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| Downbeat Big Band... |
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The Downbeat Big Band burst onto the jazz scene with an immediate impact in 1956 but struggled, for various reasons, to survive and eventually withered and died. It made it's first appearance late in 1956 at New Downbeat Club at the Manor House pub in North London. Described by the Melody Maker as an experimental modern combo it was a "for kicks" and played jazz the musicians wanted to play. Jimmy Deuchar did most of the arrangements and Tubby Hayes described it as Jimmy Deuchar's band. The line-up on that first appearance was: Ron Simmonds, Jimmy Deuchar, Les Condon, Dizzy Reece, Ian Hamer (tp), Ken Wray (tb), Derek Humble (as), Tubby Hayes, Ronnie Scott (ts), Jackie Sharpe (bs), Stan Tracey (p), Lennie Bush (b), Phil Seamen (d). There was no regular work for an "all jazz big band" and no income to speak of and the band suffered a number of body blows in spring 1957 when Jimmy Deuchar, Derek Humble and Ken Wray quit to join the Kurt Edelhagen big band in Germany and then Tubby Hayes and Ronnie Scott quit to form the Jazz Couriers The band effectively folded and was dormant from 1957 to 1959. In late 1959 the band started rehearsing again under the leadership of Tubby Hayes with much help from Jackie Sharpe. Hayes now an accomplished multi - instrumentalist did much of the writing and arranging. Personnel changes were frequent, by early 1960 Stan Robinson, Johnny Scott, Hank Shaw, Bobby Wellins, Terry Shannon and Alan Branscombe were all featuring depending on the availability of others. By mid 1960 the band was becoming popular again and a personnel listing from June, 1960 reads Bobby Pratt, Les Condon, Jimmy Deuchar, Eddie Blair (tp), Keith Christie (tb), johnny Scott (f,ts), Alan Branscombe (as), Tubby Hayes (ts), Jackie Sharpe (bs), Terry Shannon (p), Jeff Clyne (b), Phil Seamen (d). (picture above). By the end of 1960 public interest waned and the band was mothballed again making it's last appearance in July 1961 at the last Beaulie Jazz Festival (right).The band for this last date comprised: Bobby Pratt, Les Condon, Jimmy Deuchar, Bert Courtley (tp), Keith Christie (tb), alan Branscombe (as), Tubby Hayes (f,ts), Stan Robinson (ts), Jackie Sharpe (bs), Terry Shannon 9p), Jeff Clyne (b), Bill Eyden (d). BBC broadcasts by a Hayes big band followed and in mid 1963 he formed his own big band along the lines of the old Downbeat band and Jackie Sharpe also had a semi - permanent big band sharing many of the ex - Downbeat musicians. |
 Back row: (l to r) Phil Seamen, Keith Christie, Les Condon, Eddie Blair, Bobby Pratt, Jimmy Deuchar. Front row; (l to r) Stan Robinson, Alan Branscombe, Tubby Hayes, Jackie Sharpe.   |
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The Downbeat Big Band made no commercial recordings during it's lifetime but Simon Spillett tracked down two recording of the band for inclusion in an Acrobat CD released in August, 2015 (details below). One session was a BBC Radio Jazz Club date, the other apparently recorded for the BBC at Ronnie Scott's jazz club without an audience. The Downbeat Big Band - November 14th, 1959 Bobby Pratt, Les Condon, Hank Shaw, Eddie Blair (tp), Hank Stampf (tb,bs-tp), Alan Branscombe (as), Tubby Hayes, Johnny Scott (ts), Jack Sharpe (bs), Terry Shannon (p), Jeff Clyne (b), Phil Seamen (d). Along Came Betty*/The Scene Is Clean*/East Of The Sun*/Southern Horizons*/Blues At The Manor*/Confirmation*/"E"*. ("Acrobat CD - Blues At The Manor 1959-60 Tubby Hayes and the Downbeat Big Band) The Downbeat Big Band - September 1st, 1960 (BBC Jazz Club) Bobby Pratt, Les Condon, Jimmy Deuchar, Eddie Blair (tp), Keith Christie (tb), Alan Branscombe (as), Tubby Hayes, Ronnie Scott (ts), Jack Sharpe (bs), Terry Shannon (p), Jeff Clyne (b), Victor Feldman (d). AH Bah Chu*/East Of The Sun*/Confirmation*/Like Someone In Love*/Une Momentum*/Southern Horizons*/Sister Sadie*. ("Acrobat CD - Blues At The Manor 1959-60 Tubby Hayes and the Downbeat Big Band) |
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