Melody Maker Readers Poll (1957)...
the bandsthe musicianshome pagethe clubsthe recordstime linegallerydiscographiesodds + endslinks
Melody Maker Readers Poll (1957)...
For 74 years the "Melody Maker" was the weekly 'trade paper' for the dance band and jazz musician as well as all those interested in the modern music scene. One of it's continuing features and talking points were the annual Readers Polls where readers voted under different categories for individual musicians, singers, big bands and a host of other categories.
The annual jazz polls were a major event in the jazz world but were also an important historical record of the state of British jazz through the years and preserve some of the historical perspective on British Jazz.
This page carries the full results of the 1957 poll published on October 19th, 1957.
In April, 1957 the Jazz Couriers made their debut at the Flamingo Club. In a short space of time they became the major British jazz attraction and after only a few months they were voted into fourth place in the small combo section of the MM Poll.
1957
Johnny Dankworth was the outstanding figure from this year as many long term favourites held onto their top rankings. Overtly modern musicians were advancing - in the trumpet section Dizzy Reece (ranked 3) and Jimmy Deuchar (4) crept up on old favourite Kenny Baker. Tubby Hayes was in third place in the tenor sax poll behind Jimmy Skidmore and Don Rendell and in the alto sax section Joe Harriott moved up to third.
Dill Jones was still incredibly popular with only Eddie Thompson getting close to him in the piano section. Ronnie Ross came within a handful of votes of toppling long term baritone sax player Harry Klein from top spot. Another who just failed to win his section was drummer Phil Seamen.
Outstanding modern jazz guitarist Dave Goldberg although second in his section was unable to get anywhere close to Ken Sykora.
Johnny Dankworth won a total of five sections including 'Musician of the Year' as well as 'Alto sax', 'Arranger', 'Composer' and 'Big band' sections.

Johnny Dankworth
Johnny Dankworth



Musician of the year
1 Johnny Dankworth
2 Humphrey Lyttelton
3 Ted Heath
4 Don Rendell
5 Chris Barber
6 Kenny Baker
7 Tubby Hayes
8 Dill Jones
9 Bruce Turner
10 Johnny Keating
11 Ken Colyer
12 Lonnie Donegan
13 Dizzy Reece
14 Sandy Brown
15 Tony Coe
16 Joe Harriott
17= Tony Kinsey
17= Eric Delaney...



Trombone
1 George Chisholm
2 Keith Christie
3 Don Lusher
4 Chris Barber
5 John Picard
6 Eddie Harvey
7 Laurie Monk
8 Ken Wray
9 Roy Crimmins
10 Don Lang...



Bass
1 Johnny Hawkesworth
2 Lennie Bush
3 Sammy Stokes
4 Mickey Ashman
5 Eric Dawson
6 Jim Bray
7 Malcolm Cecil
8 Pete Blannin
9= Brian Brocklehurst
9= Bill Sutcliffe
11 Arthur Watts
12 Joe Muddel
13 Chris Staunton
14 Kenny Napper
15 Dick Smith...



Arranger
1 Johnny Dankworth
2 Johnny Keating
3 Dave Lindup
4 Ken Moule
5 Reg Owen
6= Kenny Baker
6= Wally Stott
6= Kenny Graham
9= Bill Le Sage
9= Don Rendell
11 Eddie Harvey...



Clarinet
1 Vic Ash
2 Monty Sunshine
3 Dave Shepherd
4 Sandy Brown
5 Henry Mackenzie
6 Sid Phillips
7 Tony Coe
8 Wally Fawkes
9 Keith Bird
10 Bruce Turner
11= Ian Christie
11= Carl Barriteau ...



Alto sax
1 Johnny Dankworth
2 Bruce Turner
3 Joe Harriott
4 Tony Coe
5 Derek Humble
6 Les Gilbert
7= Ronnie Chamberlain
7= Ronnie Ross
9 Ken Mackintosh
10 Johnny Roadhouse
11 Bertie King...



Baritone sax
1 Harry Klein
2 Ronnie Ross
3 Buddy Featherstonhaugh
4 Tubby Hayes
5 Ken Kiddier
6 Don Honeywell
7 Benny Green
8 Alex Leslie
9 Joe Temperley...



Vibes
1 Bill Le Sage
2 Martin Slavin
3 Tubby Hayes
4 Roy Marsh
5 Reg Wale...



Drums
1 Allan Ganley
2 Phil Seamen
3 Tony Kinsey
4 Ronnie Verrell
5 Kenny Clare
6 Eric Delaney
7 Jack Parnell
8 Eddie Taylor
9 Ron Bowden
10 Bill Eyden
11 Johnny Richardson
12 Lennie Hastings
13 Basil Kirchin
14 Stan Greig...



Vocal group
1 Stargazers
2 King Brothers
3 Hedley Ward Trio
4 Keynotes
5 Coronets
6 Kentones
7 Dene Boys
8 Johnston Brothers
9 Beverley Sisters
10= Londonaires
10= Four Jones Boys
12 Four Guys
13 Four Others...



Small combo
1 Tony Kinsey
2 Humphrey Lyttelton
3 Don Rendell
4 Jazz Couriers
5 Chris Barber
6 Dill Jones
7 Alex Welsh
8 Kenny Baker Half Dozen
9 Sandy Brown
10 Ken Colyer
11 Tommy Whittle
12 Betty Smith
13 Allan Ganley
14 Lonnie Donegan
15 Johnny Keating...



Tenor sax
1 Don Rendell
2 Jimmy Skidmore
3 Tubby Hayes
4 Tommy Whittle
5 Ronnie Scott
6 Betty Smith
7 Red Price
8 Bob Efford
9= Danny Moss
9= Keith Bird
11 Duncan Lamont...



Other instruments
1 Ron Chamberlain (Soprano sax)
2 Kenny Baker (Flugelhorn)
3 E O Pogson (Bass saxophone)
4 Max Geldray (Harmonica)
5 Bob Clark (Violin)
6 Ken Wray (Bass trumpet)
7 Larry Adler (Harmonica)
8 Eddie Smith (Banjo)
9 Jerry Allen (Organ)
10 Frank Weir (Soprano sax)
11= Harold Smart (Organ)
11= Frank Holder (Bongoes)
13 John Bastable (Banjo)...



Composer
1 Johnny Dankworth
2 Johnny Keating
3 Kenny Graham
4 Bill Le Sage
5 Humphrey Lyttelton
6 Tolchard Evans
7= Sandy Brown
7= Ron Goodwin
9 Al Fairweather
10 Ken Moule...



Male singer
1 Denis Lotis
2 Dickie Valentine
3 Michael Holliday
4 George Melly
5 Frankie Vaughan
6 Frank Holder
7 Ronnie Hilton
8 Lonnie Donegan
9 Tommy Steele
10 Bobbie Britton
11= David Whitfield
11= Cab Kaye
13 Franklyn Boyd
14 Matt Monro
15 Cliff Lawrence
16 Peter Lowe...






Big band
1 Johnny Dankworth
2 Ted Heath
3 Oscar Rabin
4 Vic Lewis
5 Kenny Baker's Dozen
6 Eric Delaney
7 BBC Northern Dance Orchestra
8 Jack Parnell...



Trumpet
1 Kenny Baker
2 Humphre Lyttelton
3 Dizzy Reece
4 Jimmy Deuchar
5 Bobby Pratt
6 Dickie Hawdon
7 Bert Courtley
8 Eddie Blair
9 Eddie Calvert
10 Al Fairweather
11= Ken Colyer
11= Freddie Randall
13 Alex Welsh
14 Mick Mulligan
15 Douggie Roberts...



Piano
1 Dill Jones
2 Eddie Thompson
3 Frank Horrox
4 Dave Lee
5 Ken Moule
6 Alan Clare
7 Johnny Parker
8 Bill Mcguffie
9 Bill Le Sage
10 Fred Hunt
11 Stan Tracey
12= Winifred Atwell
12= Terry Shannon
14 Ian Armit
15 Dennis Wilson
16 Steve Race...



Guitar
1 Ken Sykora
2 Dave Goldberg
3 Bert Weedon
4 Diz Disley
5 Ivor Mairants
6 Ike Isaacs
7 Denny Wright
8 Lonnie Donegan
9 Tommy Steele
10 Cedric West
11= Roy Plummer
11= Malcolm Mitchell...



Female Singer
1 Cleo Laine
2 Ottilie Patterson
3 Lita Roza
4 Shirley Bassey
5 Patti Lewis
6 Alma Cogan
7 Marion Ryan
8 Petula Clark
9 Annie Ross
10= Betty Smith
10= Eve Boswell
12 Anne Shelton
13 Edna Savage
14 Nancy Whiskey...






This page was last updated during December, 2011.
Any comments welcomed, please click on email below...