Early Lonnie Recording

Subject: RE: Early Lonnie Recording
From: Roger the Skiffler
Date: 28 Jan 05 - 03:30 AM

Flash, one more (getting a bit away from folk & blues!): The Chris B CD Jubliee Stomp 1953-2003 (Timeless CDTTD654)is mostly the current 11 or 6 piece CB band but does include these early tracks:
Blue Blood Blues (Feb 1953) Monty, Chris (bass) Len Page (bjo);Slow Drag Blues (Feb 1953)Monty, Chris, LenP, Jim Bray, Ron Bowden (dr) and either Ken or Pat on trumpet;Merrydown Rag,Chimes Blues & Caroline Moon (April 1954) Ken,Monty,Chris,Jim,Ron & Lonnie.
These were tapes of broadcasts found by the late Sonny Morris.
WE better close this now, everyone else has nodded off. PM me if you want details of my couple of KC LPs!

RtS
(100 Club denizen 1969-ish to 1980s: my first visit in 1968 was to see KC!)

Subject: RE: Early Lonnie Recording
From: Flash Company
Date: 27 Jan 05 - 12:11 PM

Thanks Roger, I've got the Upbeat catalogue now so will have a look at those.
The Lake recording is LACD190 and is called Ken Colyer Vintage 1953, the tracks include 'Tiger Rag', 'Wild Cat Blues' and 'If I Ever Cease to Love' which I had on a Storyville EP in a previous existence.
If they are the same recordings they were great. The disc also includes 4 Skiffle tracks, From 1953!!!!
Titles listed as 'Hard Times', Nobody's Child', You Don't Know my Mind' and 'Midnight Special'. I wonder if the Midnight Special is the one that someone issued in 1955 to cash in on Rock Island Line?
Should have the CD by next week, but changing my computer on Wednesday, so I may be missing for a day or two.

FC

Subject: RE: Early Lonnie Recording
From: GUEST,Roger the Skifflr via the backdoor
Date: 27 Jan 05 - 09:32 AM

PS the Upbeat CD is called Somewhere over the rainbow.

RtS

Subject: RE: Early Lonnie Recording
From: Roger the Skiffler
Date: 27 Jan 05 - 03:53 AM

Correction. Ron Ward on bass and Ray Foxley: piano on that last CD.

RtS
(Doh!)

Subject: RE: Early Lonnie Recording
From: Roger the Skiffler
Date: 27 Jan 05 - 03:49 AM

Glad you enjoyed it too, Flash. It's a shame they weren't able to restore the sound balance for that one vocal mike.
In case you haven't heard of them check out:
KC Skiffle Group: "Wandering" LAKE LACD68 (Colyer, Sammy Rimmington: Mandolin, John Bastable: tenor banjo,Bill Cole: Bass, recorded 1965).Tracks include Ella Speed, Muleskinner Blues, Drop Down Mama, Good Morning blues and Casey Jones.
and
KC jazzmen & Skiffle group Upbeat Jazz URCD170. 1958 recording. Skiffle group is Ken, Bastable,Ron Ward: piano, Colin Bowden: washboard. Skiffle tracks:Rock Island Line, Rent House Stomp, When the Sun Goes Down, Poor Howard.

RtS
(older 'n' dirt)

Subject: RE: Early Lonnie Recording
From: Flash Company
Date: 26 Jan 05 - 10:00 AM

The CD arrived this morning, URCD198, just as I was about to sit down to a coffee.
Someone started a thread a while ago about'Music that makes you cry', I've just found some more! The MC, I believe Rex Harris, introduces the band, they launch into 'Put on your Old Grey Bonnet' and I was gone. Sheila went and did something else, there was no point in trying to communicate with me for the next hour.
Not a bad track on the record, although Ken's vocal on 'Casey Jones' is practically inaudible, Still, I have the later version with Alex Korner.
Lonnie's version of 'The Cotton Song' is great, if it had been released at the time it would have taken off just as 'Rock Island Line' did.
Incidentally, I notice that there is a CD called 'Vintage Colyer' on Lake, going by the list of tracks I would think it is the old Storyville recordings, which feature the same band but may just pre-date this one. If so, it includes the best version of 'Tiger Rag' ever! I'm investigating.

FC

Subject: RE: Early Lonnie Recording
From: Flash Company
Date: 25 Jan 05 - 11:14 AM

Roger... sad to hear about Monty, I saw him with Chris on the reunion tour as great as ever.
Also saw his band at The 100 Club in my travelling to Slough days in the early '90s, can't remember the line-up at the time, but they were really wailing. I walked in to Cake-walking Babies, sat down and stayed until they chucked us out.
Shared a table with an Aussie couple, conversation went as follows:-

Girl; Who is the clarinettist?
Fella: That's Monty Sunshine!
Girl ; It can't be, Monty Sunshine is a slim young man.
Me; No, Monty Sunshine is a stout middle aged man now!

I still get withdrawal symptons for Soho and Oxford Street.

Subject: RE: Early Lonnie Recording
From: GUEST,Roger the skiffler via the backdoor
Date: 25 Jan 05 - 09:33 AM

Refresh

RtS

Subject: RE: Early Lonnie Recording
From: Roger the Skiffler
Date: 24 Jan 05 - 10:06 AM

I believe Ken learned guitar (he was an upside-down lefty player)on a righthand guitar he bought or borrowed off a fellow crewman on the boat coming back from New Orleans. Lonnie always claims he bought a banjo ( I assume he already played guitar) in order to to join the first band ?Crane River JB? and when it was obvious he couldn't play it, Chris B who'd studied bass as his second instrument at the Royal Academy Of Music showed him how to figure out chords. That's how Lonnie told it. I always thought he was too modest about his own guitar playing. He also claimed to be one of the first UK artists to buy a Martin guitar but who knows?!!

RtS

Subject: RE: Early Lonnie Recording
From: GUEST,Leadfingers
Date: 24 Jan 05 - 08:42 AM

As I always say , its not often I am right but I'm wrong this time . Thanks for correcting my misinformation chaps .

Subject: RE: Early Lonnie Recording
From: Roger the Skiffler
Date: 24 Jan 05 - 03:33 AM

Chris & Lonnie separately always told it as "artistic differences" leading to the whole band "sacking" Ken, the leader, in effect by going off together & recruiting Pat H. Pat who had a steady day job was reluctant to give it up, worried the band might not last! Incidentally, the partnership between Chris & Pat must be unique in UK trad bands with their ever-changing personnel. Saw CB band last year & Pat still blowing well. Monty S was in the audience: not playing now, retired through ill-health.
Depressing to realise all the trad band musicians I've been following since the '50s are either dead or over 70!

RtS

Subject: RE: Early Lonnie Recording
From: GUEST
Date: 23 Jan 05 - 03:05 PM

Right here Leadfingers

Subject: RE: Early Lonnie Recording
From: Flash Company
Date: 23 Jan 05 - 11:23 AM

In fact, Ken's trip to New Orleans was in 1952, he overstayed his Entrance Permit and got six months in the Slammer as a result.
Chris Barber had assembled the line up of himself, Monty,Lonnie, Jim Bray and Ron Bowden to await Ken's return to a hero's welcome, and this became the first Ken Colyer Band. In May 1954, Ken became dissatisfied with the way the band was developing and sacked the rhythm section.
Chris and Monty resigned and recruited Pat Halcox as cornettist.
The rest, as they say, is history.

Source: 'Jazz' by Rex Harris, published in 1957 (God, I'm OLD)

FC

Subject: RE: Early Lonnie Recording
From: Leadfingers
Date: 23 Jan 05 - 11:10 AM

I have just had a look on 'Upbeat' site and cant find this CD - Can you post some ident info and a purchasing site ?

Subject: RE: Early Lonnie Recording
From: Leadfingers
Date: 23 Jan 05 - 10:59 AM

Roger - Silly point of dissension - The story I have is that Ken didn't 'sack' them , he signed on a ship and worked his passage to New Orleans and overstayed his visa - Chris Barber took over the band in Ken's absence , bringing in Pat Halcock on trumpet to replace him !

Subject: RE: Early Lonnie Recording
From: Roger the Skiffler
Date: 23 Jan 05 - 10:07 AM

These are different tracks to the old Decca issue. The skiffle tracks ( 10-13 on the CD) are: This Train, The Cotton Song, Casey Jones and Good Morning Blues. The skiffle group line-up is Ken & Lonnie guitars & vocals, Chris on string bass and Bill Colyer on washboard. Plus Johnny Parker on piano for Good Morning Blues. The rest of the tracks (17 altogether) feature what became the first CB Band once Ken sacked them all! Monty Sunshine, on reeds, Jim Bray on bass & sousaphone, Ron Bowden drums plus Chris, Ken & Lonnie (introduced as 'Tony "Lonnie" Donegan' by the MC).

RtS
(now I'll go & listen to it again!)

Subject: RE: Early Lonnie Recording
From: greg stephens
Date: 23 Jan 05 - 03:51 AM

RtS..so what is the line-up of the skiffle tracks, and what songs are on it?

Subject: RE: Early Lonnie Recording
From: Roger the Skiffler
Date: 23 Jan 05 - 03:28 AM

Got my copy a couple of weeks ago, Charlie (but you'd guessed that!). The Humphrey Lyttelton Band (current version appearing at Jagz soon)were also on the bill but the tapes of their session haven't survived. Great nostalgia. CD features Bill Colyer on washboard on the skiffle sequence and Johnny Parker and Bruce Turner from the HL band guest on a couple of tracks.

RtS

Subject: RE: Early Lonnie Recording
From: fat B****rd
Date: 22 Jan 05 - 03:05 PM

RTS where are you when you're needed ??

Subject: RE: Early Lonnie Recording
From: GUEST,Barrie Roberts
Date: 22 Jan 05 - 02:33 PM

Sounds like an album originally called 'Jazz on the Delta'. The skiffle tracks are:

Digging My Potatoes,
Rock Island Line,
Lost John,
and one other wot my aging memory has lost.

Decca found people were buying the LP for the skiffle tracks, so they pulled them off onto an EP, then 2 singles, both of which charted, though the BBC banned ';Digging My Potatoes'.

Lonnie got a flat fee for the disc as a member of the Barber band and, even when 'Rock Island Line' made a million, got no more. Nor did he get a gold disc --- perhaps the only UK million-seller who didn't, as a result of which, when he left Chris Barber and formed his own group, they went to Pye Records.

Subject: RE: Early Lonnie Recording
From: greg stephens
Date: 22 Jan 05 - 01:37 PM

Sounds very promising. Post a report here when it arrives. There are some other Festival hall Donegan tracks from 54, I think: New Burying Ground and Digging My Potatoes, but Colyer is not on those. Your recordings sound earlier at a guess, before Chris Barber, Donegan et al left the Colyer band?

Subject: Early Lonnie Recording
From: Flash Company
Date: 22 Jan 05 - 09:49 AM

Upbeat Records have just issued a re-discovered recording made at the Royal Festival Hall by the Ken Colyer Band in 1954 featuring Ken, Chris Barber, Monty Sunshine & All, and including 4 Skiffle Group tracks, with Ken and Lonnie doing the vocals.
At this stage I do not have a track list even, but will let you all know more when my copy of the CD arrives.

FC