Tributes paid to jazz band leader

A COMMUNITY jazz band have been “torn apart” after their inspirational leader died suddenly.

Ieuan Harris, 65, chairman of jazz band The Merthyr Luminaires, died on Thursday when he had a heart attack while driving.

Friend and band committee member Rhian Addiscott, 37, said Mr Harris would be missed in the community.

She said: “He was a very wellknown man within the community.

“As well as taking the band to the United Kingdom Federation of Jazz Bands World Championships last year, he was also a devoted husband and a devoted father.

“He and his wife were inseparable, and we have received messages from jazz bands across the country who have expressed their condolences.

“The messages just keep flooding in.”

Mr Harris and his wife Linda set up the band more than three years ago and recruited members online.

They were responsible for taking the successes of the group, leading The Merthyr Luminaires to competition victory.

Mr Harris was also a well-known council employee.

He had worked as a street cleaner for a number of years and had only recently retired.

Ms Addiscott said: “Now he was confident that he had the band in a good place, he was going to run for the role of councillor in the upcoming local election.

“He was going to run for an Independent party in the Cyfartha ward.

“He got asked to run all the time – but recently he began to feel like he had more time to do it.”

Ms Addiscott said that the band have been “torn apart” since his death but said they’ll never forget his dedication to the team.

“He told us we could win last year – and we did,” she said.