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Memories of a Birmingham Musician (Drummer)!

Wow, now there's a find! I've asked the help desk for guidance on sending a private message, doesn't seem to tell you on the site, or is it my eyes?!!! No, I'm not playing anymore, my wrists gave up the ghost! Finished in 2001, just play golf and crown green bowls now! Will get to speak to you soon.
 
What a great surprise, made my day.

A telephone call from my old mate, Andy Jervis, drummer for three years with the Syd Lawrence Band.

Now living in Nuneaton, and retired from the business, I think we should get him to tell a few stories about his life in the drum business. I know that he has a few to tell.

Eddie
 
Hello Eddie,

Hope you and Beryl are keeping well. All in favour of Andy telling us a few tales. Was he with the Lawrence Band at the same time as Mike Burney (tenor)? Sadly Mike has now passed on but he was with the Band for about eight years.

Maurice
 
sospiri said:
Hello Eddie,

Hope you and Beryl are keeping well. All in favour of Andy telling us a few tales. Was he with the Lawrence Band at the same time as Mike Burney (tenor)? Sadly Mike has now passed on but he was with the Band for about eight years.

Maurice
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Maurice,

I believe that there a few 'Brummies' in the band at that time. I will check it out with Andy.

We are fine, and thanks. Will write.

Eddie
 
Mike Burney used to do a few deps in the band when I was there, he came in permanently a year after I left. I say permanently with reservations, it didn't take long for him to fall out with Syd! Yes there were quite a few Brummies and guys who had settled around Birmingham in those days, Andy Smith and Roger Rae,Scots (Trombone), Harry Moffat, Brian Rankine, Scots, (Trumpets), Trevor Bluck, George Watts, Andy Taylor,Scot, and Pete Whitecross (Saxes), Ken Ingarfield (Bass), Ken Williams (Piano). All have sadly passed away except Andy Taylor and Brian Rankine.

A couple of drinking stories! CAMRA produced a book with all the pubs that sold real ale and as we were were doing mostly one-nighters a couple of the cars that travelled to gigs, (yes we drove ourselves, no band bus but we shared) and they would make a diversion on the way just to find a CAMRA pub. The roadies used to carry all our stuff, drum kit,PA, stands etc in a van and also used to carry a tin chest full of spirits and mixers for us to drink in the interval and after the gig! It was funded by us buying a shot for 25p + 10p for a mixer! One night the roadies managed to run the van off the road and my drum kit was scattered all over a ploughed field! Luckily only the fibre cases were damaged and the booze was intact! Eventually Syd banned the booze, the band was never the same after that! More later!!!

Andy
 
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Andy,

Welcome to the Forum. Nice story about the booze - at least nothing was lost! I did quite a few small group jazz gigs with Mike Burney and he played 2nd tenor in our rehearsal big band until it folded at the end of 1960. George Watts I knew, of course, but I am not familiar with most of the other names as I was based in the Bournemouth area from 1961 and out here in Crete from 2005.

Maurice
 
Maurice,
Blimey! Mike Burney must have been quite young then. I only came to Birmingham in 1960-61, played with George Slater's Band at the old West End in Suffolk St. You'll know Trev Emney tenor player who worked at Marshalls music shop, I think it was called, in Station St. He is still around but he lost his son, also a drummer recently. I also played with Norman Dovey's band later on in the late 60's and early 70's and occasionally with Johnny Lambs big band. Johnny Lamb was trombone player with the BBC Midland Orchestra. He passed away years ago. Didn't realise you moved to Bournemouth so many years ago. You must know Johnny Watmough, sax and clarinet player. I worked with him on a couple of cruises, very good musician.

Andy
 
Andy,

Yes, of course I knew Johnny Watmough - I worked with him for 4 & 1/2 years at the Cumberland Hotel. Sadly John died of a heart attack whilst on holiday a few years ago in Spain, but his wife Barbara is still alive. When they ask the famous question " where were you on the day JFK died?". I can truthfully answer with John & Barbara & my late wife Joy in Le Bistro on Holdenhurst Road, Bournemouth. Other personnel of that band were Brian Mursell on bass - I'm in regular touch with Brian by email and he's still doing a bit of playing - the late Bert Jackson on drums, and Peter Dowdall on vocals - I believe he went abroad somewhere. Brian used to do a lot of cruise work too until very recently.

I did occasional gigs with Trevor Emeney and am glad to hear he is still alive. There was a clarinet/alto player I also did a few jazz gigs with at that time who was in the BBC Midland Light Orchestra, and I'm darned if I can remember his name, I believe he moved to the Halle Orchestra. Others from Bournemouth included drummer Johnny Gibson, who now lives in Birmingham, late drummer Lennie Wright, who both Eddie and I knew, and sax player Don Fay.

Speaking of Norman Dovey, it is most probable that you knew trombonist Brian Newton - still running a big band in Kings Norton a couple of years ago - trumpeter Trevor Darby - still living in Brum, - and my brother-in-law Rex Dorman - on trombone in those days with Brian, but switched to bass when we moved to Bournemouth in 1961 and still playing.

Maurice
 
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Midland All Stars Big Band, featured in a Sunday Mercury Special, somewhere around the end of 1978, just before I quit the band.

Eddie
 

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Our daughter still has the bass drum heading hanging up in her garage Which she uses to keep all her musical instruments) !

Eddie
 

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Saw these three drums for sale today costing only £10 in total. They were in the corner of an Oxfam shop in Esher, Surrey. Made in Taiwan. Dave.
 

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farmerdave said:
Saw these three drums for sale today costing only £10 in total. They were in the corner of an Oxfam shop in Esher, Surrey. Made in Taiwan. Dave.
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Without being able to inspect them too closely Dave, for £10 they appear a real bargain. Obviously only part of a drum kit, and manufactured in South East Asia, the original full drum kit would have sold for around £150 new.
It is a 'starter' drum kit.
Having been to Taiwan three times, I have visited most of the drum manufacturing units, and for the money, they make decent drum kits.

Eddie
 
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Amazing performance of a great classic by Hiromi...seen her many times but never solo.
enjoy!
Dave A
 
sospiri said:
Andy,

Yes, of course I knew Johnny Watmough - I worked with him for 4 & 1/2 years at the Cumberland Hotel. Sadly John died of a heart attack whilst on holiday a few years ago in Spain, but his wife Barbara is still alive. When they ask the famous question " where were you on the day JFK died?". I can truthfully answer with John & Barbara & my late wife Joy in Le Bistro on Holdenhurst Road, Bournemouth. Other personnel of that band were Brian Mursell on bass - I'm in regular touch with Brian by email and he's still doing a bit of playing - the late Bert Jackson on drums, and Peter Dowdall on vocals - I believe he went abroad somewhere. Brian used to do a lot of cruise work too until very recently.

I did occasional gigs with Trevor Emeney and am glad to hear he is still alive. There was a clarinet/alto player I also did a few jazz gigs with at that time who was in the BBC Midland Light Orchestra, and I'm darned if I can remember his name, I believe he moved to the Halle Orchestra. Others from Bournemouth included drummer Johnny Gibson, who now lives in Birmingham, late drummer Lennie Wright, who both Eddie and I knew, and sax player Don Fay.

Speaking of Norman Dovey, it is most probable that you knew trombonist Brian Newton - still running a big band in Kings Norton a couple of years ago - trumpeter Trevor Darby - still living in Brum, - and my brother-in-law Rex Dorman - on trombone in those days with Brian, but switched to bass when we moved to Bournemouth in 1961 and still playing.

Maurice
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Certainly did know Brian, he was in Norman's band when I was. Still see him occasionally at funerals!! Also Trevor Darby, he's still playing, I see him occasionally in Nuneaton Market Place on a Saturday morning playing with a dixieland group!

Here's a story you might like. In early 1958 (18 years old) I was working in the band on the RMS Saxonia taking immigrants to Canada but in the winter we went to New York instead of Montreal, and had a 2 day turnaround so we got to spend some time in the Big Apple. One night we heard Basie was at the Apollo in Harlem so we go on the subway, walked into the Apollo in the interval so there was no one on the door to take any money! We sat through the second half, Sonny Payne was on drums, an idol of mine at the time. At the end we went backstage to see the band, sat talking to the guys until about 11.30pm, walked out of the theatre, down to the subway, caught the train to around 42nd Street and walked down to the ship. What a night that was!! Being in New York twice a month over the winter gave us a chance to visit Birdland where I saw, for $1.80 and a beer, the likes of Miles Davis, Zoot Sims and Al Cohn and the Johnny Richards Band which was like a Stan Kenton Style Orchestra, French Horns and all. I also bought my first brand new Zildian Cymbal from Manny's store there, 22", $22! There was also a bar in New York where the musicians played behind the bar. all the old guys like Charlie Shavers, trumpet and Zutty Zingleton on drums. Not so old was Terry Gibbs and a clarinet player maybe Pee Wee something, it's a long time ago and experiences I'll never forget!
 
Some nice trips there, Andy. I haven't seen Trevor since I left Brum in 1961. Each time I've seen Brian's band, he's put a dep in and the last time I saw the band in 2014, he'd left altogether. I remember Sonny Payne well and I've seen the Basie Band on numerous occasions, the last time at Symphony Hall after Basie's death when Bill Harris was running the Band. I've never managed to spend any time in NYC apart from airports as my destination was always northern PA or Philly or Pittsburg. I guess the clarinet player must have been Pee Wee Russell.

I got to see Spyro Gyra in Luxembourg in 2014 - they were excellent and I got to chat to Tom Schuman afterwards for half an hour and he gave me his copy of the setlist. Otherwise we don't see many outsiders here on Crete. Eric Burden is a fairly regular visitor, but doesn't always perform. A couple of years ago we had a very good student big band from Philly, but apart from satellite broadcasts from the Grand Met, it's pretty much a cultural void.

Maurice
 
Andy Jervis said:
Certainly did know Brian, he was in Norman's band when I was. Still see him occasionally at funerals!! Also Trevor Darby, he's still playing, I see him occasionally in Nuneaton Market Place on a Saturday morning playing with a dixieland group!

Here's a story you might like. In early 1958 (18 years old) I was working in the band on the RMS Saxonia taking immigrants to Canada but in the winter we went to New York instead of Montreal, and had a 2 day turnaround so we got to spend some time in the Big Apple. One night we heard Basie was at the Apollo in Harlem so we go on the subway, walked into the Apollo in the interval so there was no one on the door to take any money! We sat through the second half, Sonny Payne was on drums, an idol of mine at the time. At the end we went backstage to see the band, sat talking to the guys until about 11.30pm, walked out of the theatre, down to the subway, caught the train to around 42nd Street and walked down to the ship. What a night that was!! Being in New York twice a month over the winter gave us a chance to visit Birdland where I saw, for $1.80 and a beer, the likes of Miles Davis, Zoot Sims and Al Cohn and the Johnny Richards Band which was like a Stan Kenton Style Orchestra, French Horns and all. I also bought my first brand new Zildian Cymbal from Manny's store there, 22", $22! There was also a bar in New York where the musicians played behind the bar. all the old guys like Charlie Shavers, trumpet and Zutty Zingleton on drums. Not so old was Terry Gibbs and a clarinet player maybe Pee Wee something, it's a long time ago and experiences I'll never forget!
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Aaaah. Dear old Mannys, in New York, they, together with Frank Ippoltos Professional Percussion, also in N>Y, and the Hollywood Professional Drum Store, were the best drum stores in the United States.

A couple of old business cards that may interest Andy & Maurice
 

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Good afternoon Eddie,

I trust you are keeping well. I know the name of Manny's, of course, though my only recollections of NYC are getting stuck in the traffic on George Washington Bridge!

Thanks for the business cards, though I don't think I ever had one as a musician, though umpteen in later life.

And here's one for Andy of the late Johnny Watmough - he'd be in his early 30s here.

Maurice
 

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Reg Hudman a drummer, (who is now 88 years and still playing) and I wandering around New York in 1957 asked a NEGRO chap, "Hey, how do we get to Carnegie Hall?" He answered "PRACTISE MAN PRACTISE" Vavoom, Drum roll Eddie!!!! Photo is Paul Kingsley(trumpet) and his Orchestra (From Brum)Paul Kingsley 001.jpg Paul Kingsley 001.jpg . at the Palais ballroom (NOW a super market) Isle of Man in 1956, Reg Hudman on drums, me 2nd alto.Roy Brownson. first alto. You may know some of the others.Rosie Appleton Dennis Brown singer's (Dance music, NOT jazz by any means) but great fun.
 
oldbrit said:
Reg Hudman a drummer, (who is now 88 years and still playing) NOT jazz by any means) but great fun.
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I well remember Reg working with the Vincent Ladbroke Band, in the fifties.
Then you both went off to try your luck in the States.

I did hear that he returned to 'Brum', but left again for the States. Where is Reg living now, John?

Eddie
 
Reg is now 88 years young. Still in good health, lives alone, his wife died from cancer a few years ago. I found him on the internet, he lives in Montesano, near Seattle Washington USA. I called him a few months ago and he was very surprised to say the least, Have not talked to him for 60 years. He did have his own big band in Seattle in the 1970s, We hope to visit him next month. (By the way Eddie. I was way out of my league in the USA and had I kept at it with all the drugs booze and broads I would have been dead by now) but have no regrets about coming over to America.
 
Yesterday at the Vintage Drum Show in Coventry.

Unexpected, and great honour, to hear my name announced when I arrived.
Met up with Andy Jervis, from Nuneaton, we are old friends from way back.. Andy is a very fine drummer in his own right, and was the engine room (the drummer), in the Syd Lawrence Band, for three years. Check out the Syd Lawrence L.P's. Not only was Andy the drummer on those L.P's , but he can also be seen in the L.P photographs. (Now someone will ask the question: "What is an L.P?")._._

At the Vintage Drum Show was a drum kit with the name Sonny Igoe written across the front of the bass drum head. May mean very little to many folk, but Sonny was a great American drummer, that at a very young age, won the National American Gene Krupa DRUMMER OF THE YEAR award.

Yesterday I was reminded of Sonny when, in some long forgotten American city, and some even longer forgotten night club, I arrived with Bob Zildjian, from the world famous cymbal manufacturing company. The featured band was led by Al Hirt, a great American trumpet player, and Sonny was the featured drummer. After the show Sonny came over to our table to say hello, and left two hours later, after a most wonderful conversation. A lovely man, and great drummer.

Eddie
 
Way before the advent of the internet, I saw Sonny's photograph in an album of pictures of well known drummers. I'm not even sure how I acquired the album now or even approximately what year it was, but the name stuck and I hadn't heard it for many years until Eddie's posting above. As a reminder to Eddie, here's the late Sonny being interviewed by his son Tommy Igoe, also a drummer and a bandleader. Here's to the memories, Eddie!


Maurice
 
I'll be offline for several days from now due to major roof repairs here - catch up with everyone soon.

Maurice
 
Eddie,

Sadly we're waiting for a forecast of four days dry weather, so now they won't rip the tiles off till Monday. More like "Twiddler on the Roof", my thumbs getting plenty of exercise!

Maurice
 
Nice to see my friend, and fellow drummer, Ian Palmer, doing so well.

Ian has been working with another fine drummer from Birmingham, Pete Cater, and top American drummer, Steve Gadd, currently rated as the most respected drummer in the world.

A couple of years ago Ian underwent a life threatening, very serious operation, to his head.

Not only has Ian recovered well, and once again, playing great, but his drumming career is now followed with great interest.

In between all of this Ian is also a pilot for Virgin Airlines.

A young and talented man that I am proud to call a friend, and a drummer that Birmingham should be very proud of.

Eddie
 
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