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Jimmy's nephew Fred Martin has inherited a sketch from his aunt that he believes to be the the work of Jimmy. He dates it as around 1937/8. (The copy reproduced here on the left has been reduced in size and brightened to enhance clarity.) The two heads in the centre shown side by side in profile are almost certainly Jimmy and his second wife Hilda. The comparison with the picture in our biography page show clearly that it is Hilda. The words coming out of Jimmy's mouth appear to be "Black eyes", a song he recorded with Nat Gonella in 1938. The sign underneath is some form of musical notation. The words along the bottom are "To Eileen from Jimmy", and the writing, particularly the signature, is the same as that on our front page photograph. The scrawled large printing appears to be "MESSINI". The word "Scotch" and the drawing of the glass may give a clue as to the scrawly nature of some words! Jimmy co-wrote a number of songs with Art Noel (song sheet cover on left) but he did not collaborate on this one and does not appear to have recorded "I try to say I LOVE YOU". Possibly nobody famous did record it as Jimmy seems to have got his picture on the cover on the basis of the wording under the picture "Featured and Broadcast by Jimmy Mesene"... |
We know, thanks to Ken Overton, former pianist with Carl Barriteau and Harry Parry, that in 1943 Jimmy Mesene and his Quintet were resident at The Bristol Grill in Cork Street, London W1. We do not know how long they were there or who the other musicians were. Below is the Jimmy Mesene Quintet letterhead from his time at the Bristol Grill:
(Copy sent by Ken Overton who hoped to join Jimmy's Quintet at the time. The paper has discoloured but the words The Bristol Grill and the date 1943 can be made out.) | The actual letter heading is, as other pictures on the website show, undoubtedly based on Jimmy's signature. |
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Please have a look around the site and see whether you have any information that we might like to add: Front page... Biographical notes and recollections... Book excerpts... Memory Lane excerpts... Known pen names... Songs written by... Discography - alphabetically... Discography - chronologically... What Jimmy means to me... Contact us... |
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