John Periam takes a trip down memory lane to the jazz scene of the Swinging Sixties...
I had always liked jazz from a young age – growing up with the sounds of Bob Wallis, Cy Laurie and Ken Colyer – including Ken’s all-night sessions at his club in London leaving at six in the morning to hitch a lift back to Hythe in Kent.
However; changes were afoot whenIjoinedKodakinLondonas a member of their Kodak Colour Show Team. It was there that I met Warren and Veryan – I think they took pity on me as I lived in abedsitthenandattimesinvited me out to meals and to Veryan’s parents’ house at Harrow Weald where herfatherFrankbrewed some great homemade beer, which we drank listening to Jo Harriot and Johnny Dankworth recordings. It was my first inroad to modern jazz.
PriortojoiningKodak, VeryanworkedforaCarlo Krahmer who had his own record company called Esquire Records which recorded many of the then greats of British modern jazz including RonnieScott,JoeHarriott and the Dankworth’s. Carlo lived with his wife Greta in Bedford Court Mansions in London and had his small recording studio in the basement.
I was introduced, and before long I was sitting with them and others from the London jazz scene at the Royal Festival Hall – always the same front row seats (still got the tickets) which Carlo got from Harold Davidson who arranged these London concerts. You name them we sawthem,DukeEllington,Count Basie, Sonny Still, Miles Davis, Ella Fitzgerald, Modern Jazz Quartet and many others. After each concert an invite backstage to meet the musicians often followed. Princess Margaret loved her jazz and was often there also. It was such an honour to meet them all. I remember meeting Duke Ellington and he put his arm around my shoulder and came out with his famous quote ‘I Just Want You to Know I Love You Madly’. Ella gave me a kiss on my cheek and Milt Jackson from the MJQ was always asking me if I had any sugar lumps in my pocket!
Ronnie Scott’s club was nearby and sometimes we often popped along there to Gerard Street then his Frith Street Club. Carlo was sadly blind and Ronnie knew him well as Carlo had recorded him several times.
Hence anyone with Carlo was always an invited guest to the club. I wondered if Ronnie ever madeaprofit–toomanyfriends!
Sometimes after concerts the musicians came along as well as celebrities that loved the place. Spike Milligan, Michael Parkinson, and Kenneth Clark MP and Judy Garland along with many others who knew if they came there they would not be recognisedorpesteredbyothers.
There was the hidden musicians’bardownstairswhich Ioftenusedtogoto.Iwouldmeet regulars there including George Melly enjoying his brandy whilst chatting to the likes of Stan Getz, BenWebster,DexterGordonand Stan Tracey. To me this was my little hideaway and it was where
I first started to collect jazz autographs. Many signed on the back of beer mats and other bits of paper I may have had in my pockets.
The club was run by Ronne andhispartner–fellowmusician Pete King and we became good friends. Larry the Lights was another part of the club and looked after the stage lighting fromhislittleboxbehindthenice tables in the club. Sometimes I would pop into Ronnie’s office behind the small stage and he alwaysmademewelcome. He loved chess and on one occasion I met Coleman Hawkins there enjoying a nice game with him. The club closed at 3am each morning so it was always another late night for me.
Other times I would meet up with Carlo and wewouldwalktotheclub. Beingblindheknewevery pavement and pothole in the road and walked without any concerns often faster than me humming a nice version of ‘Mood Indigo’ what a lovely man!
I eventually moved out of London and became a sale rep selling veterinary products all over the world. However when home I often popped up to the club. Trips to the States happened and I was able to visit some of the jazz clubs there such as including the Village Vanguard and Slugs. I met Willis Conover, who knew Carlo and was the presenter of Voice of Americas radio Jazz Programme and compared the Monterey Jazz Festival. We had a meal at ‘Jim and Andy’s’ in New York (a jazz hideaway for many) to my surprise when I joined himtherewasDaveBrubeckand SonnyStittwithhim.Afterwards we went to the Village Vanguard where I remember meeting Sonny Rollins and we shared memoires of Ronnie Scott’s club chatting over a sandwich in the clubs kitchen.
I loved Slugs Jazz Club in Harlem. That was where I managed to hear Pharaoh Sanders, and Cecil Taylor which extended my jazz horizons. Albert Ayler played there as did JohnColtranefromtimetotime. I met Howard Johnson the Tuba playerandforthenextthreedays he was my guide around New York getting me discounts on LP records. We still keep in touch.
Back to the UK. Ronnie and I became good friends. I recall him visiting a jazz club at a pub in Hove. By then I moved to Shoreham by Sea and had become a volunteer on the RNLI Lifeboatthere.Itookthreeofthe crew along. I was chatting at the barwhenafriendlyhugappeared from behind. It was Ronnie. My pals were amazed.
In those days I had my Labrador called Shelley. Once the band had started Shelley went under my seat (front row again)–shefellasleepandstarted to snore softly. After the first set Ronnie said with his dry sense of humour. ‘It is the first time in my life playing ‘Chasing the Trane’ that I have sent a member of the audience to sleep woof! Not to worryhisownerJohnisoneofmy old mates. He then in the interval returned with a nice pint of beer andapacketofcrispsforShelley.
What wonderful memories I have and thank you Warren and Veryan at Kodak for setting it off for me. I have a rather large jazz collectionathomemanyofwhich werepurchasedfromthefamous Dobell’s Record shop in London.