Kenny Ball and His Jazzmen: The legendary sound that brought jazz to Torbay
Discover the story of jazz legend Kenny Ball and his Jazzmen, from their chart-topping hits and international success to their memorable performances across Torbay, where the band brought the sounds of traditional jazz to audiences throughout the English Riviera.
Once the Sid Phillips Jazz Band was at full size it now included: Kenny Ball and his new mate Charlie Galbraith, Eric Delaney, Terry Lightfoot and Sid Phillips (bandleader and clarinettist). It soon became successful and it’s players would remain together for four years until Kenny finally decided it was time for him to form his own band. That occurred in 1958 when he named it “Kenny Ball and his Jazzmen Band” being a Dixieland style band which from the 60’s was very popular. Interestingly “Pye Record Company” had decided to support Kenny from the start initially produced an album although it would be the Cole Porter single “Samantha” that gave the band their first pop-singles chart hit in 1961. Jazz at the time was somewhat on the wane but when “Samantha” was issued it changed everything when being a first hit for Kenny quickly followed that later that year with “Someday -You’ll be sorry” and then finally “Midnight in Moscow” proving without any doubt Pye had been right to back this new band in their listings.
Over the next three years Kenny and his Jazzmen appeared in the pop charts on four occasions every year until 1964 when the revival of “trad Jazz” finally seemed to have peaked. It would now be Kenny’s band again withy their hit record “Hello Dolly” that saw jazz once again popular. Then finally it took until 1967 before Kenny’s Jazzmen once again made the charts with their record “When I’m Sixty Four”. During these years Kenny’s musicians were beginning to move on due to the touring schedule taking it’s toll. The manic travelling between each venue on tour and this distances far away from home while still fulfilling contracts for appearances on television the big screen and radio. Without doubt Kenny was fulfilling his dreamed of lifestyle and of course rapidly becoming comparatively rich. But as we know there is generally a price to pay for success which in Kenny’s case was his virtual maniacal lifestyle which likely suited him but for the earliest “players” the pace of life was now becoming just too much for many.
Kenny fortunately had retained most of his original band when he first came on tour to the Westcountry and arrived in Torbay. The bands quite unique sound was heard in the English Riviera on many occasions during the late 50’s and into the 70’s. It’s version of “trad jazz” had not yet peaked before it appeared in Torquay’s Town Hall stage several times before later then being heard at each of our main theatres in Torbay. The band even played in a special concert in 1963 at the Princess Theatre when Kenny stayed at “Penny Cottage” on Penny’s Hill, St Marychurch, Torquay. The property was later to be regularly rented or leased for short lets and to especially visiting entertainers. Acker Bilk stayed here as did Ronnie Corbett, Nerys Hughes, Terry Scott and even June Whitfield before finally the band leader Eric Robinson and his wife Penney Robinson leased the cottage. It would be Penney (Eric’s wife) that eventually had the name changed from “Penny Cottage” to “Penney’s Cottage” why who knows - we can only guess she wanted her Christian name saved for posterity.
The touring work of the 60’s and 70s took the band to: America, Australia, Canada, Japan, Sweden and even the Soviet Union. When at home Kenny would eventually sign a five year contract for his band to appear on future shows of the famous Morecambe and Wise show – an astounding “record” in that era. The band were in Torbay again in August 1980 this time when playing at “La Pigalle” one of our most celebrated residences of that time. By now playing his “large toned trumpet” Kenny’s choice of “trad-jazz” was still keeping his band popular. BBC Radio then created a regular spot on their “Easy Beat” shows and later BBC Television created shows like “Top of the Pop’s” and “New Faces” when Kenny and the Jazzmen were involved. Pye Records meanwhile also retained Kenny especially as his recording of “Midnight in Moscow” had topped a million records for both of them. In remaining in the Top Ten of the charts for a staggering twenty four continuous weeks must have been a record in itself. Then on another occasion the band were touring Europe when coming across Louis Armstrong doing a gig. Never one to miss any opportunity Kenny immediately arranged a show with Louie, which later proved to be Louis’s last showing in Europe.