworth (b), Ronnie Verrell (d). Quads Talk*. Don Lusher, George Chisholm, Maurice Pratt, Keith Christie (tb), Don Rendell (ts), Bill Le Sage (p), Johnny Hawksworth (b), Ronnie Verrell (d). Fair Diana*. Bill Le Sage (p), Johnny Hawksworth (b), Ronnie Verrell (d). Impromptu*. Eddie Blair (tp), Bob Efford (ts), Bill Le Sage (p), Johnny Hawksworth (b), Ronnie Verrell (d). Ultraviolet*. Eddie Blair (tp), Don Rendell (ts), Bill Le Sage (p), Johnny Hawksworth (b), Ronnie Verrell (d). Eddie Blair's Picnic*. Eddie Blair, Bobby Pratt (tp), Jimmy Wilson (tb), Ian Powell (tu), Ronnie Chamberlain (as), Don Rendell, Tommy Whittle (ts), Ronnie Ross (bs), Bill Le Sage (p,vib), Johnny Hawksworth (b), Ronnie Verrell (d), Dizzy Reece (bgo-1). Gibraltar Rocks*/Piccadilly Jumps* (1). Eddie Blair (tp), Ronnie Chamberlain (as), Don Rendell (ts), Ronnie Ross (bs), Bill Le Sage (p,vib), Johnny Hawksworth (b), Ronnie Verrell (d). Lazy*. Don Rendell, Tommy Whittle (ts), Bill Le Sage (p), Johnny Hawksworth (b), Ronnie Verrell (d). Last Resort*. Jimmy Faulds (f,oboe), Henry Mackenzie (cl), Danny Moss (b-cl), Ian Saunders (EngHrn), Bill Le Sage (p), Johnny Hawksworth (b), Ronnie Verrell (d). Snowface*. (*Vocalion CD - British Jazz & Swinging Scots) Keating's second album was a series of groups varying in size from a sextet to a big band. Musicians for this album were selected on the odd basis that they had to be genuine Scotsmen! Again, all the arrangements were by Keating... Johnny Keating All Stars - April 29th and 30th, 1957 (Swinging Scots - London LTZD 15122)(JM1058) Bobby Pratt, Tommy McQuater, Eddie Blair, Duncan Campbell, Jimmy Deuchar (tp), Jock Bain, Jimmy Wilson, Wally Smith, George Chisholm (tb), Burt Harden (tu), George Hunter, Ronnie Baker (as), Tommy Whittle, Duncan Lamont (ts), Ronnie Ross (bs), Andy Dennits (p), Alan Metcalfe (g), Jack Seymour (b), Bobby Orr (d). Hampden Roars*/Down South Blues*/Clachnacudan Local*. Bobby Pratt, Eddie Blair (tp), George Chisholm (tb), Burt Harden (tu), George Hunter (as), Tommy Whittle, Duncan Lamont (ts), Ronnie Ross (bs), Andy Dennits (p), Alan Metcalfe (g), Jack Seymour (b), Bobby Orr (d). Headin' North*/Loch Ness Monster*. Eddie Blair, Jimmy Deuchar (tp), Ronnie Baker (as,cl), Tommy Whittle (ts), Ronnie Ross (bs), Andy Dennits (p), Alan Metcalfe (g), Jack Seymour (b), Bobby Orr (d). Thistle Swing*/Tam O'Shanter*/Kiltie*. Duncan Lamont (ts), Ronnie Ross (bs), Andy Dennits (p), Alan Metcalfe (g), Jack Seymour (b), Bobby Orr (d). Double Scotch*. (*Vocalion CD - British Jazz & Swinging Scots) Keating's third album saw the band augmented by a french horn section and again a number of star jazz musicians were used. Again, all the arrangements were by Keating... Johnny Keating & his Band - 1964 (Swing revisited - London SP44034) Bert Courtley, Bobby Pratt, Eddie Blair, Jimmy Deuchar, Stan Reynolds (tp), Keith Christie, Johnny Edwards, Maurice Pratt (tb), Maurice Gee (b-tb), Jim Buck, Ian Beers, Brian Brett, Charles Blomfield (fhrn), Ronnie Chamberlain (as,sop), Roy Willox (as,f), Duncan Lamont (ts,cl), Tubby Hayes (ts,f), Dan Halliwell (bs,as), Reg Guest (p), Jim Sullivan (g), Freddy Logan (b), Ronnie Verrell (d), Barry Morgan (cga). Night Train*/When The Saints Go Marching In*/The Stripper*/What'd I Say*/Li'l Darlin'*/Opus One*/I've Got A Gal In Kalamazoo*/Tuxedo Junction*/Oh, Lonesome Me*/Headin' North*/Hallelujah Gathering*/One O'clock Jump* . (*Vocalion CD - Swing revisited) |
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