Sonny Rollins in 1967. Club 43 Manchester.

[Hardbopjazz]

In 1967 Sonny played a series of gigs at Club 43, in Manchester, England. He played with local musicians. I have a recording for one of these gigs, but the piano player is unknown. Anyone familiar with who was on the scene in mid 1960s that would have been playing at Club 43?

Sonny Rollins- tenor sax,

Alan Cooper- bass,

R. Cary- drums

Unknown- pianist.

[John L]

In 1967 Sonny played a series of gigs at Club 43, in Manchester, England. He played with local musicians. I have a recording for one of these gigs, but the piano player is unknown. Anyone familiar with who was on the scene in mid 1960s that would have been playing at Club 43?

Sonny Rollins- tenor sax,

Alan Cooper- bass,

R. Cary- drums

Unknown- pianist.

It is interesting that you mention this. I may have the same concert tape that you do. Mine is

1) Love Walked In

2) The Can't Take That Away From Me

3) My Reverie

4) Three Little Words / Four

5) There Will Never Be Another You

Where did you get information about the drummer and bass player? The below flier might suggest a high probability that StanTracey played piano. But it doesn't really sound to me like the other recordings that I have with Stan Tracey.

In general, I find it to be a bizzare recording. Sonny is clearly NOT hooked up with the rhythm section at all. The drummer is particularly unpleasant. But Sonny somehow finds his own musical world and plays some wild stuff.

Edited March 20, 2013 by John L

[Hardbopjazz]

My recording is just a 46 minute version "Poinciana."

I have the recording you mentioned, but I believe it was from Ronnie Scott's club. Tony Oxley was the house drummer at Ronnie Scott's in 1967.

Edited March 20, 2013 by Hardbopjazz

[John L]

I have one from Ronnie Scott's Club as well, although from 1968. Stan Tracey is the pianist on that one, along with Oxley, Ronnie Scott, and an unknown bass player.

1) Bye Bye Blackbird

2) The Night Has a Thousand Eyes

3) Sonnymoon For Two

4) Three Little Words

5) My Reverie (incomplete)

Are you saying that you have a Ronnie Scott's set with the exact set list that I gave for the tape that is supposed to be from Manchester?

Edited March 20, 2013 by John L

[Royal Oak]

I had a look in my "Keeper of the Flame - Modern Jazz in Manchester 1946-1972" book - there is a photo of Sonny at Club 43 on April 29th 1967 but no other info available.

I imagine if anyone knows the answer it would be the author Bill Birch, especially with the info you already have. I can't find an email address on the net, but I recall his son registered on the board when the book came out - think his username is Julian Birch. Edit to add - it's JulianBirch, but he only ever made the one post.

May be of some help?

Edited March 20, 2013 by rdavenport

[Hardbopjazz]

I have one from Ronnie Scott's Club as well, although from 1968. Stan Tracey is the pianist on that one, along with Oxley, Ronnie Scott, and an unknown bass player.

1) Bye Bye Blackbird

2) The Night Has a Thousand Eyes

3) Sonnymoon For Two

4) Three Little Words

5) My Reverie (incomplete)

Are you saying that you have a Ronnie Scott's set with the exact set list that I gave for the tape that is supposed to be from Manchester?

Yes

[BillF]

I had a look in my "Keeper of the Flame - Modern Jazz in Manchester 1946-1972" book - there is a photo of Sonny at Club 43 on April 29th 1967 but no other info available.

I imagine if anyone knows the answer it would be the author Bill Birch, especially with the info you already have. I can't find an email address on the net, but I recall his son registered on the board when the book came out - think his username is Julian Birch. Edit to add - it's JulianBirch, but he only ever made the one post.

May be of some help?

Bill Birch's address and phone number are given at the end of this review of his book:

http://www.pennilesspress.co.uk/NRB/keeper_of_the_flame.htm

[BillF]

I missed the gig and I haven't heard the recording. If you're sure it's not Tracey, the most likely candidate would be Club 43's house pianist, Joe Palin. IIRC Palin was on piano when I saw Ben Webster, Johnny Griffin, Dexter Gordon and Hank Mobley play at Club 43 in that era:

http://www.guardian.co.uk/news/2007/oct/18/obituaries.mainsection

[Hardbopjazz]

I missed the gig and I haven't heard the recording. If you're sure it's not Tracey, the most likely candidate would be Club 43's house pianist, Joe Palin. IIRC Palin was on piano when I saw Ben Webster, Johnny Griffin, Dexter Gordon and Hank Mobley play at Club 43 in that era:

http://www.guardian.co.uk/news/2007/oct/18/obituaries.mainsection

I'll listen to it again tonight to see if I can figure who it is.

[JETman]

In 1967 Sonny played a series of gigs at Club 43, in Manchester, England. He played with local musicians. I have a recording for one of these gigs, but the piano player is unknown. Anyone familiar with who was on the scene in mid 1960s that would have been playing at Club 43?

Sonny Rollins- tenor sax,

Alan Cooper- bass,

R. Cary- drums

Unknown- pianist.

Why don't you ask Sonny? I'm sure he'd be ultra-pleased to answer your question.

[robertoart]

In 1967 Sonny played a series of gigs at Club 43, in Manchester, England. He played with local musicians. I have a recording for one of these gigs, but the piano player is unknown. Anyone familiar with who was on the scene in mid 1960s that would have been playing at Club 43?

Sonny Rollins- tenor sax,

Alan Cooper- bass,

R. Cary- drums

Unknown- pianist.

Why don't you ask Sonny? I'm sure he'd be ultra-pleased to answer your question.

?

Just logging on Jetman

[JETman]

In 1967 Sonny played a series of gigs at Club 43, in Manchester, England. He played with local musicians. I have a recording for one of these gigs, but the piano player is unknown. Anyone familiar with who was on the scene in mid 1960s that would have been playing at Club 43?

Sonny Rollins- tenor sax,

Alan Cooper- bass,

R. Cary- drums

Unknown- pianist.

Why don't you ask Sonny? I'm sure he'd be ultra-pleased to answer your question.

?

Just logging on Jetman

Yeah, and if you know me, I couldn't resist! I'm sure someone like Chuck would be equally pleased about this thread start-up, but for an entirely different set of reasons.

[robertoart]

Seems a fair enough question to want to find out who was playing piano in the band.

[BillF]

In 1967 Sonny played a series of gigs at Club 43, in Manchester, England. He played with local musicians. I have a recording for one of these gigs, but the piano player is unknown. Anyone familiar with who was on the scene in mid 1960s that would have been playing at Club 43?

Sonny Rollins- tenor sax,

Alan Cooper- bass,

R. Cary- drums

Unknown- pianist.

Why don't you ask Sonny? I'm sure he'd be ultra-pleased to answer your question.

How many gigs would Sonny have to remember to answer your question accurately?

[robertoart]

In 1967 Sonny played a series of gigs at Club 43, in Manchester, England. He played with local musicians. I have a recording for one of these gigs, but the piano player is unknown. Anyone familiar with who was on the scene in mid 1960s that would have been playing at Club 43?

Sonny Rollins- tenor sax,

Alan Cooper- bass,

R. Cary- drums

Unknown- pianist.

Why don't you ask Sonny? I'm sure he'd be ultra-pleased to answer your question.

How many gigs would Sonny have to remember to answer your question accurately?

'Oh yeah! That guy! How could I forget him'

[Big Beat Steve]

I had a look in my "Keeper of the Flame - Modern Jazz in Manchester 1946-1972" book - there is a photo of Sonny at Club 43 on April 29th 1967 but no other info available.

I imagine if anyone knows the answer it would be the author Bill Birch, especially with the info you already have. I can't find an email address on the net, but I recall his son registered on the board when the book came out - think his username is Julian Birch. Edit to add - it's JulianBirch, but he only ever made the one post.

May be of some help?

Bill Birch's address and phone number are given at the end of this review of his book:

http://www.pennilesspress.co.uk/NRB/keeper_of_the_flame.htm

@Hardbopjazz:

I have the e-mail address of Julian Birch (I exchanged a couple of mails with him when I bought the book directly from him in 2011).

PM me if interested.

[Hardbopjazz]

In 1967 Sonny played a series of gigs at Club 43, in Manchester, England. He played with local musicians. I have a recording for one of these gigs, but the piano player is unknown. Anyone familiar with who was on the scene in mid 1960s that would have been playing at Club 43?

Sonny Rollins- tenor sax,

Alan Cooper- bass,

R. Cary- drums

Unknown- pianist.

Why don't you ask Sonny? I'm sure he'd be ultra-pleased to answer your question.

I will. I did ask on his website.

[Hardbopjazz]

The pianist was Stan Tracey. I asked someone that reached out to Bill Birch years ago.

[JETman]

In 1967 Sonny played a series of gigs at Club 43, in Manchester, England. He played with local musicians. I have a recording for one of these gigs, but the piano player is unknown. Anyone familiar with who was on the scene in mid 1960s that would have been playing at Club 43?

Sonny Rollins- tenor sax,

Alan Cooper- bass,

R. Cary- drums

Unknown- pianist.

Why don't you ask Sonny? I'm sure he'd be ultra-pleased to answer your question.

I will. I did ask on his website.

That's interesting! How would you have answered any questions about how you came across said recording?

[Hardbopjazz]

In 1967 Sonny played a series of gigs at Club 43, in Manchester, England. He played with local musicians. I have a recording for one of these gigs, but the piano player is unknown. Anyone familiar with who was on the scene in mid 1960s that would have been playing at Club 43?

Sonny Rollins- tenor sax,

Alan Cooper- bass,

R. Cary- drums

Unknown- pianist.

Why don't you ask Sonny? I'm sure he'd be ultra-pleased to answer your question.

I will. I did ask on his website.

That's interesting! How would you have answered any questions about how you came across said recording?

Sonny knows there are private recordings of him out there. All I asked was, in 1967, what playing at Club 43 in Manchester, who was playing piano. Oddly, my post on his guestbook page never made it there.

[JETman]

In 1967 Sonny played a series of gigs at Club 43, in Manchester, England. He played with local musicians. I have a recording for one of these gigs, but the piano player is unknown. Anyone familiar with who was on the scene in mid 1960s that would have been playing at Club 43?

Sonny Rollins- tenor sax,

Alan Cooper- bass,

R. Cary- drums

Unknown- pianist.

Why don't you ask Sonny? I'm sure he'd be ultra-pleased to answer your question.

I will. I did ask on his website.

That's interesting! How would you have answered any questions about how you came across said recording?

Sonny knows there are private recordings of him out there. All I asked was, in 1967, what playing at Club 43 in Manchester, who was playing piano. Oddly, my post on his guestbook page never made it there.

I know he knows. He has also been known to stop their sale, as he did with the London gigs on Harkit.

[Hardbopjazz]

In 1967 Sonny played a series of gigs at Club 43, in Manchester, England. He played with local musicians. I have a recording for one of these gigs, but the piano player is unknown. Anyone familiar with who was on the scene in mid 1960s that would have been playing at Club 43?

Sonny Rollins- tenor sax,

Alan Cooper- bass,

R. Cary- drums

Unknown- pianist.

Why don't you ask Sonny? I'm sure he'd be ultra-pleased to answer your question.

I will. I did ask on his website.

That's interesting! How would you have answered any questions about how you came across said recording?

Sonny knows there are private recordings of him out there. All I asked was, in 1967, what playing at Club 43 in Manchester, who was playing piano. Oddly, my post on his guestbook page never made it there.

I know he knows. He has also been known to stop their sale, as he did with the London gigs on Harkit.

Well, I don't sell. I just happen to get a copy of this from someone.