1963; UK jazz scene morphing into UK R&B scene

[Roburt]

In 1963, it was jazz bands (of many different styles) that ruled the roost in UK clubs. Most clubs back then advertised themselves as being jazz clubs & many independent promoters put on jazz shows utilising local civic buildings (town hall) & local ballrooms. BUT a change was starting to occur.

Big UK live jazz acts such as the Mike Cotton Jazzmen & Cyril Davies All-Stars were moving over to play R&B. This was being reflected in the fact that many jazz clubs started playing host to R&B nights. The Flamingo in London had started up it's allniter sessions with the likes of Georgie Fame, the Stones, Alexis Corner, Graham Bond & John Mayall all being regular acts for those sessions. The influence of US jazz, Blues and R&B acts was beginning to spread thru UK music circles (fashion store Cecil Gee advertising mohair suits as stage wear for musicians). Cyril Davies took on the likes of Sth African femme trio the Velvettes to perform with him (they recorded here).

Lots of the scene then was based in London, but it had spread out right across the UK -- one club that was playing it's part was the Dancing Slipper, West Bridgeford, Nottingham (just down the road from the Brit). Here, an enterprising sound boffin had installed a good sound amplification / speaker system to ensure live acts sounded their best. His skills went further, as he'd also set up a decent recording system, linked into the venue's sound system. It appears he always asked permission first (which was given) but then he'd record each 'jazz' acts live performance (pop acts weren't recorded as they weren't deemed important). BUT, as I stated earlier, many jazz bands were including R&B numbers in their acts.

The Mike Cotton Jazz Band (who would soon become the Mike Cotton Sound (with Lucas) were one act who played the Dancing Slipper in 1963. so it's likely their show was recorded.

Times moved on, the jazz scene died, R&B clubs took their place and then changed into mod / soul clubs. Eventually the Dancing Slipper shut down & the venue was reused for other purposes. The sound guy from the venue eventually died, but his 'tapes' were saved by Lake Records of Workington.  

Some of the jazz recordings he made have escaped on CD since Lake took them on but I'm unsure if they've put out any of the shows where the act included some R&B numbers in their repertoire. Anyone out there, Familiar with the Nottingham venue or the record label know if this is the case ? 

Edited December 15, 2023 by Roburt

[Roburt]

From the above (the ad sheet for the Dankworth, Ronnie Scotts & the Marquee) I noted that UK record shops were already importing US discs (mostly jazz I'd think back then) as early as April 1963. No doubt it was these stores that also got US blues and R&B records for British fans back then  -- owning a US blues LP was a top status symbol back then.

Another early status symbol was having a mohair suit ... 

[Thinksmart]

Well well!  The Dancing Slipper....less than a mile from my house and our son lives around the corner.

It's now a language training school but was my Mod haunt in the 1980s, great for dancing and underage drinks... ahem......  if you went then, we know each other.  Lots of tales.  It was definitely open as a venue in the 1980s and 1990s. I even went for a carvery dinner there to see Edison Lighthouse (who was never a real band so...????) as a big group about ten years ago.  I don't really know why we were there.  It was on its last legs as a venue by then.

It was also the venue for a key Tubby Hayes live album too as shown above.  There is still a small but thriving West Bridgford jazz scene that continues through from 1950s-60s.

I have not seen any other Dancing Slipper R&B related releases which I would get. 

One thing I have to correct living here, it's West Bridgford (ah that's better, just let me have that one). 

Yes the Brit / Boat are half a mile up the road at Trent embankment and in other direction is wonderful architecture of The Test Match pub.  Dancing Slipper, King John, the underground Beerkeller now gone (saw a line up of Dr Feelgood there and I was dancing on the table), Hand and Heart, Hearty Goodfellow, Thurland Arms - loads of ace venues and Soul/Mod places.  There used to be crowds hanging around Thurland Arms on a Sunday Night every week - we'd go just to be around everyone with Rob playing music even in winter.  Fun times.

Anything needed on Dancing Slipper etc - just let me know.  My old blog here might be of interest around the intersection of British jazz, Soul, R&B, Mod, Ivy League clothes, design, architecture, Nottingham,  London  etc: https://squareendknittedtie.tumblr.com/ - I haven't updated in ages but it still seems to be up, including the pictures.  It looks like the categories I tagged the posts with still work too.

PS Cecil Gee has the profile, but it was Austin's on Shaftsberry Avenue where the musician crowd also started to go (Not to be confused with Austin Reed on Regent St back then, Austin's was an independent who imported from USA.)  It was where Charlie Watts went, then where Clapton and Townshend first met. John Michael was even better but expensive and away at King's Road, he opened Sportique on Old Compton Street.  I can write about men's fashion of that time for ages - Sam Arkus, Vince, Blades, Que, the original Ivy Shop in Richmond etc.  It's all at the blog linked above. I reached out and got to know a load of the people involved in the clothes trade from that time and asked them their reccollections.  Paul Smith was an old Nottingham Mod mate of a boss from the 90s who was still sharp and became a friend.  They used to go to the Poly ballroom orginally before Dungeon etc got popular.

You may see me on a Christmas ale 'All Dayer' at Central Avenue here in WB next week, it's a wonderful place to drink.  Any other of us 'local?'  Feel free to contact directly.

 

Edited December 15, 2023 by Thinksmart

[Roburt]

Used to hang out with the Nottingham crowd in 67 @ the Mojo (Sheffield). Then, when we'd hitch down to Leicester (on our way to the Nite Owl), we'd call in a pub in Nottingham to see some of them en-route. In the 80's, we'd go to the MS nights at Rock City & to live shows there (Frankie Beverly & Maze).

BUT BACK TO 63 .... this time in London ... the jazz guys were swopping over to R&B and many clubs there were doing the same. Alexis Korner started up a Blues / R&B club (The Blues Club) by hiring the Empire Rooms on Tottenham Ct Rd (just round the corner from Euston Stn & next to Warren St tube). There his band would play + he'd book other similar acts. One such act being the Graham Bond Quartet. Graham himself having just moved from jazz (with the The New Don Rendell Quintet) to R&B. Also with Graham in that jazz band had been Phil Kinorra aka Julien Covey.

By the time Graham Bond had started his own R&B band, Julien Covey had also moved on and was playing drums in the Brian Auger Trio (along with Rick Laird who would later help to start the Mahavishnu Orchestra). At the time, the Brian Auger Trio were playing jazz gigs at Ronnie Scotts (see ad). They too would soon transition to R&B, with Auger adopting the Hammond B3 organ and working with Rod Stewart, Julie Driscoll, Long John Baldry & more.

Over time Brian Auger would change musical styles a number of times. He'd started out in jazz, then R&B, soul before becoming one of the leaders in the musical movement to jazz/ rock fusion with his Oblivion Express (but even then he'd still cut tracks such as "Inner City Blues"). 

   

[Roburt]

The 100 Club getting in on the act in early 1964 ... it was still mainly a jazz venue at the time ...

Edited December 18, 2023 by Roburt

[Roburt]

Big players on the 'new' UK R&B scene back in 63 (& 64) would be booked to play IN clubs like the Scene in London ...  Mike Cotton at the time was still performing jazz.

One such group being Georgie Fame & the Blue Flames. They also took their shows to USAF bases in the UK and thus informed US black GI's based over here that there was a 'scene' for them down in London. Georgie would allow GI's in the audience who said they could sing to get up on stage with him & perform. HENCE the emergence of the likes of Sonny Childe, Geno Washington & the like.

Many black GI's in the 60's looked forward to being posted to the UK as their elders had told them how well they had been treated here in WW2 (by the Brits at least).

Edited December 20, 2023 by Roburt