We are supported By Essex County Council, Libraries
National Jazz Archive,
Loughton Central Library,
Traps Hill, Loughton,
IG10 1HD
Telephone: 020 8502 0181
Fax: 020 8508 5041
E-Mail: david.nathan@essexcc.gov.uk
Archivist: David Nathan
Founder: Digby Fairweather
Press Releases
DOWNLOAD THE PRESS RELEASE DOCUMENT OF THE SECOND GRANT AWARDED TO THE NATIONAL JAZZ ARCHIVE BY THE HERITAGE LOTTERY FUND.
National Jazz Archive 21st Anniversary Celebrity Interview
Digby Fairweather distinguished jazz trumpeter and founder of the National Jazz Archive
in conversation with David Nathan, N.J.A. Archivist and then..
Why not also come to KENNY BALL’s ALL-STAR CHRISTMAS CLAMBAKE!
Tuesday 1st December 12 noon-2.30pm
A festive celebration of Dixieland and Swing and will feature Kenny and include the Karen Sharp Quartet, Ted Beament Trio and Digby Fairweather’s All-Stars.
At 100 CLUB,Oxford Street,W1 Admission £10 at door.
All proceeds to the National Jazz Archive
NATIONAL JAZZ ARCHIVE- SUMMER JAZZ EVENT
The internationally renowned trombonist Roy Williams was the celebrity guest at the National Jazz Archive’s Summer Jazz event held at Loughton Methodist Church on the 11th July.
The hour long interview with Digby Fairweather,the founder of the Archive which is supported by Essex County Council, was a delight and flew by and seemed like a conversation between two old friends which indeed they are.
Roy talked about his career which goes back over fifty years and despite having had no formal training on the instrument – he went to a music teacher when a teenager who told him “ to try something else!!!!”
Despite this with his natural talent he went on to play with some of the world’s finest musicians including Henry “Red” Allen (a particular favourite); Earl Hines who was a great stickler for detail; Sidney Bechet, Ruby Braff, Wild Bill Davison, Bud Freeman and stints with Peanuts Hucko and The World’s Greatest Jazz Band.
In the 1960’s he spent five years with the Terry Lightfoot band including an appearance in the film “It’s Trad Dad” and spoke with great affection about his 12 years with the great Alex Welsh Band then moving on to join Humphrey Lyttelton’s Band and more recently apart from much freelancing, with the Pizza Express All Stars, the Great British Jazz Band and Dave Shepherd’s Band.
He also appeared at many International Jazz Festivals and donated a program from the 1968 Newport Jazz Festival to the Archive..
Roy was a big fan of The Goon Show and once when appearing at the Pizza Express, Maidstone, Spike Milligan was there and sent a message for a request for “Here’s that rainy day” to be played – when later on Roy duly announced this and started to play ,Spike got up and walked out!!!!
The interview was followed by a ninety minute session of terrific live music and Roy and Digby were joined by Dave Gelly ( tenor sax) , John Altman ( curved soprano sax ) ,Pete Cater (drums), Roger Curphey (bass ) , John China (keyboards) and Nevil Skrimshire (guitar).
The audience gave a rousing reception to both the interview and the live music.
(All photos supplied by John Root of Ongar Jazz )
The National Jazz Archive
Summer Jazz Event
ROY WILLIAMS Britain’s premier jazz trombonist in a celebrity conversation with DIGBY FAIRWEATHER, followed by live music from ROY, DIGBY and Friends
On Saturday 11th July 2009
1.30 p.m. – 4.30 p.m.
at Loughton Methodist Church
260 High Road
Tickets £10 – contact David Nathan at the Archive in Loughton Library
Tel.020 8502 0181
or email david.nathan@essex.gov.uk
or visit during opening hours:
Mon, Tues, Wed, Fri 10 – 1
The National Jazz Archive is supported by Essex County Council
(Photography by David.J. Thomas)
The National Jazz Archive
gratefully acknowledges receipt of a
Project Planning Grant
from the
Heritage Lottery Fund
to facilitate increased access to a valuable heritage asset
The National Jazz Archive (NJA), situated in Loughton Library, Essex, is the UK’s premier research and information centre for jazz, blues and related music. Concentrating on written, printed and photographic documentation of the music, the NJA has amassed a body of information that can truly be considered world-class.
While the NJA exists to help researchers, students, the media and the general enthusiast, one of its shortcomings is that its location is not easily accessible to the majority of the population. In a bid to partially resolve this, the NJA has developed an outreach programme to provide the libraries of selected universities and music colleges throughout the UK with duplicate materials. However, in this electronic age, it is to the internet that most people turn as a first resort and the NJA is therefore embarking on a long-term project to digitise its collection and make it available over the web.
In order to finance this step forward the NJA intends to make a bid to the Heritage Lottery Fund (HLF) for funding towards access improvements for the collections and archives. However the HLF recognises that to develop a well-reasoned bid for funding is a time-consuming and expensive process and so has awarded a Project Planning Grant, of £47,900 to NJA towards the costs of employing a Project Officer and preparation of various planning documents. The NJA has until March 2009 to complete this work.
Angela Davies, with 17 years experience in the art and heritage sector, and a wealth of expertise in generating digital assets, has been appointed as Project Officer. Angela has successfully managed large-scale art and heritage web-based projects for a number of years; since 2000 she has managed the Heritage Images online picture library and during this time she and her team have sourced, edited, key-worded, digitised and marketed several high profile national heritage collections. She has expertise in the creation and management of business information systems for large corporates and has been a consultant for many years in this sector.
Notes to editors:
The NJA’s archive consists of comprehensive book and periodical collections (including many rarities, and complete runs), concert/festival brochures, photographs, posters, record catalogues, correspondence, memorabilia and ephemera; whilst it principally features British and American materials, foreign works are also collected. The NJA maintains links with both the British Library’s National Sound Archive (which collects jazz on record) and the British Institute of Jazz Studies, and together these three organizations form one of the largest jazz research resources outside the USA.
From its inception and humble beginnings in 1988, the NJA has evolved into an invaluable resource, and its standing is reflected in the calibre of its supporters: Baroness Amos, Liane Carroll, Deirdre Cartwright, Gary Crosby and Courtney Pine all recently accepted offers to join Sir John Dankworth CBE, Dame Cleo Laine, Sir Michael Parkinson CBE, Kenny Ball, The Rt Hon John Prescott MP and George Webb as its patrons.
The NJA is the brainchild of trumpeter Digby Fairweather - a former librarian himself - and is run by a committee including representatives from Essex libraries, the British Institute of Jazz Studies, and Jazz Services. Although supported by Essex County Council (ECC), the NJA is an independent body registered as an educational charity with the Charity Commission. ECC funds housing, a part-time Archivist, and an acquisitions budget.
For further information contact: Angela Davies at adaviesheritage@aol.com
The National Jazz Archive is at Loughton Central Library, Traps Hill, Loughton, Essex IG10 1HD
nationaljazzarchive.co.uk
The Heritage Lottery Fund enables communities to celebrate, look after and learn more about our diverse heritage. From our great museums and historic buildings to local parks and countryside or recording and celebrating traditions, customs and history, HLF grants open up our nation’s heritage for everyone to enjoy. They have supported more than 26,000 projects, allocating over £4billion across the UK, including over £270million to the East of England alone.
The National Jazz Archive
proudly introduces its new patrons
Baroness Amos, Liane Carroll, Deirdre Cartwright, Gary Crosby and Courtney Pine
The National Jazz Archive (NJA), situated in Loughton Library, Essex, is the UK’s premier research and information centre for jazz, blues and related music. Concentrating on written, printed and photographic documentation of the music, the NJA has amassed a body of information that can truly be considered world-class. The archive consists of comprehensive book and periodical collections (including many rarities, and complete runs), concert/festival brochures, photographs, posters, record catalogues, correspondence, memorabilia and ephemera; whilst it principally features British and American materials, foreign works are also collected. The NJA maintains links with both the British Library’s National Sound Archive (which collects jazz on record) and the British Institute of Jazz Studies, and together these three organizations form one of the largest jazz research resources outside the USA.
From its inception and humble beginnings in 1988, the NJA has evolved into an invaluable resource, and its standing is reflected in the calibre of its supporters: Baroness Amos, Liane Carroll, Deirdre Cartwright, Gary Crosby and Courtney Pine all recently accepted offers to join Sir John Dankworth CBE, Dame Cleo Laine, Sir Michael Parkinson CBE, Kenny Ball, The Rt Hon John Prescott MP and George Webb as its patrons.
The NJA is the brainchild of trumpeter Digby Fairweather - a former librarian himself - and is run by a committee including representatives from Essex libraries, the British Institute of Jazz Studies, and Jazz Services. Although supported by Essex County Council (ECC), the NJA is an independent body registered as an educational charity with the Charity Commission. ECC funds housing, a part-time Archivist and an acquisitions budget.
While the NJA exists to help researchers, students, the media and the general enthusiast, one of its shortcomings is that its location is not easily accessible to the majority of the population. In a bid to resolve this, the NJA is currently developing an outreach programme to provide the libraries of selected universities and music colleges throughout the UK with duplicate materials. However, in this electronic age, it is to the internet that most people turn as a first resort and the NJA is also embarking on a long-term project to make much of its material available via this medium.
Notes to editors:
Baroness Valerie Amos
Jazz lover Baroness Amos is the EU’s Special Representative to the African Union and was, until June 2007, Leader of the House of Lords. Other posts have included Secretary of
State for International Development, Parliamentary Under-Secretary for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs and government whip. Born in Guyana, Baroness Amos has degrees in sociology from the University of Warwick and in cultural studies from the University of Birmingham. She was chief executive of the Equal Opportunities Commission from 1988 to
1994.
Liane Carroll
Multi-award-winning pianist and vocalist Liane Carroll is widely hailed as one of the most entertaining and moving artists on the current jazz scene. Born in London and raised in Hastings, she was playing piano at the age of three and working professionally at 15. After touring the world with Trevor Watts’ Moiré Music she struck out on her own. As well a string of successful
recordings under her own name, she has worked with an assortment of top performers, ranging from Sir Paul McCartney to Gerry Rafferty to Ladysmith Black Mambazo.
Deirdre Cartwright
Deirdre Cartwright became known to millions as the guitar presenter of the ground-breaking BBC TV series Rockschool. She first came to notice in the 1980s, touring worldwide with the Guest Stars. As a solo artist she has played with American guitar legend Tal Farlow and Jamaican composer Marjorie Whylie. With her own band she has recorded several successful albums, the latest being Tune In, Turn On, Stretch Out. She co-runs Blow The Fuse, a London club with a forward-looking musical policy.
Gary Crosby
Gary Crosby is an inspiring teacher, organiser and top-rank bass player. He was a member of the original, ground-breaking Jazz Warriors, and now directs the fortunes of their successors, Tomorrow’s Warriors. Gary also formed and led the hugely successful band Jazz Jamaica. Since 1996, in partnership with Janine Irons, he has run the Dune Music Co, which includes management and publishing divisions and an award winning record label. In 2007 Gary Crosby received the BBC Radio Services to Jazz award.
Courtney Pine
Among the best-known of all British jazz artists, Courtney Pine has been a magnetic figure and a source of inspiration to young musicians ever since his appearance on the scene in
the mid-1980s. He is a virtuoso saxophonist and a dedicated seeker after new modes of expression within the jazz idiom, recently incorporating contemporary popular styles into his own distinctive approach. Courtney also presents Jazz Crusade on BBC Radio 2. He holds a honorary doctorate of music from the University of Westminster and was
appointed OBE in 2000, for Services to Jazz Music.
The National Jazz Archive is at Loughton Central Library, Traps Hill, Loughton, Essex IG10 1HD
nationaljazzarchive.co.uk
END
2008 Celebrity Interview
Acker Bilk
in conversation with Digby Fairweather on Thursday 20th November 2008.
SUMMER JAZZ EVENT 26th JULY 2008
SWINGING SHEPHERD!!
Dave Shepherd the legendary swing clarinettist was the star attraction at Loughton Methodist Church on Saturday 26th July first being interviewed by Digby Fairweather the founder of the Archive about his career and then playing live with a great band.
The capacity audience of 200 were richly entertained with stories from his professional career which spans seven decades and started with a band at Leyton Youth Club but he reflected on his first ever public appearance which was sponsored by the Young Communist League and their
review stated “the clarinet was weak and unsteady!!!”
His early influence was Artie Shaw and he also liked players such as Pee Wee Russell, Irving Fazola, Matty Matlock and Woody Herman but the man whose music he became most associated with was the great Benny Goodman.
The first professional gig was after military service when he played in Joe Daniels Jazz Group the name changing to Joe Daniels Hot Shots when they toured variety theatres and Dave’s singing specialty was “You gotta see your mama every night or you can’t see your mama at all!!!”.
His early work centred around the east side of London and his big break came with the great Freddy Randall who he thought was a fantastic trumpeter and he joined his Band in 1947 at eighteen when he deputised on Sunday’s for Bruce Turner at Cooks Ferry Inn.
In the early 1950’s he went to the USA where he saw many of the great names of Jazz and got a residency at “The Casa Lou” in Long Island where he was introduced as Sir David Shepherd!!
He came home in 1956 and started his quintet and also did the first of many hundreds of broadcasts for the BBC.
He talked about a major highlight of his career when he was invited to join Norman Granz JAZZ AT THE PHILHARMONIC tour with the Dill Jones Quartet but meeting such famous names as Roy Eldridge, Dizzy Gillespie, Coleman Hawkins, Sonny Stitt and becoming a friend of Ella Fitzgerald who he said was a lovely person.
Dave recounted the tale of when they were touring in the Yorkshire area Dizzy Gillespie threw out a challenge on the tour bus to Norman Granz that he could beat him in an 80 yard race so when they saw a side road about that length in a small village the driver stopped while everybody got out to watch the race including Ella and the locals looked on in amazement as the bowler hatted Dizzy won this most unusual event!
He worked with Freddy Randall again during the difficult period with the trad boom and then the arrival of the Beatles and co. in the1960’s but late in that decade he met Teddy Wilson who had played in the Benny Goodman Quartet subsequently touring with him three times. On their first meeting Dave asked Teddy what did he want to play and he replied “Anything you know!!”
Teddy liked a drink after gigs and Dave a non-drinker himself invited him to his house in Theydon Bois but did have some alcohol at home
and started to pour gin into a large tumbler and told Teddy to say “when” and as it reached the very top Teddy said “That’s coming on real fine!!!”
Dave joined the Pizza Express All Stars in West End’s Dean Street which was a very productive gig as he led them from 1980 to 2002.
Now living in Bournemouth, Dave has cut down on touring and has residencies in a local hotel and restaurant.
A brief question and answer session followed and a prolonged ovation ended a splendid interview and the subsequent live music showed that Dave has not lost any of his ability to swing.
Whilst the band was setting up the raffle well organised by NJA Trustee Jane Hunter-Randall abetted by vice-chairman of the Trustees Graham Langley produced over £300 for the NJA and thanks go to the prize donors , Smiths Brasserie Ongar, Wavendon Foundation, Northway Publications, Sainsbury’s Loughton, Sally-Ann Worsfold ,Nevil Skrimshire and Dave Shepherd who donated two of his CD’s.
The band led by Dave and with Digby on trumpet then played superbly for nearly ninety minutes and the other fine musicians were Chris Gower (trombone), Pete Cater (drums) , Len Skeat (bass), Tim Huskisson (keyboards) and special guest John Altman (curved soprano sax).
The numbers played included “China Boy;” “Running Wild” -with a knockout solo from Dave; “Memories of You”; “Basin Street Blues”; “I Saw Stars”; “Avalon”- a great feature for John; “Do you know what it means to miss New Orleans”; “Hindustan” and for the finale “Pennies from Heaven” they were joined by Bill Thompson who played great trumpet and that fine “elder statesmen” Nevil Skrimshire on guitar.
Both the jazz and the weather were hot and the audience showed their appreciation for the terrific work put in by all concerned.
David Nathan
Archivist -NJA
