The Portsmouth Jazz Band
The Portsmouth Jazz Band
(No. 11, in a series on BRITISH JAZZ MEN)
Any visitor to the "Windy City"
(Portsmouth!) interested in hearing
some hot jazz—Chicago style-—-can find
it on alternative Monday evenings at
the Conservative Hall, Fratton Road;
home of the Portsmouth Rhythm Club
— just a few blocks away from Basin
Street. Yes, Portsmouth has a Basin
Street. but unfortunately the local
council won’t grant a licence to build
a jazz club there!
Christmas of 1950 saw the two jazz
clubs then operating in Portsmouth
amalgamated for a special Yuletide
party. and it was at this affair that
firm appeared the nucleus of the present,
Portsmouth Jazz Band.
During 1951 they concentrated on intensive rehearsals and the problem of
combining their individual talents into
a cohesive unit. At a local recording
session in the summer of that year the
band was not only introduced to the
technique of recording, but also afforded
the Opportunity of hearing and criticising their own work. This salutary experience taught them a great deal and
they settled down to more hard work
The result of this was quickly evident
in a most marked improvement in ensemble performance.
With five front-line and four rhythm
this rather large band was invited to
play with three other traditional groups
on Southampton’s 1951 Riverboat
Shuffle. At last the band was beginning to receive some of the credit it
so rightly deserved. Many fans who
attended the six hour Salem Shuffle
proclaimed the Pompey ‘boys the best
group aboard.
Since than the band has played many
dates in and around Portsmouth, including some memorable sessions at the
Southampton Rhythm Club. With the
opening of the Portsmouth Rhythm Club
in September of last year the band was
established as the resident group for
traditional sessions.
Due to the exigencies of National
Service the band has now decreased in
size to six Pieces, but the original feeling and group inspiration is very much
in Evidence. Chicago style prevails
with a strong accent on the music once
turned out by the fabulous Muggsy
Spanier Ragtime Band. Like the
originators of the style, the boys play
it rough and solid with the accent on
dynamics.
The band has undergone very few
changes in personnel since it adopted
the small group linc-up; the only serious
problem being the acquisition of a new
drummer when the original skin-beater.
Dave Toms. joined the Navy several
months ago.
POWER-HOUSE WHlTFIELD
Twenty-two year old Doug. Whitfield
leads the group on cornet/trumpet and
sometimes dabbles on piano. Employed
as a clerk at the Portsmouth Power
Station. his playing has shown steady
development during the past two years.
The young trombonist. Don Baker,
started playing in 1949, and prior to
joining the Pompey Jazz Band gigged
around with one or two local groups.
Clarinettist Ron Male, is an old-timer
in the local jazz movement: he played
with Roy Brewers Jazz Group in 1940,
and during the early part of the last
war played with groups organised by
Bill Cole at the old Portsmouth Jazz
Club—-well-known to servicemen who
were in Pompey during those days.
The man who tickles the ivories is
twenty-nine year old Les Lindsay from
London. Les started playing piano in
1943, and his first job was sitting in with a group at the Red -Barn. Barnhurst.
Since joining the Pompey Jazz Band,
Les has become very popular. and His
hobby of photography is fast growing
info a money-making business.
The bassist and guitarist are a dual
combination: sometimes Portsmouth
Rhythm Club secretary (guitar playing)
Ted Piggott. occupies the chair with the
band——that is when he is not tied. up
with his many club duties-—and at other
times bassist/guitarist Ken Miles takes
over. Irrespective or this sounding
like a Chinese puzzle the band always
has one or the other on hand at all its
engagements. Ted Piggott, who received hon. mentions at several
Southern Area Melody Maker Contests
with the now defunct Bill Cole Clubmen, works out most of the band's
arrangements. Ken Miles is also a
great asset in more ways than one.
Whenever the boys want to check on
progress along comes Ken with His
portable tape recorder.
Finally. we come to the drummer,
and what a character! Jackie Watts
or “Ugle Chile " as the boys call him.
started playing at fourteen years of
age. During the last war he played
in the RA. Light Orchestra and Dance
Band-—-the Pompey Jazz Band has provided his first job in the jazz field.
1952 has so for proved o very successful year for the band and future
bookings indicate a growing interest in
its work. The standard of presentation is by no means perfect. but very
commendable in view of the comparatively short time the boys have been
playing together. Their enthusiasm
would seem a guarantee of steady
development in the future. and an
assured place amongst the leading
English jazz groups.
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