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The Port Jackson Jazz Band

April 17, 2024

The Port Jackson Jazz Band were an Australian Dixieland jazz group formed in 1944 and based in Sydney. They were the longest running traditional jazz band in Australia and performed into the 1990s, though they had multiple breakups.[1]

History edit

Trombonist Jack Parkes formed the Port Jackson Jazz Band in 1944.[2][3] Other original founding members included trumpeter Ken Flannery, but the roster evolved as military service and other commitments saw the band occasionally interrupted.[4] They made their debut recording in 1945 which was unissued. It featured Parkes, Flannery, Alf Freeney (piano), John Sweeney (banjo), Duke Farrell (bass, vocals), and Mal Cooper (drums).[5] Other recordings were made which were played by Sydney radio stations.[6]

In 1947 Ray Price joined the then seven-piece band as their business manager / musical director,[7] and played guitar and banjo in the rhythm section.[2] That year the band made headlines when they refused to play at Sydney's Air Force House due to a "color ban" put in place by the venue management.[8][9] The band members were all ex-servicemen and spoke out against racial prejudice and continued to play elsewhere.[10] Their repertoire included tradition African-American music from the 1920s.[11] In early 1948 the ensemble were the first artists to perform jazz at Sydney Conservatorium of Music.[12] After an interstate tour where the band were accused of communist sympathies, the band broke up in 1948.[7] Ken Flannery was the only remaining original founding member at this time, and he reformed the group the following year without Price.[4]

In 1949 the band featured Ken Flannery (trumpet), Jim Somerville (piano), Bob Rowan (trombon), Ron Mannix (clarinet), Clive Whitecombe (drums), Doug Beck (guitar), and Bill Farmer (bass).[13]

During the late 1940s, the band performed with singers Georgia Lee (singer) and Nellie Small in Sydney and Newcastle,[14][15] with Small said to have stolen the show during her appearance with the jazz band.[16]

At the end of 1950, the Ken Flannery led band had broken up again, with only occasional reunions across the next five years.[4]

Ray Price reformed the Port Jackson Jazz Band and performed as a member between 1955-1962.[7]

In 1960 the band were part of the 1st Annual Australian International Jazz Festival in Sydney, billed as "Ray Price & The Port Jackson Jazz Band".[17] During the 1960s, they played regularly as a quartet at a hotel in Sydney, but would come together as a seven-piece for concerts or recordings. One of these recordings was Jazz Classics Volume 1, credited to Ray Price and his Port Jackson Jazz Band.[18]

After Ray Price retired in 1982, he occasionally rejoined The Port Jackson Jazz Band for reunions until his death in 1990.[19][7]

In 1988 the band reformed again with Ken Flannery as their only surviving original member.[3] He was joined by pianist Dick Hughes, clarinetist John McCarthy, drummer Allan Geddes, bassists Wally Wickham and Harry Harmon.[3] Later reunions featured other members, new and old.[2][20]

Lineup edit

The Port Jackson Jazz Band has had an evolving membership. Below are some past band members.

1944

Jack Parkes (trombone), Ken Flannery (trumpet).

1945

Jack Parkes (trombone), Ken Flannery (trumpet), Alf Freeney (piano), John Sweeney (banjo), Duke Farrell (bass, vocals), and Mal Cooper (drums).[5]

1946

Jack Parkes (trombone), Ken Flannery (trumpet), Bob Cruikshanks (clarinet), Don Roberts (clarinet), Kevin Ryder (piano), Ron Hogan (bass), and Lynn Healey (drums).[5]

1947

Ray Price (guitar, banjo), Ken Flannery (trumpet), James Somerville (piano),[4] Johnny Rich (trombone), Bob Cruikshanks (clarinet), Clive Whitcombe (drums), Marie Harriett (vocals).[5]

1948

Ken Flannery (trumpet), Dick Jackson (clarinet, tenor saxophone), Bob Rowan (trombone), James Somerville (piano), Ray Price (guitar), Len Evans (bass), and Clive Whitcombe (drums).[16]

1949

Ken Flannery (trumpet), Dick Jackson (clarinet, tenor saxophone), Bob Rowan (trombone), James Somerville (piano), Ray Price (guitar), Len Evans (bass), Clive Whitcombe (drums), and Georgina de Deon (vocals).[21]

1950

Ken Flannery (trumpet), James Somerville (piano), Les Nelson (trombone), John McCarthy (clarinet), George Harper (bass), Harry Shoebridge (guitar), and Clive Whitcombe (drums).

1955

Dick Hughes (piano),[1] John McCarthy (clarinet),[4] Francis John Willis (trombone)[4]

1957

Bob Barnard (trumpet), Ray Price (guitar),[1] Keith Silver (leader).

1961

Ken Flannery (trumpet), Johnny MacCarthy (clarinet), John Costello (trombone), Dick Hughes (piano), Wally Wickham (bass), Allan Geddes (drums), Ray Price (banjo and guitar), vocals by Katie Dunbar and Dick Hughes.[18]

1990

Ken Flannery (trumpet), Johnny MacCarthy (clarinet), Norm Wyett (trombone), Terry Wilkinson (piano), Wally Wickham (bass), Allan Geddes (drums), Ian MacNamara (vocals).[5]

Further reading edit

Mitchell, Jack (1995), Back Together Again!: The Story of the Port Jackson Jazz Band, ISBN 9780646236865

References edit

  1. ^ a b c Clare, John. Bodgie, Dada & the Cult of Cool [Australian Jazz Ssince 1945]. ISBN 0-86840-103-X. OCLC 1331946023.
  2. ^ a b c "A talented crusader for jazz". The Sydney Morning Herald. 7 Aug 1990. p. 4.
  3. ^ a b c Brennan, Gail (27 Jun 1988). "World's oldest band reunites". The Sydney Morning Herald. p. 16.
  4. ^ a b c d e f A Dictionary of Australian Mmusic. Warren Arthur Bebbington. Melbourne: Oxford University Press. 1998. pp. 116, 202, 261, 300, 348. ISBN 0-19-550839-4. OCLC 39924396.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: others (link)
  5. ^ a b c d e Lord, Tom (1997). The Jazz Discography. Vol. 17. West Vancouver, B.C., Canada: Lord Music Reference Inc. pp. 593–596. ISBN 1-881993-00-0. OCLC 30547554.
  6. ^ "PORT JACKSON JAZZ BAND IN ELLIS BLAIN SESSION - ABC Weekly Vol. 9 No. 37". Trove. 13 September 1947. Retrieved 2023-03-01.
  7. ^ a b c d Johnson, Bruce, "Price, Raymond Arthur (1921–1990)", Australian Dictionary of Biography, Canberra: National Centre of Biography, Australian National University, retrieved 2023-02-28
  8. ^ "BAND PROTESTS AT DANCE COLOR BAN". The Daily Telegraph. 29 Jul 1947. p. 5. Retrieved 1 March 2023.
  9. ^ "COLOR BAN IN BAND". Barrier Miner. 29 Jul 1947. p. 7. Retrieved 1 March 2023.
  10. ^ "Jazz Band Fights Prejudice". The Sydney Jewish News. 8 Aug 1947. p. 1. Retrieved 1 March 2023.
  11. ^ "Worth Reporting: Jazz as an Art". The Australian Women's Weekly. Vol. 15, no. 11. 23 August 1947. p. 25. Retrieved 18 March 2023 – via National Library of Australia.
  12. ^ "CONTACT". The Sun. Late Final Extra. No. 11, 877. Sydney. 19 February 1948. p. 1. Retrieved 18 March 2023 – via National Library of Australia.
  13. ^ "Sydney Jazz Group's Two Broadcasts". The Age. 26 May 1949. p. 13.
  14. ^ Horne, Craig (2019). Roots : How Melbourne Became the Live Musical Capital of the World. La Vergne: Melbourne Books. ISBN 978-1-925556-93-3. OCLC 1127944344.
  15. ^ "Jazz Comes Back To Newcastle". Newcastle Morning Herald and Miners' Advocate. 2 Apr 1948. p. 2. Retrieved 1 March 2023.
  16. ^ a b "Coloured Singer was Popular". Queensland Times. 1948-07-03. Retrieved 2023-02-28.
  17. ^ "Lee Gordon Presents 1st Annual Australian International Jazz Festival". The Sydney Morning Herald. 16 Oct 1960. p. 98.
  18. ^ a b Jeffcoat, Keith (Jan 1962). "Popular Jazz". Radio, Television, and Hobbies. 32 (10): 76, 87.
  19. ^ The New Grove Dictionary of Jazz. Barry Dean Kernfeld. New York: St. Martin's Press. 1994. ISBN 0-312-11357-9. OCLC 30516743.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: others (link)
  20. ^ Shand, John (21 November 1994). "Delicate artistry marks 50th anniversary". The Sydney Morning Herald. p. 16.
  21. ^ "We Meet The Port Jackson Jazz Band". South Coast Times and Wollongong Argus. 9 Mar 1950. p. 27. Retrieved 1 March 2023.

April 17, 2024
port, jackson, jazz, band, were, australian, dixieland, jazz, group, formed, 1944, based, sydney, they, were, longest, running, traditional, jazz, band, australia, performed, into, 1990s, though, they, multiple, breakups, contents, history, lineup, further, re. The Port Jackson Jazz Band were an Australian Dixieland jazz group formed in 1944 and based in Sydney They were the longest running traditional jazz band in Australia and performed into the 1990s though they had multiple breakups 1 Contents 1 History 2 Lineup 3 Further reading 4 ReferencesHistory editTrombonist Jack Parkes formed the Port Jackson Jazz Band in 1944 2 3 Other original founding members included trumpeter Ken Flannery but the roster evolved as military service and other commitments saw the band occasionally interrupted 4 They made their debut recording in 1945 which was unissued It featured Parkes Flannery Alf Freeney piano John Sweeney banjo Duke Farrell bass vocals and Mal Cooper drums 5 Other recordings were made which were played by Sydney radio stations 6 In 1947 Ray Price joined the then seven piece band as their business manager musical director 7 and played guitar and banjo in the rhythm section 2 That year the band made headlines when they refused to play at Sydney s Air Force House due to a color ban put in place by the venue management 8 9 The band members were all ex servicemen and spoke out against racial prejudice and continued to play elsewhere 10 Their repertoire included tradition African American music from the 1920s 11 In early 1948 the ensemble were the first artists to perform jazz at Sydney Conservatorium of Music 12 After an interstate tour where the band were accused of communist sympathies the band broke up in 1948 7 Ken Flannery was the only remaining original founding member at this time and he reformed the group the following year without Price 4 In 1949 the band featured Ken Flannery trumpet Jim Somerville piano Bob Rowan trombon Ron Mannix clarinet Clive Whitecombe drums Doug Beck guitar and Bill Farmer bass 13 During the late 1940s the band performed with singers Georgia Lee singer and Nellie Small in Sydney and Newcastle 14 15 with Small said to have stolen the show during her appearance with the jazz band 16 At the end of 1950 the Ken Flannery led band had broken up again with only occasional reunions across the next five years 4 Ray Price reformed the Port Jackson Jazz Band and performed as a member between 1955 1962 7 In 1960 the band were part of the 1st Annual Australian International Jazz Festival in Sydney billed as Ray Price amp The Port Jackson Jazz Band 17 During the 1960s they played regularly as a quartet at a hotel in Sydney but would come together as a seven piece for concerts or recordings One of these recordings was Jazz Classics Volume 1 credited to Ray Price and his Port Jackson Jazz Band 18 After Ray Price retired in 1982 he occasionally rejoined The Port Jackson Jazz Band for reunions until his death in 1990 19 7 In 1988 the band reformed again with Ken Flannery as their only surviving original member 3 He was joined by pianist Dick Hughes clarinetist John McCarthy drummer Allan Geddes bassists Wally Wickham and Harry Harmon 3 Later reunions featured other members new and old 2 20 Lineup editThe Port Jackson Jazz Band has had an evolving membership Below are some past band members 1944Jack Parkes trombone Ken Flannery trumpet 1945Jack Parkes trombone Ken Flannery trumpet Alf Freeney piano John Sweeney banjo Duke Farrell bass vocals and Mal Cooper drums 5 1946Jack Parkes trombone Ken Flannery trumpet Bob Cruikshanks clarinet Don Roberts clarinet Kevin Ryder piano Ron Hogan bass and Lynn Healey drums 5 1947Ray Price guitar banjo Ken Flannery trumpet James Somerville piano 4 Johnny Rich trombone Bob Cruikshanks clarinet Clive Whitcombe drums Marie Harriett vocals 5 1948Ken Flannery trumpet Dick Jackson clarinet tenor saxophone Bob Rowan trombone James Somerville piano Ray Price guitar Len Evans bass and Clive Whitcombe drums 16 1949Ken Flannery trumpet Dick Jackson clarinet tenor saxophone Bob Rowan trombone James Somerville piano Ray Price guitar Len Evans bass Clive Whitcombe drums and Georgina de Deon vocals 21 1950Ken Flannery trumpet James Somerville piano Les Nelson trombone John McCarthy clarinet George Harper bass Harry Shoebridge guitar and Clive Whitcombe drums 1955Dick Hughes piano 1 John McCarthy clarinet 4 Francis John Willis trombone 4 1957Bob Barnard trumpet Ray Price guitar 1 Keith Silver leader 1961Ken Flannery trumpet Johnny MacCarthy clarinet John Costello trombone Dick Hughes piano Wally Wickham bass Allan Geddes drums Ray Price banjo and guitar vocals by Katie Dunbar and Dick Hughes 18 1990Ken Flannery trumpet Johnny MacCarthy clarinet Norm Wyett trombone Terry Wilkinson piano Wally Wickham bass Allan Geddes drums Ian MacNamara vocals 5 Further reading editMitchell Jack 1995 Back Together Again The Story of the Port Jackson Jazz Band ISBN 9780646236865References edit a b c Clare John Bodgie Dada amp the Cult of Cool Australian Jazz Ssince 1945 ISBN 0 86840 103 X OCLC 1331946023 a b c A talented crusader for jazz The Sydney Morning Herald 7 Aug 1990 p 4 a b c Brennan Gail 27 Jun 1988 World s oldest band reunites The Sydney Morning Herald p 16 a b c d e f A Dictionary of Australian Mmusic Warren Arthur Bebbington Melbourne Oxford University Press 1998 pp 116 202 261 300 348 ISBN 0 19 550839 4 OCLC 39924396 a href Template Cite book html title Template Cite book cite book a CS1 maint others link a b c d e Lord Tom 1997 The Jazz Discography Vol 17 West Vancouver B C Canada Lord Music Reference Inc pp 593 596 ISBN 1 881993 00 0 OCLC 30547554 PORT JACKSON JAZZ BAND IN ELLIS BLAIN SESSION ABC Weekly Vol 9 No 37 Trove 13 September 1947 Retrieved 2023 03 01 a b c d Johnson Bruce Price Raymond Arthur 1921 1990 Australian Dictionary of Biography Canberra National Centre of Biography Australian National University retrieved 2023 02 28 BAND PROTESTS AT DANCE COLOR BAN The Daily Telegraph 29 Jul 1947 p 5 Retrieved 1 March 2023 COLOR BAN IN BAND Barrier Miner 29 Jul 1947 p 7 Retrieved 1 March 2023 Jazz Band Fights Prejudice The Sydney Jewish News 8 Aug 1947 p 1 Retrieved 1 March 2023 Worth Reporting Jazz as an Art The Australian Women s Weekly Vol 15 no 11 23 August 1947 p 25 Retrieved 18 March 2023 via National Library of Australia CONTACT The Sun Late Final Extra No 11 877 Sydney 19 February 1948 p 1 Retrieved 18 March 2023 via National Library of Australia Sydney Jazz Group s Two Broadcasts The Age 26 May 1949 p 13 Horne Craig 2019 Roots How Melbourne Became the Live Musical Capital of the World La Vergne Melbourne Books ISBN 978 1 925556 93 3 OCLC 1127944344 Jazz Comes Back To Newcastle Newcastle Morning Herald and Miners Advocate 2 Apr 1948 p 2 Retrieved 1 March 2023 a b Coloured Singer was Popular Queensland Times 1948 07 03 Retrieved 2023 02 28 Lee Gordon Presents 1st Annual Australian International Jazz Festival The Sydney Morning Herald 16 Oct 1960 p 98 a b Jeffcoat Keith Jan 1962 Popular Jazz Radio Television and Hobbies 32 10 76 87 The New Grove Dictionary of Jazz Barry Dean Kernfeld New York St Martin s Press 1994 ISBN 0 312 11357 9 OCLC 30516743 a href Template Cite book html title Template Cite book cite book a CS1 maint others link Shand John 21 November 1994 Delicate artistry marks 50th anniversary The Sydney Morning Herald p 16 We Meet The Port Jackson Jazz Band South Coast Times and Wollongong Argus 9 Mar 1950 p 27 Retrieved 1 March 2023 Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title The Port Jackson Jazz Band amp oldid 1146174505, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,

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