Any Jazz fans left in Sheffield?

[Timbuck]

In the Sixties I remember a Sheffield Jazz band called The Lennie Denitz Quartet ..or something like that...The Drummer was the young Earl of Wharncliffe ..can anyone give me more info? co's I need it for another thread.

[Puffin4]

Johnnie Lennitz I think.

[Timbuck]

Johnnie Lennitz I think.

Yes that sounds about right....I never saw them but they used to get a writeup

in the Star now and again.

[Texas]

Would the guitarist with Ray Ellinton be Judd Proctor?

Another band which knocked me over was Buddy Rich,a wonderful drummer but they tell me horrible man,his version of "Love For Sale"is among my all time top ten.

I remember one time we saw him he would lay down the tempo, and play his drums for about sixteen bars, the call out the chart number giving the sidemen about thirty seconds to find it, the count them in 2-3-4,and every number the band had to furiously delve through the book to find their respective parts.

One of the Ted Heath "Greats" was lead trumpeter Bobby Pratt, remember those beautiful duets with Bert Ezzard? Bobby's widow Tina now lives in Australia with her family,and was over in the UK a few weeks ago, and stayed with my Wife and I for a few days, and we had a wonderful time talking about Bobby's life,and tragic death, and she presented us with a wonderful collection of photographs of Bobby from his early days as a professional musician in his teens, with the Squadronaires,Ken Mackintosh to the great days with Ted Heath.

Been some great stories about Buddy Rich over the years, somebody should collect 'em. My favorit is the one where he got into some kind of altercation with Dusty Springfield. Apparently she complained about his playing too loud, and made some kind of remark of a personal nature. Naturally Buddy had to be restrained from giving her a smack. Afterwards he sent a note of apology and a present. A shoebox of broken glass.

Oscar Peterson said he should've been kept in a cage and only let out for gigs.

[Timbuck]

Been some great stories about Buddy Rich over the years, somebody should collect 'em. My favorit is the one where he got into some kind of altercation with Dusty Springfield. Apparently she complained about his playing too loud, and made some kind of remark of a personal nature. Naturally Buddy had to be restrained from giving her a smack. Afterwards he sent a note of apology and a present. A shoebox of broken glass.

The story I heard was inside the box along with the broken glass was a note from the band which read "This can only improve your voice"

[Highnote]

Another story regarding Buddy Rich was when he was about to have an operation,the Nurse asked if he had any allergies,he replied"yes country music"

[Texas]

Actually Harlan, I've used that one myself. And It's on my medical records. They dont half make you laugh, dont they?

I read somewhere that when Buddy Rich's father was taken into hospital one time, he was being wheeled down a corridor, and a nurse with a clip board asked him what he was in for, he answered 'Burglary'.

[sweetdexter]

A great read is "Jazz Anecdotes" by Bill Crow,who is listed as a freelance musician and writer.

Wasn't there a Bill Crow who played bass.?I seem to remember him playing for Brubeck

[Highnote]

Some years ago there was a concert at the City Hall, and it had quite a line up,do I remember Lou Rawls,Nancy Wilson?but who I do remember was a band of Benny Goodman alumni,Billy Butterfield,Peter Appleyard on vibraphone the wonderful Hank Jones(brother of Thad) on piano, and the even more wonderful Urbie Green on trombone, and the Goodman parts were played by a classical clarienettist, Jack Brymer, and the story was he was long time admirerer of Benny Goodman and wanted to play a show of his music, and this was the show.

If my ageing memory serves me well the great Teddy Wilson was on the same bill,but he played a solo spot,and the local newspapers in a review said he was taken to the edge of the stage in a wheelchair by his son,his legs may have gone but the magic of his playing definitely had not.

Talking of anecdotes,trumpeters always used to say when Billy Butterfield sold a trumpet the high and low register were unused!!!

[redvet]

I worked in Sheffield (Hadfields/TWW) in the mid-50's and thought Sheffield was the real business for Music at that time. I was just into modern jazz and have so many fond memories of concerts at the city Hall with the big bands of Kenton, Herman, Basie etc. and of course the great Brit bands such as Heath, Lewis, Dankworth. In between the City Hall concerts I immersed myself in visits to a Jazz Club (think on West St) where Barry Whitworth played, great group, sad to read somewhere that he is now not well.