John Petters Biography
Drummer - Vocalist - Bandleader - Jazz Historian, Writer, Lecturer and Broadcaster.
Self taught on drums, John was born in Stratford, East London.
His first paid gigs were in the early ‘70s in London and Essex.
John’s first recording was in 1977, “Red Hot Jazz”, for SRT Records, featuring ex Acker Bilk cornetist, Ken Sims.
John played with Ken Sims’ Dixie Kings at London’s premier Traditional Jazz Venue, the 100 Club, Oxford St.
He formed the John Petters Swing Band in 1983, with Julian Stringle and Pete Neighbour Reeds, John Boumphrey, piano, Derek Winter, Vibes and Tessa Petters, later Keith Donald, bass.
The same year he played with American cornet legend, Wild Bill Davison to a sell-out audience at the Playhouse, Harlow.
In 1985, John promoted live sessions at “The Square”, an Essex County Council run Rock Venue. American legends that appeared with John’s band include: Al Casey, Yank Lawson, Kenny Davern, Slim Gaillard, Billy Butterfield.
UK Names who appeared include: George Chisholm OBE, Humphrey Lyttelton, Monty Sunshine, Ken Colyer, Cy Laurie, Terry Lightfoot, Georgie Fame & Beryl Bryden.
1986 onwards John commenced working in Theatres with themed jazz shows, Queens of the Blues, The Legends of American Dixieland with Wild Bill Davison and Art Hodes, Swinging Down Memory, with George Chisholm OBE and Maxine Daniels, Lane, The Legends of British Trad, This Joint Is Jumpin’ – the Life & Music of Fats Waller, Boogie Woogie & All That Jazz, Walkin’ With The King, Gospel & Spirituals Show, Drum Crazy, ‘sWonderful, the Life & Music of George Gershwin, Hoagy, The Old Music Master, Simply Sinatra, Bing – The Road to Rhythm & Romance, Swing – a Centenary Tribute to Gene Krupa and Benny Goodman, Ragtime Revisited.
John Petters promoted jazz festival breaks at holiday venues and hotels from 1995 until Covid struck.
The Louis Armstrong Riverboat Shuffles ran from 1995 to 2019.
John has over 40 CD albums to his credit and appears on three vinyl LPs. Other artistes on these recordings include: Ken Colyer, Humphrey Lyttelton, Wally Fawkes, Stan Greig, Al Casey, Kenny Davern, Yank Lawson, Martin Litton, Wild Bill Davison, Art Hodes, Jackie Free, Campbell Burnap, Sammy Rimington, Trevor Whiting, James Evans, Pete Allen, Val Wiseman, George Chisholm OBE, Neville Dickie, Ken Sims, Dave Bailey, Keith Donald, Cuff Billett, George Webb, Mike Pointon, Sean Moyses, Karl Hird, John Wurr, Annie Hawkins….
He has appeared at concerts with Acker Bilk, Georgie Fame & Lonnie Donegan.
John Petters Swing Band has played at numerous jive, swing and lindy events.
John was a consultant to the BBC Four documentary Trad Jazz Britannia and appeared on the programme.
He has written for Jazz Journal International on the History of Jazz Drumming and various articles for Just Jazz Magazine.
As a lecturer, he has made presentations at U3As, music groups etc. on early jazz history up and down the country.
John is currently working with Upbeat Recordings on Jazz Reissue CDs.
He has broadcast Now You Has Jazz, Jazz, Jazz on The Sound of Spitfire since 2018 and Chilli Jazz Radio since 2022. In 2025 he commenced the Jazz Hour broadcasts on Shortwaveradio.de
He has appeared on BBC1 TV (providing music for the London Marathon), Ulster TV, TVS and on BBC Radio 2, and 3, BBC Radio Norfolk and many other regional radio shows.
Outside music, John is well known as a Radio Amateur – G3YPZ. He currently writes two columns for the Radio Society of Great Britain’s national magazine, RadCom.