Always thought the Rock Island Line was the name of the track cycled, didn’t realise it was a complete network with branches going everywhere.
Had no idea Ken Colyer served time in the States for playing in a black band, nor that the rest of his band in the UK voted him out. Must’ve made the Traditional Jazz concert at the Royal Festival Hall in 1954 an interesting evening with Ken Colyer’s band opening the concert and Barber’s opening the second half, including Donegan on banjo.
Colyer’s band toured Denmark in 1953 including Barber and Donegan, I’ve an EP (45rpm) with four of their tunes.
1953/4 was my first experience of what, to my dear Christian parents, was the devil’s music. Pubs etc., were not allowed but close to my Grammar School was a pub, where once a week the Wood Green Jazz Club rehearsed in a back room at lunch time. I sat on the pavement outside. And probably got a detention or lines.
Somehow I managed to get a record player and started a collection, favourite of many was the Benny Goodman’s Carnegie Hall 1938 concert.
Now then, in the world of Folk Music, Donegan is not quite revered. Some believe he took old folk songs, jazzed them up a bit and recorded them as his own - plus the royalties.Statistics: Posted by dennispc — Tue Mar 03, 2020 4:50 pm
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