8 posts tagged “colin richardson”

Colin Richardson of the BRON Agency

Colin Richardson - the booking agent from Bron responsible for booking  many of the acts for the Coventry Lanchester Arts Festival in the early 70's tells the story of how 'How a modest little Polytechnic in Coventry came to be favoured with such a prime coup as hosting the first ever live performance of Monty Python's Flying Circus?' 

1971 Lanchester Arts Festival included many well-known artistes on the 10 day programme of events, including Elton John, Ralph McTell, Caravan, blues legend Big Boy Crudup, Leon Russell and Andre Previn (conducting the London Symphony Orchestra), but the high point of the student-run mixed media festival that year, was without doubt, the first 'Live on Stage' performance of Monty Python's Flying Circus.  

 

How did a modest little Polytechnic in Coventry come to be favoured with such a prime coup?  Here's how it happened.

 

I had been the Festival's booking consultant in 1970, working closely with Ted Little, the student organiser. We made

Lanch Poly - Now Coventry University

 a good team, as he was always open to my ideas and suggestions, though quite firm of mind when it came to final decisions as to which act was chosen. I guess he must have been pleased with my contribution, as he retained my services for the following year.

At some point during the planning, he asked if it would be possible to book one or two of the Monty Python team to perform a couple of sketches from the cult TV show, as they were immensley popular with the student fraternity.  I was doubtlful, as none of them had ever made any live appearances hitherto and I was pretty sure that they only produced their unique humour for the TV cameras.  However, I said I'd see if there was any chance of one or more being interested. I had no idea who their agent was, but, as luck would have it, there fell into my lap a circuitous conduit to to one Python ear.   It went like this: I had a little band going at the time...a quintet playing jazz and dance music around the club/college circuit and we had a singer by the name of Jean Hart,

Monty-Python-Monty-Pythons-Fly-306805

who was an American living in London and she was the girlfriend (later wife) of  the comedian Bill Oddie. Bill would occasionally 'sit in' with the band, singing a credible blues. He knew most, if not all, of the Python team, so I asked him (through Jean) if he knew how I could go about contacting their representative.  To my astonishment, he offered to introduce me to Eric Idle (it's possible that he was sharing a flat with him at the time, though I'm not certain about that) and eventually I got the summons to attend his presence.   Being a bit of a fan myself, it was with some trepidation, awe and downright nerves that I presented myself, but he very quickly put me at my ease with his relaxed and friendly attitude.  He asked a few questions about what dates we had in mind, the Festival organisation, its history etc. I threw as many 'names' of artistes that had already been booked, or who had appeared in the previous 2 years and described how well run it was and he took it all in. I was expecting him to indicate who, if anyone, might be up for taking part, when he said something that had me almost fainting with inner excitment.  It was along the lines of: "Well, your timing couldn't be more fortuitous (he could even have used the word 'serendipitous') as we've been discussing the possibility of doing something live on stage and, if we did, we would definitely do it outside of London, in case it didn't work for us. If you can find out whether ther Belgrade Theatre is available for a 3 night run, that would certainly increase the odds of us agreeing to do it, as we have all worked there before and know that it would be ideal for us".

In something of a daze, I promised to get back to him asap and left to find a phone to call Ted Little and give him the

Belgrade Theatre - Coventry

 astounding news.  He didn't seem to take it in at first and kept asking which of the Pythons was I talking about. I said "All of them..the tout ensemble', the whole damn Circus!"  After they brought him round, he checked the Belgrade's availablity  and phoned me back to say that we could have 3 nights, bang in the middle of the Festival. I passed this on to Eric and, soon enough, the dates and the deal were agreed. For the life of me, I can't remember the details, except that the shows would start at 12 midnight and that the fee was extraordinarily reasonable.  In a cloud of euphoria, I passed this incredible news to Ted.  Tickets went on sale a few days later...and all three shows sold out in about 20 minutes!

Needless to say, the shows were a fantastic success, the student audience a proven fan base who already knew most of the sketches, not that this in any way diminished their noisy enjoyment of them. I recall that,on the first night, the entire front row was wearing 'Gumby' style knotted handkerchiefs...to the astonishment of the first Pythons onstage.

 

Lanchester Arts Festival 1971 Programme

An interesting coda to this story is that, a couple of weeks before the premiere, I received a phone call from the plummy-voiced P.A. of an illustrious music biz heavyweight (no names, no pack-drill!) who, after ascertaining that I was, indeed, the person responsible for this 'showbiz' coup, informed me that Mr. ******** would 'like a box, for the first night' !  After a deep breath and summoning my most innocent of tones, I asked: "What kind of box would he like?  Orange?".  Well, that went down like the proverbial lead balloon.  A few moments of silence, then: "You do realise that it's Mr ******** we're talking about?" To which I politely replied: "Even if it was the Queen Mother, I still couldn't get you a seat, let alone a box. It's completely sold out."  A gasp of incredulity and frustration, followed by the crash of the phone going down at his end.   I have to admit that I got a degree of quiet satisfaction from the exchange, which just added to the enormous pride that I felt at being the guy who helped facilitate the very first 'Live on Stage' appearance of Monty Python's Flying Circussss!   

Colin Richardson 001

Continuing with the Colin Richardson interview - we look at the formation of Colosseum in the late 60's and Colin's role in it. The story forms part of a long interview with Colin who played a part in bringing some of the top bands/acts to Coventry for the Lanchester Arts festival.

A few months after joining Bron Artiste Management, July I think, I got a call from Jon Hiseman to tell me that he was forming a band and asked if I was interested in being the manager. Dick Heckstall-Smith had left John Mayall's Bluesbreakers in early June, but Jon Hiseman had stayed on with Mayall for several more weeks.  Dick and Jon had often talked about forming a band together...and this was their 'window of opportunity'. Dick apparently had said to Jon: "If we're ever going to form this band of ours, it's got to be 

Jon Hiseman

right now!"  So, after mulling things over,Jon decided to 'bite the bullet' and let Mayall know that he was also leaving He then told Dick it was 'game on' and set about getting the other musicians. Tony Reeves, who had also been with Jon and Dick in the Bluesbreakers had left at the same time as Dick and he was Jon's first choice for bass. Then Dave Greenslade was recruited... he'd been with Geno Washington's Ram Jam Band for the past 18 months and was ready for a change. So, now the main part of the group was set. Perhaps it should be explained at this point, that Jon, Tony and Dave had known each other since they were teenagers growing up in South East London. Jon and Tony had played together many times at the Jazzhouse in Blackheath, which I wrote about in an earlier section.  Dick, of course, had met Jon when they were both in the Graham Bond Organisation a few years earlier.  Jon and I had also known each other quite a while, having worked together during the Jazzhouse days, both musically and when I was one of the club managers, as well as the early days of the New Jazz Orchestra. This was probably the main reason he approached me to manage the new band, which he had named Colosseum.  I was flattered...but had to explain that, as I had a family and a hefty mortgage, I couldn't afford to take that kind of risk. I could, however, talk to Gerry Bron and see if I could get him interested in signing them and that way I could still be involved, but from within the organisation. That way they would benefit from the agency/management/publishing expertise of the company. I told Gerry, who was impressed with their pedigree and agreed to go and hear them when they had some material ready. Jon was happy with that option and a few weeks 

Bath-70-colosseum-derek

later announced that they were ready to show what they could do. We took ourselves down to the rehearsal room and listened as they ran through a few numbers. We were both blown away by the sheer musical ability of the guys and 

Colosseum - Walking In The Park

Gerry signed them up without a moments hesitation. He then proceeded to set up a bank account for them, with a hefty overdraft facility and they were off and running within a week, with gigging sheduled to start in October, a couple of months later. They were well received by both fans and the music press and over the next 3 years played all over Europe and America (though never really cracking the latter), released 3 strong selling albums...the last of which was a 'live' recording, which was probably their best.  They folded in November 1971, when they ran out of new material (and steam), the catalyst being guitarist Clem Clempson's departure to join Humble Pie.  Amazingly, the group re-

Colisseum with Dick Heckstall Smith

formed in 1993, over 20 years later, with the exact same line-up as when they broke up!  They made several more records (CDs now, of course) and made frequent tours of the German-speaking territories.   Dick Heckstall-Smith died in December 2004, aged 70. 

 

All of which, plus much more, can be read about in the upcoming book on Jon Hiseman's life and career, which is still a 'work in progress', but... "watch this space", as they say.

Colosseum - Valentyne Suite part 1 of 2

Artwoods

Continuing from part Three we look at Colin Richardson's development as a Booking Agent in the music business..

In 1964 I was working as an Office Services Manager for a computer company, north of Oxford Street.  This was about the same time I got the Marquee 'night manager' job on Monday and Wednesday evenings, as well as Sundays at the "Jazzhouse"...plus playing the odd gig here and there. I was also, on occasions, booking bands into local colleges on a 'split commission' basis (this is where you get a booking for a band that you don't actually represent, but the band's agent will accept the booking and 'split' the 10% commision with you 50/50. Some agencies were quite happy to do this, even though I wasn't officially an agent.).

One such booking was for the Artwoods, a popular R&B group (with Jon Lord on Hammond organ!). Some time after

the artwoods - i take what i want

 this gig, I was phoned by their booking agent, Barry Dunning at the London City Agency, asking if their was any chance of them getting a 'return booking'.  In the conversation that followed, I let it be known that I was interested in getting into the music business and he suggested that I go and have a chat with them, as one of their bookers, Steve O'Rourke (who was later to be part of Pink Floyd's management) was moving on. So, I went to meet with Barry and his partner, Johnny Jones. After asking a few questions, they seemed happy to offer me the job... and I was happy to accept.  Oddly enough, I started off booking out the aforementioned Artwoods, plus a few other acts, but, more importantly, I also had to get bookings for some very well-known visiting blues artists, such as John Lee Hooker, Chuck Berry and Jesse Fuller.  It was certainly 'in at the deep end', but it was definitely a great opportunity to learn the ropes. After about 18 months though, I was kind of 'head-hunted' by John Gunnell of the Rik Gunnell Agency.

25. So, your next move was to the Gunnell Agency...

 

This would have been around September 1966. I had got to know John Gunnell, the younger of the 2 brothers, through booking some of the LCA bands into the Flamingo and Ram Jam clubs, both of which were run by the Gunnells. Their agency had an impressive roster of 'name' bands like Georgie Fame and the Blue Flames, Geno Washington and the Ram Jam Band, Zoot Money, John Mayall, Long John Baldry etc., so they were a much more powerful set up. When John asked if I would like to join them, I didn't really hesitate..though I did have some pangs of guilt at leaving LCA, who had given me my first break, but I realised that it would be a big step up for me to handle bands of that stature. They were much easier to sell, since they were such reliable 'draws' and it was just a question of which gigs to take and which to pass on. Like LCA, the Gunnells occasionally imported artists from the States. I remember booking out blues guitarists Freddie King and Albert King, as well as soul singers like Mary Wells and Joe Tex (who cancelled at the last minute, causing real problems which resulted in the Gunnells calling a halt to such tours). 

We also had something to do with the Stax tour in '67, with Otis Redding, Sam and Dave, Arthur Conley and Wilson Pickett.  I think it might have been as promoters of the Finsbury Park Astoria concert, I can't remember exactly.  It was very exciting working with such major league artists, but in December 1967, I was offered the job of General Manager at Bron Artistes Management, who looked after Gene Pitney, Manfred Mann and the Bonzo Dog

Bonzo Dog Doo Dah Band - Canyons Of Your Mind (1968)

 Doo Dah Band. I like the idea of working with such a diverse range of artists, plus it was another step up for me. 

John Mayalls Bluesbreakers - i can't quit you baby wt Dick Heckstall Smith

 

Colin Richardson as a Jazz bassist in the early 1960's

My route in to the Marquee was through the National Jazz Federation, which was set up by Harold and Barbara Pendleton, who were both jazz enthusiasts, mainly to act as an agency for Chris Barber and other 'trad' bands and to run the Marquee Club (at that time in Oxford Street). Later they founded the Reading Jazz and Blues Festival, which in those days, was exactly that...jazz and blues.  They had a tiny office just off (I think) Dean Street, where Chris's sister Audrey also worked.  I met them through my involvement with the "Jazzhouse" and the New Jazz Orchestra, which was runner-up at the 1964 festival's newcomers competition. Some time later, they asked if I would like to be a 'night manager' at the Marquee.  Naturally, I jumped at the chance.

Harold and Barbara worked mostly at the NJF offices, a short walk away in Dean Street, which were quite modest, just

Brian Augur Trinity at The Marquee 1965 with Long John Baldry Rod Stewart and Julie Driscoll

 2 or 3 rooms over (I think) a restaurant.That's where they ran the admin, booked the bands etc. I didn't see them at the club much, though they would sometimes show up on Humph's night. (Humphrey Lyttelton Band). I ran the Monday night session with Long John Baldry and the Steampacket, as well as Wednesdays, which featured the Humphrey Lyttelton Band.

(The You Tube from 1965 features The Brian Augar Trinity and Long John Baldry. A very fresh faced Rod Stewart is there too providing backing vocals!)

Marquee-74

The atmosphere in the club was always pretty good, whatever the size of audience, though it could get very hot and sweaty when it was full. As 'night manager', I had to oversee the whole evening, ensure the box office was set up, cash float, etc... check that the band was ready to go on at the right time, cash up at the close, pay the bands, etc... Lock up and go home. Everything except the catering.

The bands were nearly always booked by John Gee, the club manager or through the office, in the case of American visiting musicians. Some of the artists could be quite difficult. I frequently had problems on the Monday night, when Long John Baldry and the Steampacket played. Baldry and Rod Stewart always seemed to end up arguing over the money and sometimes the keyboard player Reg Dwight, later to re-invent himself as Elton John, would also get involved. I often had to practically throw them out, so I could catch my last train. Never had problems with Humph's band, who all behaved like the professionals they were.

Mr. Acker Bilk - Stranger On The Shore 1988 (Live)

The Marquee was an extremely important step on the way to my music biz career. I made some very influential

_G-Ad-30-nov-72

 contacts, which I sustained over the next years or so. It provided me with excellent experience in dealing with bands etc.... plus it meant I could pretty much always get my bands on there when I wanted. As they say... it's who you know, as much as what you know! Remember, Harold, Barbara and John also ran the Reading Festival at that time, so my relationship with them paid big dividends later on. Though I only worked there a few months... it certainly played a big part in my getting into the music biz.

Colin Richardson of the BRON Agency

Colin Richardson's history goes back to the early 60s,  his love of jazz led to him running a jazz club (the Jazzhouse) in Blackheath. It was here that Manfred Mann launched his first R&B band and where the New Jazz Orchestra was born. It was also where Colosseum had its origins.

Colin was also Night Manager at the Marquee Club for a while in late '64 and later worked for several agencies, including Bron Artiste Management, where he oversaw Colosseum's career. 

Only part of his history impinges on the Coventry scene, but it's an important part. This is the man who arranged the first ever 'live-on-stage' appearance of  Monty Python's Flying Circus (and it was in Cov) and brought acts like The Edwin Hawkins Singers, Jack Bruce, Colosseum, New Jazz Orchestra and many more to the Lanchester Arts Festivals in Cov in the early 1970's. 

This is part two of Trev Teasdel's on-line interview of Colin Richardson. Note - Parts of this post have been re-written since first posted..

 (Visit Colin's Vox Blog HERE )

THE JAZZHOUSE CLUB – Blackheath 1962

In 1962 Colin Richardson co-ran The Jazzhouse Club (at the Green Man Pub) in Blackheath. I asked Colin to describe the club 

“The jazz club was held at the Green Man pub in Blackheath every Sunday evening, upstairs in what was euphemistically referred to as the "Banqueting Suite". It was a decent sized room, which originally had a tiny triangular stage across one corner of the room (though this was later enlarged to an oblong area which extended right across one end of the room).  The 'house band' was the Ian Bird Quintet... the line-up was usually tenor and baritone saxes, plus rhythm section of piano bass drums, occasionally augmented with a trumpet player. They played 'straight down the line' jazz, mostly by guys like Oliver Nelson, Benny Golson, Miles Davis etc. with arrangements usually by Clive Burrows (the bari player). Every week a different 'star' soloist would be booked...Tubby Hayes, Joe Harriott, Ronnie Scott, Don Rendell, Tommy Whittle...all the current premier league instrumentalists of the day.  They all got paid the same fee...£5 (which was about 3 times what the resident musicians took home!)  The resident band would play the first half, then, after the break, the 'star' would play, backed by the house rhythm section.  Sometimes (depending on the whim of said 'star', the other guys would return for a jam session end to the evening.

The atmosphere was always friendly, the audience usually around the 100 mark, depending on how strong a draw that week's soloist was. There was a bar at the rear of the room, but the audience, though enthusiastic, was always well-behaved and knew their jazz.”

One of the interesting developments at the Jazzhouse was the addition of an R & B night with Manfred Mann before they made the big time. What can you tell us about that?

Manfred first appeared early in 1963, I think, at our second club, which we had just opened at the Hackwood Hotel in

Manfred Mann - Do Wah Diddy

 Bromley. As far as I recall, he had only recently arrived in the UK (from South Africa) and was essentially a jazz pianist at that point.  He had got together with Mike Hugg and they were playing holiday camps as the Mann/Hugg Blues Brothers. He was checking us out for the possibility of a gig there, but nothing much came of it as the new club wasn't a great success and we didn't continue with it.

Next time we saw him, he pitched up at the Jazzhouse one Sunday and told us he had switched to Hammond organ and was playing R&B as Manfred Mann (he probably deemed his real name, Lubowitz, too unwieldy).  He suggested that we open a 'rhythm and blues' night, saying that they would play every other Friday for a straight 50% of the door take (such was his confidence that they would draw a good crowd, which turned out to be well-founded). We could then book one of the many other bands playing R&B (like Chris Farlowe or Graham Bond) on the other Fridays. With some trepidation (plus we were admittedly a tad 'snooty' about going downmarket, as we saw it) we agreed to give it a whirl,encouraged by Manfred's assertion that and that we could make a lot of money, which we could use to improve or enhance the jazz nights.

We agreed a date for the opening night...booked a couple of other bands for the 2nd and 4th nights...and set about publicising the new venture.

On the first Friday, I turned up at my usual time of around 7pm...30 minutes prior to opening the doors.   Normally, on a Sunday, I would arrive to find maybe 15 or 20 people waiting in an orderly queue.  On this occasion as I was approaching the venue, I noticed that there seemed to be a crowd milling around and wondered if there was a problem of some kind. As I got closer, I realised that it was 'our' queue...which stretched from the club entrance on the first floor, down the stairway, out the main entrance and around the block! Around 300+ fans were waiting (with incredible patience, it should be mentioned) to get in.  We were, as they say, 'gobsmacked'!  The gig was a resounding success and we cleaned up!  Not every group did quite as well, but nevertheless, we always made money, whoever was on. As fate would have it, the success of the R&B night, with its much larger crowds, was indirectly the cause of its demise.  It happened thus:  On Saturday nights at the Green Man, a slightly dubious promoter used to stage what he described as "A Battle of the Bands", when he would assemble a bill of 5 or 6 local 'beat groups' (as they were known then) who would 'compete' for the title of the night's best group. They would 'win' the prize money of about a tenner..the rest got zilch! The promoter, of course, always made a bomb!   There were often minor scuffles on these evenings...nothing serious...but one Saturday a fight broke out and a knife was used...enter the 'fuzz', who promptly closed ALL the clubs down..even though we were unconnected and had never had any trouble on our nights.  When the landlord told us, we went to the police and pleaded our case. At first they were adamant that no music clubs would be allowed at the pub, but after more pleading and explaining that the Sunday night jazz club had been running for well over a year without any sign of trouble and that furthermore..our jazz audiences rarely numbered much more than 100...they relented and allowed us to continue with the Sunday night jazz club...but NOT the Fridays.  So, our venture into the world of 'commercial promotions' came to an end..but , at least we had made a bit of money, which we used to fund the formation of a 'big-band workshop', the brainchild of Clive Burrows, co-leader of the resident quintet. The rehearsal band eventually evolved into the New Jazz Orchestra, which went on to play many concerts, some in collaboration with Colosseum...notably at the Lanchester Arts Festival in 1971...and that leads us neatly on to the next episode.

The idea for putting together a larger band, originated with Clive Burrows, co-leader of the house band. He wanted a kind of 'workshop' where the younger musicians could get experience of sight-reading and ensemble playing, as well as writing arrangements for a bigger line-up.  So, we set about finding around 18 guys playing the right combination of instruments, sorted out some interesting and challenging 'charts'..Gil Evans, Oliver Nelson etc. plus one or two own arrangements from Clive and one of the club managers, Les Carter, who played flute...and we were all set.

The first rehearsal was at the Jazzhouse on the November 10th 1963 and I noticed straight away the enthusiasm of everyone who turned up. It was Sunday lunchtime and quite a few of these guys would have been out on gigs the night before, but they were raring to go.

After a few weeks, everything was going well and the guys were starting to talk about playing to an audience. So, we

Western Reunion London 1965

The New Jazz Orchestra

set up the debut performance for Sunday 22nd December at (where else?) the Jazzhouse, with its new larger stage. Billed as the 'Bird-Burrows Big Band (great alliteration, but cumbersome!) it was a roaring success... our usual crowd turned up, plus a whole bunch of new faces, curious to see what it was all about.

This successful debut gave a whole new impetus to the band...rehearsals continued apace and in the New Year, the band members were already asking when the next gig was going to be and 'how about recording it'?  I realised at this point, that we had something pretty special here and as everyone seemed to think I was the manager...I decided to start 'managing'.

The next gig we did was was early in 1964 at the Widmore (not 'Wigmore'!) Hall in nearby Bromley as a fundraiser for the 'Freedom From Hunger Campaign'.  On this occasion, we had a vocalist...a guy by the name of Duffy Power, who was actually a young up-and-coming 'pop-star' but with a pretty good bluesy voice.  I have no recollection of how this came about...it was a 'one off'' and he didn't make any further appearances with the band.  I guess his pop career took off or something!

Neil Ardley

Soon after this Clive Burrows accepted an offer to turn 'pro' with Zoot Money and the Big Roll Band. Ian Bird had already departed some time earlier which meant that the rehearsal band was left rudderless at which point Ian Carr suggested bringing in a budding young composer / arranger Neil Ardley to take over leadership. A new name was also needed and some one came up with a rather grandiose Neoteric Jazz Orchestra but this was quickly revised to the New Jazz Orchestra.  Later that year the NJO won the All England Jazz Contest, the final which was held as part of the Guildford Jazz Festival and were also runners up at the National Amateur Jazz Contest which was held under the auspices of the National Jazz Federation  as part of the Richmond Jazz and Blues Festival. Eventually in 1965 the orchestra recorded a live album - Western Reunion which was released on the Decca label.  It was surprisingly well received, with Melody Maker making it their 'Album of the Month'!

It's actually still available, but on CD...the original vinyl LP is now a sought after collectors item valued at around £50. Of course...I lost my copy years ago!

As to the line up - apart from Ian Carr (trumpet and fluegel horn) who did go on to fame (if not fortune!) as the author of his Miles Davis biography. Then there was Jon Hiseman/Tony Reeves etc with Colosseum. Maybe I should also mention Trevor Watts (alto) and Paul Rutherford (trombone) who later became a force in the British avant-garde jazz movement. Neil Ardley (now no longer with us) also has a certain cult following, because of the important albums he made later under his own name ('Symphony of Amaranths', 'Le Dejeuner sur l'herbe', and 'Kaleidoscope of Rainbows') with many of the musicians from the NJO. Other than that, they were all young, relatively inexperienced semi pro musicians...which is why it was so special.

The "Jazzhouse" was just one of many such clubs, not just in the London area. Run mostly by enthusiasts (as they rarely made any money putting on modern jazz) many of them operated similar policies to ours...a good-ish resident band of local musicians, with a different 'name' guest musician each week, like Ronnie Scott, Tubby Hayes, Joe Harriott etc.   The biggest name we ever booked was Oscar Brown Jnr, for our first anniversary night.  With boldness derived from our naivety, we 'doorstepped' him when he was on a visit to the UK.  Somehow we heard he was staying in Holland Park with Stanley Myers (pianist/composer/arranger of some note). We offered him double our usual fee (£10!), which he found quite amusing, I think. Then agreed to do it on these terms:  Car to pick him up and drive him back..a bottle of decent cognac, the rhythm section to pre-rehearse 3 songs, charts provided by him.  He would arrive, perform and leave immediately after....oh, and forget the £10!

It was a great night!

Taking it back to the personal – What were your tastes in Jazz. Who did you admire and why?

I sat and thought about this for a bit, which I haven't done for many years and I was quite surprised to realise that the

Charlie Parker & Dizzy Gillespie

kind of jazz that I prefer listening to now is still the jazz that I listened to back in the 50s...Charlie Parker, Miles Davis, Stan Getz, Charlie Mingus, John Coltrane, Bill Evans, Gil Evans, John Lewis, Milt Jackson, Errol Garner etc etc...I could go on, as there are many others, but where would I stop?  I guess the simple answer is that I was excited by the (then) new jazz...called by some be-bop, which is, I think the term conjured up by Dizzy Gillespie. He and Charlie Parker were probably the two main proponents of the harmonic breakthrough that defined theses new sounds. It changed the whole ballgame, musically speaking and from then on, there was a big divide between these musicians and the old school playing Dixieland or swing.  Of course, at that time, because of a protectionist stance by the American union disagreement, you couldn't hear any of these guys live, unless you went to the States (or occasionally Paris, where there was no union block, as there was in the UK).  I remember the first bandleader to get round this, was Stan Kenton, when he flew his band over to Southern Ireland and everyone who could afford it, travelled there to hear this incredible music.  Ironically, Duke Ellington was allowed to play in England, as he was classified as an 'entertainer', not a musician!!  So, the only live jazz I could experience was 

Milt Jackson - Take the "A" Train

seeing bigbands like Jack Parnell or Ted Heath in concert theatres, or go to clubs like the Flamingo to hear guys like Don Rendell, Tubby Hayes, Tommy Whittle etc., who were the 'young turks' of that era.  That all changed when the two unions came to an agreement and the ban was lifted..and I got my chance to see some of the musicians I had been listening to on record, live in concert. One such, stands out in my memory..and that was seeing Norman Granz's 'Jazz at the Philharmonic' package at the Gaumont State in Kilburn.. with the Oscar Peterson Trio, Dizzy, Illinois Jacquet and many others.  That was some concert!

...........................................................

Pt 3 of the Interview will cover The Marquee Club

Colin Richardson's name appears on the programmes of the Coventry - Lanchester Poly Arts Festival brochures of 1970 -

Colin Richardson of the BRON Agency

71 as the London booking agent for Bron working closely with Ted Little, responsible for bringing bands like Colosseum, New jazz Orchestra, Jack Bruce, Monty Python's Flying Circus, Edwin Hawkin Singers etc to the festival. He was also a Jazz club manager, bass player/band leader, night-manager at the Marquee club, London. Agency booker. Artist management for Colosseum and a Music journalist.

In an exclusive interview with Trev Teasdel for HOBO Colin describes his life and career in the music business

PART ONE - COLIN'S DEVELOPMENT AS A JAZZ MUSICIAN

1. Colin, You were born on 31st December 1936 in South-East

London. What were the significant musical influences on you when

you were growing up?

The first 2 records I bought (in 1952!!) were 78s...one was Jelly Roll Morton's Dead Man Blues b/w

jelly roll morton-sidewalk blues

 Sidewalk Blues the other was a Humphrey Lyttelton record, but I can't recall what the tracks were. I played them on a 'wind-up' gram!  Gaaad, that dates me!   Then, I got into Earl Bostic for a bit... I liked his version of Flamingo.  Later that year I joined the Merchant Navy, so my listening was confined to shortwave radio for the next couple of years...though I do recall buying a 10" LP of Stan Getz in Montreal (even though I had nothing to play it on at the time!).  That would have been late '53 on my last trip before quitting.   After a short spell, in 'civvy street' I had to do my "National Service, as conscription was still in force..so I joined the RAF (1956) and was posted to Germany. There I bought quite a few LPs from the American Forces shop...Errol Garner, Duke Ellington, Dave Brubeck, Shorty Rogers etc.

2. A lot of your career was spent promoting, booking and managing

other bands. Tell us first about yourself as a musician. You played

Double bass. How did your own musical career begin.

I suppose the earliest musical attempts were at age 13 when I started to learn classical piano.   I wasn't exactly

The Dave Brubeck Quartet - Take Five (1961)

 gifted and nothing came easy to me.  Hated practicing, so the omens weren't good and I threw the towel in after less than a year (something I naturally regretted later).

 

I fooled around with a guitar while in the MN...and trumpet in the RAF. No tuition whatsoever..just picking out tunes myself...I remember attempting "Someone to watch over me" at one point. I didn't persevere with either and didn't make much progess.  Then later, (must have been early 60s by now) to further my 'career' in office management I had taken evening classes for 2 or 3 years. To take a break from these studies, I signed up for a course in jazz

bad penny boogie

 and blues at Goldsmith's College in South East London tutored by an eccentric trumpet/trombone/bandleader guy, name of Owen Bryce. He claimed to be "Britain's First Jazz Trumpeter" and his instrument case proclaimed this in large red and yellow letters!  The plan was to play piano on the course and I did start out thus, but there were 3 other guys who played piano, so for 3/4 of the 2 hour session, I just sat and watched.  After a couple of weeks, Owen arrives schlepping a somewhat battered double bass, with 2 of the 4 strings missing and asked if anyone could play it. No-one put their hand up, so he then asked if anyone wanted to play it.  I figured that, rather than sitting and watching, I would have a go on this large and slightly daunting instrument!   So I stuck my hand up...marched up to the bandstand and commenced plucking!   I'd like to say it was love at first 'pluck', but that might be exaggerating..though I certainly enjoyed my first attempts at providing rhythm for the other instruments. I subsequently took the bass home, got a new set of strings for it, bought a tutorial book and...and off I went !

 

I practised quite a bit...took a couple of lessons from Joe Muddel (well-know bass player at the time, who lived

Duke Ellington - It don't mean a thing (1943)

 quite near to me)  and at some point, Owen Bryce asked if I'd like to 'dep' for his regular bass player next Saturday at the Moat Hotel Wrotham?  My first gig...and it paid £3! (not a bad sum at the time!). I had to borrow a tux (from my next door neighbour).  The band played what was known as 'mainstream jazz', slightly watered down for a dinner dance crowd.  From time to time, this offer was repeated and eventually I was playing more often than the 'regular' guy so, by default, the job was mine.

 

Neither of my parents were at all musical...other than playing the odd 78 record of 30s'40s songs. I do remember "Pedro, the fisherman...was always whistling"!!!  Now there's a "scoop"!!!  Hold the front page!

 

Other than that, I don't recollect being all that aware of what was going on musically.  Mostly I went to the cinema...or very occasionally, a local variety show.  As a teenager, I heard all the current pop songs on the radio...Johnny Ray, Guy Mitchell, Rosemary Clooney, Pat Boon...all very "schlocky" (except Rosemary

# 319) Rosemary Clooney: Mambo Italiano

 Clooney...a much underrated singer).  trying to think of the first 'live' band performance I saw....pretty sure that would have been the Jack Parnell Big Band in Streatham, some time in 1952, I think, when I lived in Streatham prior to joining the MN.

Most of my leisure time was devoted to ice-skating at that time...I was a fanatical, if not always upright, speed skater!...5 nights a week!

 

3. What kind of music did you play and who with and where?

 

Later, when working in the music biz...I kind of formed my own band (the "Cole Richards Combo"!!!..this name was suggested by Dave Gelly, the tenor player from the NJO (New Jazz Orchestra) and a long time friend. This band played a kind of "cabaret/night-club jazz for dancing," for quite reasonable fees, at colleges and other commercial gigs...and, with some line-up modification, out and out modern jazz (for little or no money!) in jazz clubs (Ronnie Scott's "Old Place", the Marquee etc.) and even the odd BBC radio prog like Sounds of the 70s.!

 

4. Any highlights / stories around your own musical activity?

...quite a few, some even printable!

 

My 'career' as a musician/bandleader was never going to lead to anything remarkable..I played mainly for enjoyment and was fortunate to have around me some highly talented up-and-coming local musicians like Jon Hiseman (at that time still a semi-pro drummer, whilst holding down a day job at ICI!) and Dave Gelly (tenor sax) later to become an established author and journalist (jazz critic for the "Observer")...Art Themen (who had been at Cambridge with Dave) and was usually the other front line instrument with the New Jazz Quintet (the version of my band that played the jazz gigs)).

Some of the slightly more notable occasions include: backing Champion Jack Dupree at the Chelsea College of

Champion Jack Dupree - All About Blues Feeling

 Technology...we had to be on our toes...as Jack would sometimes decide that the 12 bar blues he was playing would be improved with the addition of an extra bar or two!

Other highlights would be...a recording session for Jean Hart, an american singer who worked with my band at the time.  She was Bill Oddie's girlfriend (and was the original conduit to Eric Idle and the Python booking coup!) She seemed to be connected to quite a few 'high-flying' celebs, including Richard Rodney Bennett...who she somehow roped in on piano to record some songs for a demo.  Dave G and Jon H were also on the session...but where the tapes went is anybody's guess. Dave recently told me he did have a tape of the session, at one time, but had no idea whether it was still around.  Shame...I'd love to have a copy.

 

  PART TWO COMING SOON  - COLIN TALKS ABOUT THE JAZZ HOUSE - NEW JAZZ ORCHESTRA - MANFRED MANN - THE MARQUEE 

COLIN RICHARDSON IS ON VOX  PAY A VISIT!!   here

Lanch

Ted Little was responsible for organising the Lanchester Arts Festival in the late 60's / early 70's.

I never knew Ted Little but as an 18 year old, like many Coventry musicians and fans of the time, I regularly frequented the Lanchester Polytechnic's student's union on a Friday or Saturday night to see some the best upcoming underground acts of the time. The kind of bands and acts that you'd hear on John Peel at that time. The Lanch gigs were the highlight of the week. Everybody would be there. It was such a great social-networking venue and an inspiration to budding local musicians. The first band I saw in the autumn of 1969 was Soft Machine. The list of bands I saw just goes on and on and includes -

Principal Edward's Magic Theatre, Jack Bruce, Colosseum, New Jazz Orchestra, Skid Row, Osibisa, Tyrannosaurus Rex (and later T. Rex), the Nice, Yes, ELP, Ralph McTell, Strawbs, Mr Fox, Atomic Rooster, Blodwyn Pig, Jethro Tull, Roy Harper, Vadergraff Generator, Can, Groundhogs, Duster Bennet, Kevin Ayres and the Whole World,Curved Air,Grimms, The Liverpool Poets, Jake Thackery, Neil Innes, Bonzo Dog Doo Dah Band, Scaffold, Paul Jones,Claire Hammil, Blackfoot Sue,Brett Marvin and the Thunderbolts, Heron, Fairport Convention, Centipede, Nucleus,Arthur Big Boy Crudup, Climax Chicago Blues Band,Patto, Mott the Hoople, Roxy Music, Wild Angels, Nashville Teens, Leon Russell, Adrian Mitchell,Pete Brown's Piblokto, ELO, Wizzard, Gentle Giant, Fleetwood Mac, Who, Elton John, Caravan, Bridgett St. John, Lindisfarne, Stone the Crows, Medicine Head, Brinsley Schwarz,Brewers Droop, Ivor Cutler, Edwin Hawkin Singers , Lesley Duncan, Suzi Quatro, Cockney Rebel, Arthur Brown,-

These are just the ones I remember seeing. Later there was the Clash, Sex Pistols, Selecter, Specials, Bad Manners, Bowie, Pink Floyd, Chuck Berry, UB40 and so many more - not neccessarily in that order!

Ted Little wasn't responsible for all of those bands however. He was a student at the Lanchester Polytechnic in

Lanchester Arts Festival 1971 Programme

 Coventry, where he read modern studies between 1967 and 1970. His interest in arts administration began when he ran the Lanchester Arts Festival in 1970. 

I'm not clear on whether Ted actually invented the Lanchester Arts Festival but he certainly helped to establish it as a multi-media festival with some of the top bands, street theatre, film, poetry, classical, blues and jazz, comedy and much more. This model appears to have been quickly followed by nearby Warwick University with their annual mixed meda arts festival which always took place a month later in March in the early 70's.

I only know of Ted Little because the other day I got an e mail and phone call from Colin Richardson who is sited on the 1971 Lanch Arts Festival programme as the man who booked most of the artists for the Festival through the BRON Agency in London. Colin (who was a former manager of the Marquee Club in London), was

Lanch Poly - Now Coventry University

full of praise and respect for Ted Little and they established a good working relationship. Colin was particulary impressed with the Multi-media aspects of the festival and the interest and inspiration that he brought to the festival. Colin told me that it was Ted who asked him to book Monty Python's Flying Circus for what would be their first ever Live performance at the Belgrade Thetre as part of the 1971 Arts Festival. (This story will be told more fully in another post).

I also seem to remember there were some great (60's style) artistic posters produced for both the Arts festival and the gigs. If anybody has any of these posters please let us know. I really think they should be archived on the internet in some form!

I was interested to learn that Ted went on to be the administrator of the Birmingham Arts Lababoratory in 1974. I remember going along to the Arts Laboratory to watch how the Birmingham Streetpress was layed out and designed after starting Hobo magazine. I can't recall meeting Ted or even knowing that this was the same guy who organised the

Colin Richardson of the BRON Agency

Lanch Arts Fest. However, as a result of Colin Richardson's phone call, I am now aware of Ted Little and his influence on the Coventry and Birmingham Arts and music scene of the early 70's.

(Colin Richardson's New Vox is Here)http://colinrichardson.vox.com/

In my research, I discovered that Ted had gone on to bring his innovative and democratic approach to the arts to the London Institute of Contemporary Art which he headed and, in the words of the Guardian, he became one of 'Britain's leading arts administrators' .

Unfortunately Ted Little fell down the stairs and was paralysed in 1985 but despite his serious disability - "Between 1985 and 1987 he was director of Northampton Arts Centre, followed by two years as director of Artsline. He was active in the development of disability arts; in 1993 he established the Arts Council of Great Britain's initiative to increase the employment of disabled people in the arts."  The Guardian

Lanch Arts Fest Poster

Ted Little passed away in 1999 aged 56 but his influence on the Coventry and Birmingham arts scene,not to mention his work in London and elsewhere, is still felt but those who went to Lanch Festivals or the Birmingham Arts lab back in the 70's.

If anybody has anymore information on Ted Little (especially his role in Lanchester Arts Festival) or anyone one else associated with organising the bands and festivals at the Lanch or any posters / flyers, please get in contact. I can add your information / memories in and any material you have. Alternativly leave a comment here.

You can read more about Ted Little by following these links to obituaries in the Guardian and the Independent.

http://www.guardian.co.uk/news/1999/aug/12/guardianobituaries

http://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/ted-little-1116790.html