Jazz Notes - Alex Hill – Pianist – Composer and Arranger 1906 - 1937
Alex Hill, born Little Rock Arkansas on 19th April 1906, was an important figure on the Chicago jazz scene in the 20s and later on worked at the Savoy in Harlem.
He is a largely forgotten figure these days, buy an important one nonetheless.
He was taught piano by his mother and worked with Alphonso Trent before organising his own band in 1924. He was the musical director of a travelling revue and found himself in Hollywood, playing atmosphere music for silent film sets. He played with New Orleans trumpeter, Mutt Carey’s Jeffersonians before moving to Chicago.
In the Windy City, he played with Carroll Dickerson, Jimmy Wade and Jimmie Noone.
He appears on some fine Chicago Southside sessions with Albert Wynn’s Gut Bucket Five, Junie Cobb as well as a superb session in 1929, which produced “South Bound” and “Dyin’ With The Blues”.
He was an early jazz composer and arranger and collaborated on a number of songs with Fats Waller, including “I’m Crazy ‘bout my Baby” and “Baby Brown”.
He made some important recordings with Eddie Condon in the early ‘30s and was composer of ‘Long about Midnight, a hit for Cab Calloway and Keep A Song In Your Soul for Jack Teagarden and Red Nichols.
One of his most famous songs was “I Would Do Anything For You”, recorded by Billy Banks Rhythmakers in 1932 and later in the decade, by Benny Goodman.
He wrote, “Beau Koo Jack” for Louis Armstrong.
At the height of his fame as bandleader, he was struck down with TB in 1936, dying at a tragically young age of 31 the following year.
In a two part show, American jazz drummer and historian, Hal Smith, joins me for a two part celebration of Alex’s music on the “Sound of Spitfire” on Monday 14th and Monday 21st February.
The shows are repeated on Wednesday afternoon at 2 pm and 1am on Thursday morning.
In part one we look at Hill’s earliest recordings with Albert Wynn’s Gut Bucket Five, a couple of piano duets with drummer Johnny Wells, some Jimmie Noone, Armstrong and Earl Hines.
Next week’s show features Bessie Smith, the Condon tracks, Hill’s own band as well as recordings of Hill songs by Waller, the Rhythmakers, Calloway and Nichols. An added bonus is a swinging track by Hal Smith’s own band from the tribute CD he recorded some years ago.
Press Release – Young US Ragtime & Jazz Piano Star, Kris Tokarski on Now You Has Jazz, Jazz, Jazz.
Tune in on Monday night (5th April) at 7pm UK time (18:00 gmt/utc) and at 1am Thursday morning to hear a fascinating interview with the brilliant young pianist Kris Tokarski.
Kris discusses his influences and the early piano styles, illustrated with some exceptionally good musical selections.
Jelly Roll Morton, James P Johnson, Earl Fatha Hines, Teddy Wilson and Kris’ teacher, the Be Bop pianist, Barry Harris are heard and evaluated.
Three tracks featuring Kris are included – two featuring the remarkable New Orleans clarinettist, Evan Christopher, plus a rag with the amazing Hal Smith on drums.
Don’t miss this show, which is essential listing for all music lovers.
Press Release: Trumpet Legend who Turned Down Elton John & Joe Crocker at Audition Leads Allstar Band at The ARC,
St John’s Arts & Recreation Centre, St John’s Walk, Market St, Old Harlow CM17 0AJ
Admission £12 – details from John Petters: 01406 365 731, e-mail: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
Mike Cotton, leader of the hit making Mike Cotton Sound, who auditioned and turned down rock stars Elton John and Joe Crocker in the ‘60s and went on to work with the Kinks and then Acker Bilk, stomps into St John’s Arts & Recreation Centre, (St John’s Walk, Market St, Old Harlow CM17 0AJ) on Saturday 28th March at 3pm.
In a sensational programme of Dixieland classics, Mike’s powerful horn will lead a handpicked band comprising trombonist, Alistair Allan, clarinet virtuoso, Julian Stringle, star Essex pianist, Tim Huskisson, Harlow’s bass ace, Keith Donald and ex Harlow drummin’ Man John Petters.
Between 1960 and 1971, the Mike Cotton Sound transformed themselves several times, starting out playing traditional jazz, switching to rock & roll and blues, ending up as a progressive soul band backing R&B/jazz veteran Zoot Money.
The band achieved hit parade success with, "Swing That Hammer," in 1963. Mike’s band was one of the busiest ensembles in England, backing such visiting American performers as Solomon Burke, Stevie Wonder, the Four Tops, and Gene Pitney. More than a decade after the group's one hit, they were playing sessions with the Kinks. Additionally, members of the Mike Cotton Sound went on to play key roles in such outfits as the Animals and Argent.
Playing as many as 300 gigs a year, primarily in clubs in the north of England, where they were best known, Mike’s band also became popular on radio and television. Mike also landed a performance onscreen in the 1962 movie, “The Wild and the Willing”.
The band was featured by Apple Records on Mary Hopkin's “Postcard” album.
In 1971, the band finally split up, although Mike Cotton and his fellow brassmen were recruited by the Kinks for some notable mid-'70s recording sessions.
Mike returned to his jazz roots and was a member of the Acker Bilk Paramount Jazz Band for many years.
Now freelancing, Mike is an important figure on the jazz scene and has lost none of the power in his trumpet playing, which delighted the record buying public over 50 years ago.
Alistair Allen makes his first appearance at St John’s. He has played all types of music from symphony to jazz. He specialises in the music of the 1920's and 30's, and has worked with the Pasadena Roof Orchestra, the Piccadilly Dance Orchestra, the Charleston Chasers, Keith Nichols' Midnite Follies Orchestra and the Royal Academy of Music Big Band. Alistair has a superb technique as a trombonist, as well as being a good singer.
Julian Stringle is always a popular attraction at the ARC and has a long association with Harlow, having joined the John Petters Swing Band in 1983.
He has played on concert, club, festival and broadcast dates with his own bands and with:- Peanuts Hucko, Wild Bill Davison, George Chisholm, Kenny Ball, , Cleo Laine & Sir John Dankworth. He has recorded with George Melly, Joe Brown, Chas & Dave, The Grid and the Spice Girls! He has appeared at Wembley Arena with Meatloaf and in Monaco with Tina Turner.
Sir John Dankworth said of him: "The best clarinettest to emerge in British jazz for decades".
Saturday’s session promises to one of those musical events that will live on in the memory of those lucky enough to attend.
Don’t miss this one.
The session starts at 3pm and admission is £12.
Further information from John Petters on 01406 365 731.
E-mail This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
and download This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
Six leading traditional jazz musicians were shocked when fellow trumpeter, Wil Robinson, was struck with a life threatening illness last month.
Ex soldier, Wil, who co-founded the small animal sanctuary, Charlie’s Place, with partner, Claire Cadman, near Chesterfield, Derbyshire, was unconscious for two weeks and in intensive care. He was on a ventilator for a while. It was touch and go. Fortunately, he is on the road to recovery, but it will be a long journey.
Drummer John Petters, handpicked a group of top players to record a single to raise funds for Wil.
“In normal times, we would have organised a benefit concert – but with Lock Down, that couldn’t happen”, said John. “We decided to do the next best thing and record a single remotely, which could downloaded in return for a donation to “Charlie’s Place””.
The band comprised musicians who played with legendary British and American jazz stars.
Veteran guitarist, Jim Douglas, came to fame in the Trad Jazz Boom in the late 50s with Alex Welsh’s band. There is a video of a young Jim, from a BBC 2 TV special in the 1960s, with New Orleans trumpeter Henry “Red “ Allen.
Trumpeter, Pete Rudeforth and clarinettist / saxophonist, Richard Exall, were both stars in the hit making band, led by the recently departed jazz icon, Chris Barber.
Harlem stride pianist, Dave Browning specialises in the two handed powerful approach made famous during the gangster controlled Prohibition days of the 1920s.
Trombonist Graham Hughes, one of the younger musicians on the scene, specialises in early jazz. Graham has worked with such leading bands as the “Pasadena Roof Orchestra.”
Bassist Keith Donald and Petters played together for over 40 years and have appeared on stage with most of the names in British jazz, including Kenny Ball, Acker Bilk, Humphrey Lyttelton and crossover performers such as Georgie Fame and Lonnie Donegan
Pete Rudeforth suggested composing a new tune based appropriately on “Old MacDonald Had A Farm”. Within a couple of hours he had the melody and the recording was done.
John laid down the drum track and sent it to the rest of the band, via the internet, who then improvised their contributions. Pete did the final production.
A delighted Wil said from his hospital bed, “Oh boy! That is fantastic. It's caused a few tears but it's put a huge smile on my face.” Will named the tune “Charlie’s Place Shuffle”
Charlie’s Place is a small, privately owned and funded animal sanctuary tucked away in the Derbyshire countryside. It offers a safe and loving home to animals in need, most of which come from the meat industry and wildlife. Claire and Wil try to rehabilitate animals, with health conditions all their lives. They have set up an animal hospital, which incurs vet’s bills running into thousands. The pandemic and Wil’s illness have had a devastating effect on the funding of the sanctuary.
They are determined to fight back and when Wil is out of hospital, the couple plan to marry.
We are not charging a set price for this track, so will be relying upon your generousity.
Please e-mail me to donate directly to Wil's paypal account. I will then send the link to downlod the file as an MP3 or higher quallity WAV file
It is with great sorrow that the jazz scene heard of the passing of Banjo / Guitarist, Bass Drummer, Parade Marshall, Band Leader, Reviewer, Jazz Historian and Publisher Louis Lince, following a rapidly growing brain tumour, diagnosed just after Christmas.
(photo - Ray & Jenny Knight)
Louis (John Louis James Lince) came into the world on 22 July 1942 in St. Helens, Lancashire.
Like many of his generation, he started out in a Skiffle Group – the Red Devils.
Louis came south to London in 1958, working with several bands before leaving music in 1963 to concentrate on a career in Marketing.
Eleven years later he returned to the semi-pro scene as a member of ‘Mac’s New Orleans Band’, founded by trombonist, Gordon MacKay and featuring the legendary Colin Bowden and hot clarinettist, Dave Bailey.
He was a founder member of Dave Bailey’s Trio in Cambridge in 1975 and joined Barry Palser’s Savoy Jazzmen in 1976, staying until 1983.
Louis played and recorded with the Ken Colyer All-star touring bands in East Anglia 1976-82. It was during this period that our paths first crossed.
Louis was based in Bishop's Stortford, Herts at the time and I was living down the road in Harlow. Louis soon became an important part of my early jazz career.
We shared numerous gigs together in a variety of different combinations, normally with Dave Bailey and the much missed cornetist, Ken Sims. Most notably, Louis was present on both my Gospel CDs, 'Walkin' With The King' and 'It's Me O Lord', and performed the first concert of ‘King’ at St Peter’s Church, Wisbech with guests Lady Linda Young and Tuba Fats Lacon, from New Orleans.
He regularly appeared at my residential festivals and recorded “Very Live At Pakefield” with Sammy Rimington, Cuff Billett, Mike Pointon, Annie Hawkins and Nick Dawson before an audience of just under 1,000 raving fans.
He was also an important contributor to a fine quartet formed by Dave Bailey and bassist Annie Hawkins, formed as a result of appearances at my festivals. We recorded the CD, "Eye to Eye" together in 2000.
Together with my pal, Terry Maton, we formed CMJ Records, and Louis' Colyer session was one of the early CD releases.
Louis steered CMJ along an interesting course, supervising and sometimes operating the new Sony Digital F1 recording system, which captured the music direct to two track stereo, with no opportunity to re-mix or edit – just like the old 78 rpm days. CMJ specialized in trying to capture jazz as you would hear it live.
Louis sorted out the artwork and notes for the important CMJ recordings with Kenny Davern, Wild Bill Davison Art Hodes etc. In 1989 Louis produced the CD with George Chisholm OBE for my ‘Swinging Down Memory Lane’ show.
In May 1989, Louis had access to a heavyweight Sony Digital video camera and captured the only video from The Legends of American Dixieland (Wild Bill and Art Hodes) tour in May 1989, some of which can be seen on YouTube. These may be the last moving footage of Wild Bill, who left the building shortly after the tour.
Louis got out of Marketing in 1988 to return to professional playing. He formed Louis Lince's New Orleans Band, which he put together in 3 – 7 piece units, as the gigs required. He also led his New Imperial Parade Band, playing for funerals, weddings and carnivals.
He recorded a CD, “Hot at the Dot”, with his Jelly Roll Kings, which featured Malc Murphy, drums, Paul Bonner, trumpet, Micky Ashman, bass, Tony Weston, clarinet, & Les Handscombe, trombone.
He depped with Max Collie’s Rhythm Aces and many other bands and was co founder, in 1997 of the Annie Hawkins New Orleans Legacy, which he also managed.
Louis was delighted to be invited to play in Monty Sunshine’s Band the following year, remaining until Monty’s retirement from music in 2000.
Louis was a real devotee of New Orleans revival music and put together an odd little band – the Melody Inn Quartet - which emulated the Harold Dejan & Lionel Ferbos Mighty Four of 1950s New Orleans.
Featured in this unique combination were George Berry, reeds, David Copperwaite, trumpet and Charles King, drums. It just proves that a band can be any combination of instruments and Louis recognised this. There aren’t many CDs which feature a quartet with just drums and banjo as a rhythm section, but Louis knew it would work and it did.
In 2002 Louis relocated back to the North-west and settled in Romiley, Stockport, near to where he was bought up. He was asked to join Martin Bennett’s Old Green River band in 2003. He then joined the Savannah Jazz Band, leaving in 2013 to join Mart Rodger’s Manchester Jazz.
Louis played all over Europe with various bands at most of the major festivals.
A visitor to New Orleans on an annual basis since 1990 – his first trips were in 1979, 80 and 86. He worked in New Orleans with - Linda Young and Tuba Fats' Chosen Few‑1992-95 (recording with them in 1995); Wendell Eugene 1998- 2017(recording in 2006); Lionel Ferbos 1996-2014; Jacques Gauthé 2000-7; Reginald Koeller 1996-2003; Gregory Stafford 1998-; Barry Martyn 1993-.
In parallel with his playing career, Louis was kept busy as a reviewer of CDs for the niche “New Orleans Music”, magazine, taking over as its publisher until it closed in 2010.
Most recently, Louis had been involved in a video project with Ray & Jenny Knight, documenting British jazz in the regions. They set up “RayK Jazz” along with photographic artiste, Justin Hubbard and set about interviewing firstly, the Northern bands. Louis scripted and narrated the first documentary, “The Road to Southport Pier”, which was published on YouTube.
Others followed and at the time he was taken ill, Louis was working on a documentary celebrating Cambridge bandleader, Barry Palser’s 60th Anniversary of his Savoy Jazzmen.
It was at this gig, near Cambridge, in September, where I last had the pleasure of Louis’ impeccable and rhythmic banjo in my set of Spirituals. He also spent an hour interviewing me about my life in jazz, as well as many other musicians present at this memorable event. Ray and Jenny have asked me to help complete the project, which will be published not only as a tribute to Barry Palser’s contribution to jazz, but also as a memorial to Louis.
Louis leaves behind his wife Jill and daughters, Mary-Lou and Vikki, legions of jazz fans who have either heard his music, read his reviews or watched his documentaries.
He rambled and he rambled, ‘til the butcher cut him down.
RIP Louis and thank you for the music.
John Petters
Saturday, 08 February 2020
Published recordings:
(Listed chronologically by published date)
LP - You've got the Right Key - Savoy Jazzmen 1979
LP - Savoy Rag - Savoy Jazzmen - 1981
LP – Jubilee - Savoy Jazzmen - 1983
LP - Algiers Strut - East Side Stompers 1985
CD - Just A Little While to Stay Here - Ken Colyer All-stars, 1989
CD - Hot At the Dot - Louis Lince's Jelly Roll Kings 1991
MC - Backstairs Session - Louis Lince's backstairs Boys 1992
MC - Yearning - Louis Lince's Big Four 1993
CD - More Savoy Jazzmen - 1994
CD - Walking With the King - John Petters' New Orleans All-stars 1994
CD - Good Morning to Heaven - Linda Young & Tuba Fats 1996
CD - Mardi Gras Parade - Annie Hawkins' New Orleans Legacy 1997
CD - Zip-A-Dee-Doo-Dah - Annie Hawkins' New Orleans Legacy 1998
CD - It's Me Oh Lord - John Petters' New Orleans All-stars 1998
CD - Very Live At Pakefield - Rimington - Petters' N.O.Allstars 1999
CD - Back to New Orleans - Best of British Jazz Band 1999
CD - Dance Hall Days - Melody Inn Quartet 1999
CD - Eye To Eye - Dave Bailey-Annie Hawkins Quartet 2000
CD - Everybody Loves My Baby - Brian Green’s Millennium All-stars 2000
CD - One for The Road - Martin Bennett’s Old Green River Band 2003
CD - One for My Baby - Martin Bennett’s Old Green River Band 2004
CD – Let The Good Times Roll – a concert for Katrina relief in Lincoln 2005
CD – Dixieland at the Thornton Little Theatre – Mike Lovell’s band 2006
DVD – 19th Jazzdag in Gelsenkirchen – Savannah jazz band 2006
CD – Drifting and Dreaming – Savannah jazz band 2006
CD - Jazz meets Gospel – St Augustine’s Choir in New Orleans 2008
CD – Let us take you to the Mardi Gras – Savannah jazz band 2008
CD – Wendell Eugene & his Mardi Gras band in New Orleans 2010
