Tuning in…
Tuning in…
Castaway
1 appearance
Traditional jazz clarinettist and bandleader who learned to play in the army and led a band to Germany.
On the island
Eight records
Stranger on the ShoreFavourite
Actually as long as I can remember. Yeah, actually he's been in the top fifty for about a year.
The keepsakes
No book or luxury recorded for this episode.
In conversation
Presenter asks
0:08Where were you born?
In Somerset, a place called Pensford.
Presenter asks
0:26What was your first job when you left school?
My first job when I left school was in um a tobacco factory in Bristol actually.
Presenter asks
0:48Has music played any part in your life so far?
Not really. Not really. I used to like the radio and and listening to the you know, the bigger bands like uh … Glenn Miller was very one of my favourites there.
Presenter asks
1:57When did you take the plunge and decide you were going to be a full time musician?
Well, I had an offer from Ken Collier … in London. He was short of a clarinetist and he asked me to join and I went up and joined him.
Presenter asks
5:15What is your public? What's the age group of your public?
Well it varies. I should think the majority would be in their late teens or early twenties. But we get um quite a lot of younger people and quite a lot of older people suppress.
Presenter asks
5:40What's for the future, any particular big ambition?
Not really. I've I never had an ambition, you know. I just like to carry on and keep things swinging and play as much as I can and … Get some sleep now and again, you know.
“I first seen a clownet when I went in the army. This was in um in Egypt. I went to Egypt and there was a clownet knocking about the tents there, which I Commandeered … and sort of had a blow on every now and again and got new notes out and had myself a big ball, you know.”
“[The agent] said, This band sounds good. I'd like to put some publicity out … And the idea of uniforms and I suggested a waistcoat 'cause they're cool to play in and he suggested bowler hats and spats and everything. But we didn't get that far. But we finished with bowlers and waistcoats.”
“I think it's um essentially uh happy music as far as I'm concerned and I don't see any reason why you shouldn't look happy playing it and and and appear happy, you know?”
“I've I never had an ambition, you know. I just like to carry on and keep things swinging and play as much as I can and … Get some sleep now and again, you know.”