Andrew "Andy" Holdorf, Trombone player for Kasey's Hot 7, The Yorkshire Jazz Band, The White Eagle Jazz Band, Shep's Banjo Boys, The Millenium Eagle Jazz Band and anybody else who asked him nicely, passed away peacefully on September 18th 2014 aged 75.

Cremation to be held at Stafford Crematorium, Tixall Rd., Stafford. ST18 0XZ on Monday 6th October @ 1p.m.

For further details contact Jo on 01889 591111 -

Jason Stenholm

"OUR OLD SYNCOPATING FRIEND - ANDY HOLDORF - IS DEAD"

I'm so very sorry to hear the news passed to Fred Burnett by Jason Stenholme, about the death of our old mate Andy Holdorf.

Moe Green and Johnny Tucker will be equally saddened by the news. We were both with him in two bands in London between 1963 and 1966: Geoff Wilkins Diplomats, first, and The Back O'Town Syncopators, second. Between 1964 and '65, we had a regular spot with the B.O.T.S. at Jazzshows (the 100 Club, Oxford St., London) on a Wednesday night.

Jason has already mentioned some of the bands that Andy played in. There were some others. I have a feeling that the spelling was K.C's Hot Seven, it was the leader's initials. He was a founder-member of that, somewhere in Yorkshire, well before I met him for the first time in Geoff Wilkin's Diplomats in London in 1963. I don't know exactly when, but Andy was also in the following bands: Bob Wallis's Storeyville Jazz Band and the Swamp Fever Jazz Band, both based in London in the late 50s and early 60s.

At first, the above originally Scottish-based band, eventually based in London, agencied by Harold Davidson, had the following personnel before I joined: Leader: the late Harry Murray-Smith (dms), Bob Campbell/Ian McNicol (bjos), Paul Wardrope (clt), John Tucker (crnt), John Drury (sousaphone) later replaced by Mike Kingston (Tuba/Recording bass) and Andy Holdorf (tbn), and sometimes Andy would also play one of Harry Gold's famous bass saxes, which he occasionally borrowed and played quite well in the band. Andy also played a variety of horns, and piano. Of course, being a good vocalist and an extremely versatile musician all-round, he sang on almost every number. That band, with that personnel, was already appearing in Manchester at the famous Bodega Restaurant, under the auspices of Paddy McKiernan and Jack Gregory, in Cross Street, between 1960 and 62, along with other Scottish bands of the time. The B.O.T.S. were very popular, as a comedy-type Jazz band, and because they, also unusually, had not only one, but two banjos. Again, very unusually, the drums and banjos played in the front line, the rest of the band behind them. It was odd, but it worked! I joined the band, thanks to my buddy Moe, who put in a good word for me. I had just left a German band after a tour of the USAREUR (American Forces Europe) bases in France and Germany, and had no work. In those days the band was struggling too (1963-64) for local work in London. I replaced Paul Wardrope (with my various reeds), and gigs might one night be in the Isle of Wight and the next in Arbroath, Scotland, where we played at HMS "CONDOR", a Naval Air Station.

On the way to such outlandishly-distant gigs, Andy and one or two of the boys, Bob Campbell or Ian McNicoll, would ask for the Bedford Doormobile (with Scottish tartan trim all-round), to stop. They'd go to a field, seemingly anywhere. One of the boys would shout "Can you smell it yet?", the others, mystified would ask: "Can you smell what?" There would be no answer; suddenly: "Aye, its reet here!!!, I ken, it's here!!!" Then one of the "perpetrators" would go to the foot of a tree, dig with some implement or another, and pull out a bottle of best malt Whiskey. Of, course, unbeknown to the rest of the band, one or two had gone out previously and planted them. It was a fun band, and Andy was very much one of the practical jokers in it. When Harry Murray Smith left for Scotland in 1964, Andy became the Leader/Manager, doing a pretty good job of it at that.

The B.O.T.S., after I left to join and play/manage Manchester's Zenith Six at the end of 1965, shortly afterwards being joined by Moe Green in the Zenith, this time with me returning the favour, played in one or two cities in Switzerland, the Casa Bar in Zurich, if I remember rightly, and about the same time (60s/70s), they managed a tour of South African clubs. It was later, in the 1970s that Andy left to join Howard and Graham Shepherd, Johnny Drury (ex-Savannah J/B, Manchester [original band] and ex-Syncopators), in Shep's Banjo Boys, appearing every week on "Sunday Nigh At The London Palladium", on TV, backing "The Comedians". This band later, as Jason rightly states, appearing at the Golden Garter, Wythenshawe, Manchester (70s/80s) in that long-running residency. Later still, Andy Holdorf joined Manchester's Rod Hopton, Etruria's Pete Brown (ex-Ceramic City Stompers, ex-Zenith Six) and some of the old Stoke-based original Old Fashioned Love Band, for regular Summer season work at Alton Towers, where they did parades all around the ground entertaining the holiday crowds in their inimitable style.

I lost sight of Andy by the late 80s, but bumped into him again when I moved to Leeds in 1998, at a session with the White Eagles Jazz Band, in the City, then run by John Cook (original surname Kaleshnikov - the old son-of-a-gun!!!). They had a regular Sunday lunchtime at a pub on North Road. It was about then that Andy met and married Jo Stenholme and they were living happily together in the Stoke-on-Trent area. Please extend the condolences of myself along with those on the Manchester Jazz Scene of yesteryear who knew Andy personally to Jo and Jason, their family and friends. The world has lost a hard-working, jolly, versatile, and thoroughly entertaining Jazzer. He had a twinkle in his eye and I shall always remember that every time he spoke, he had an infectious chuckle, as if he was about to come out with a joke. It was an endearing quality that many of us could do with in these sad days.

God bless you, my old friend!

Joe Silmon-Monerri
24/09/14

24/09.14 - I  was sorry learn of the death of Andy Holdorf.   I depped with the Millennium Eagles several times a few years back and enjoyed both his playing and his company. My condolences to his family.

Allan Wilcox

24/09/14 - I first met Andy Holdorf at a rehearsal for a Leeds College show based on a 'speakeasy' with music arranged by clarinettist Andrew Keeling. Immediately impressive as a terrific jazz trombone player, Andy kept us in stitches with reminiscences of 'The Comedians' TV series and I was delighted to meet up with him a year or so later at the Alton Towers Leisure Park in a dixieland style band. We were a 'strolling group' and during our daily strolls down to the pub I got to know Jo and Andy very well. He taught me,as a big band player in those days, a heck of a lot of 'new' (to me) traditional jazz tunes and was always very patient when I got the 'sequences' wrong. Ankle tapping is frowned on in football matches but was very much appreciated when I messed up on 'Panama' or 'High Society'! Never mind an audience of three kids and a dog, Andy was a perfectionist. We met up later on the occasional gig but sadly lost touch -he had a very busy schedule with various 'regular' bands as did I. A true 'gem' as a person and as a trombonist.

RIP Andy and love to Jo from Pauline and myself

Ian Royle

25/09/14 - So long Andy.

We had some fun times together. You always seemed to be cheerful ( with very few exceptions ) Remember the time we let off some fireworks on stage in Switzerland the Polizie were not amused ! Ah well all things must end. My thoughts go out to Jo.

Moe Green.