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Many musicians played a part in the British modern jazz story during from the 1940s through to the early 1960s. Further information can be found on the website for those listed on this page. The site also has record discographies for all the major figures as well as indications for records made by others. Of the musicians who played regularly at Club Eleven on its formation back in 1948 only tenor sax player Ronnie Scott became a lasting figure in the British jazz scene. Johnny Dankworth remained a major figure in the popular music scene leading what was probably our best jazz tinged big band. It was always hard to make good money solely as a jazz musician in the 1950s and 1960s and bands tended to form and reform shuffling the same personnel, hoping to hit the commercial bullseye. Modern jazz was difficult music to play. It demanded a high standard of musical and technical ability to cope with the fast tempos and complex harmonies and the best performers were something of a musical elite whose abilities were in demand elsewhere. Victor Feldman soon emigrated to America and Jimmy Deuchar and Derek Humble signed up for commercial work in Germany. |
Jazz groups have many unsung heroes especially double bass players and drummers. Besides those highlighted on these pages many others played their part, often without much opportunity to be featured, and without them jazz would not have existed as we know it. Details of other musicians who appeared on the jazz scene during the period covered by this website, and are not currently listed, will be added in the future. Bands such as Ted Heath, Jack Parnell, Vic Lewis, Kenny Baker, and Ivor and Basil Kirchin played a part in nurturing young musicians who became jazz musicians in time. They often gave temporary employment to otherwise out of work jazz musicians. Going further back in time the bands of Harry Parry, Harry Hayes, Tito Burns, Buddy Featherstonehaugh, George Chisholm and Carlo Krahmer made their individual contributions to the music... The part played by the black British swing bands during the 1940s is also important to the early modern jazz in Britain. |