From 'Blues - Keeping the Faith' by Keith Shadwick
Korner was born in Paris (1928) and came to England with his family in 1939 as Hitler's armies were poised to invade the rest of Europe.At the end of WW 2 Korner started out his life in music as a confirmed jazz fan,graduating to blues and its offshoots by the begining of the 1950's,Korner gradually came to see that much of what was being played was hardly authentic.A spell in the Chris Barber Band - like him a man with real erudition on the subject of jazz and blues - during this time gave Korner a clear pointer a to the direction he wished to pursue.Along with the blues enthusiast and harp player,Cyril Davies,he founded the London Blues and Barrelhouse Club,an important meeting place for like minded souls.By 1961 he had formed Blues Incorperated with Davies(although the latter was to leave within a year),which quickly became a fixture at London's Marquee Club.Over the next six years the band was to employ a galaxy of talent,including half of the Rolling Stones,Long John Baldry,Jack Bruce,Ginger Baker,Paul Jones and Graham Bond.While his erstwhile employees mostlty left to find fame and riches,Korner plied his blues and R&B trail to mediocre success.Blues Inc.was discontinued in 1967 and although Korner ran other bands after that,it was under his own name that he mostly performed from then on.Branching out,Korner appeared on television and had a long running radio show in London during the 1970's and 1980's.He continued to play with varying line ups up to his death,from cancer,in 1984.