Having only just found this thread, I trawled through it with great interest, and it brought back many memories.
After National Service, I returned to the Birmingham Music scene in January 1954, and remained very busy, as a musician, for the next six years, until I left Birmingham in1959, but was pretty busy between those yeas with both Dance bands and "modern jazz" groups. The "fifties" were really before the R&R years, skiffle only beginning in the mid 50's. Until that time dance bands, dance halls, Jazz & jazz clubs still were the most popular.
Main Birmingham dance venues were:
TONYS, Hurst St. - Resident band was Colin Hulme, with Gerry West on drums, Bobby Harrison (tpt), Al Stone (piano) Roy Reynolds (tnr), Reubin Wynn (bar. sax). Cannot remember the girl singer, but she went on to marry Colin Willets. Colin left Brum for Leicester Palais, then Nottingham Palais, before returning to Birmingham to open the new Locarno ballroom in Hurst St. (more about that later).
WEST END BALLROOM: Sonny Rose band with Tommy Webster (drums), John Patrick (pno), Vic Mortiboys (bass), Alan Randle (vibes), Harry Smart & Jackie Nunn (tpts, George Watts (alto). What a great rhythm section that was.
TOWER BALLROOM, Monument Road: Cliff Deely Band, and included Gordon Langhorn (trombone), later known as Don Lang, Norman Allen on Drums.
GRAND CASINO BALLROOM, Corporation Street: Harry Gray Band & Kenny Day Trio (Kenny would often be with Sheila Buxton, singer). Harry Gray Band were later replaced by Billy Walker Band (brother of Jimmy Walker, great jazz pianist). When the resident band took their summer break, bands such as the Jack Parnell Big Band, or the Ray Ellington Quartet featuring Marion Ryan would be featured.
The Regan family owned Ritz Ballroom, Handsworth & the Garry Owen Club in Small Heath, and the bands were run by Charlie Simpson. I would sometimes "dep" at both these clubs when asked by Charlie.
Other ballrooms were around, but these were the best for resident bands and dance music.
A further band that I "depped" with was the Ronnie Hancox Band featuring Susan Maugham. I always declined taking up a resident job because my real interest was in "modern "jazz". This leads me nicely onto the Jazz Scene in the early to mid fifties.
I would sometimes "dep" with the BEV PATTY QUARTET. This small group was led by Alf (Bev) Bevin, a very talented jazz pianist, and a man that I grew up with in my school years. The alto player was Brian Harrison, and they produced a very nice Brubeck style sound. Alf, or Bev, actually won the musician of the day award at the Melody Maker Band Championship at Bellvue in Manchester, at around this period. My main jazz group however was THE JOHNNY BECK SIX. A band form by excellent young musicians from the Birmingham School of Music. it was: John (Beck) Smith -alto, Alan Toblin (tpt), Harry Burrows (tenor) Vince Thomas (bass), and self on drums.