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Eric Brierley
born 25th April, RIP 13/06/2023
14/06/23 - I have just
heard the dreadful news that Eric Brierley, a truly
inventive trombonist and vocalist, a founder member of
Manchester Jazz, and a huge influencer on Jazz of all
shades in this region, passed away at 8am this morning.
That is, literally, all I know at this stage and will
pass further information on as I have it. Condolences to
everyone who knew and loved him". - Roger Browne 14/06/23 - Very sad to hear of Eric's passing Fred. He a jazz trombonist who I always admired. - Laurie Cooper 14/06/23 - Damn it.....more sad news. Eric was a very fine trombonist. 14/06/23 - I had some very sad news today. My dear friend Eric Brierley died this morning. Soon after I met him, 30 odd years ago, during a boozy conversation (so many were) when topics turned maudlin, he told me he would live to 160, and he was over half right. Talented does not begin to describe his musical expression and delightful ability to captivate an audience. His trombone and his terrific vocals were legendary. I could not contain my jiggily instincts at the George on a Sunday afternoon or at Frankies in Disley on Thursdays. The room would buzz and sway to the New Orleans rhythms and Eric's Satchmo-style numbers. To be honest, his were the only blues for me. He had over 30 albums credited and his Manchester Jazz and Yorkshire Post Jazz days are well represented in his recorded legacy. He will be eulogised by his musician compadres with far greater depth and knowledge than I can provide so I will just add that Eric was my musical guide. Before I knew him, I didn't know jazz. Now, I can't live without it. My heart breaks for his devoted wife, Maggi. I know she will feel lost without his twinkling smiles and wise counsel. There are hundreds of people, if not thousands, wishing you well, Maggi. We all love you, too. Good Bye dear, darling friend. The world is a better place for you having been here. - Mavis Moog (Facebook) 15/06/23 - Very sad news about Eric, great player and bandsman. Played alongside him many times with Manchester Jazz. Kay and I enjoyed his and Maggie’s company on many trips abroad with the band. Kay and I were invited to their wedding some years ago and as Maggie entered the church and came down the aisle, Eric stood at the alter and played Gary Valente’s "Hallelujah, the Lord is Listening To Yah!" with the same gravelly tone and conviction that will always stick in our minds, very moving. It was a wonderful day, and we hope those memories and more will bring some comfort to Maggie and family. Jon and Kay Critchley Eric playing with the Red River Jazzmen in 1984 16/06/23 - Reeling from news of the loss of two dear
friends and fomer band-colleagues within twenty-four hours - Eric Brierley and
Denny Ilett - I followed Fred's advice and checked out the Walter Love Jazz Club
for which he'd provided a link. And what was the first number played by Alan
Cooper's band to open that programme? Nothing other than Jeepers Creepers - a
number that Eric used to perform as a vocal and trombone feature with Mart
Rodger's Manchester Jazz. He would start by singing the sixteen-bar verse - 'I
don't care what the weatherman says ...' - unaccompanied and unfailingly setting
a beautiful, swinging tempo. When the band came in for the chorus there should
always have been a shred of anxiety that he might have let the pitch drop and
we'd find ourselves apparently playing sharp; but not a bit of it! There never
was. Eric's ear was immaculate, and we'd always find him bang on the note. It
was a thrilling moment, for us but especially for the audience, and Walter
Love's programme took me right back there. It has been an enormous joy and a
great privilege to play alongside Eric in recent years, an experience for which
I shall always be grateful. 17/06/23 - Over the years, I've been privileged to join Eric in his many diverse groups, the last occasion in Manchester Jazz and always with spce to include his outstanding blues vocals. What a void to fill. Our prayers and condolences to Maggi. Paul and Elke Medina 18/06/23 - I first met Eric when I joined the Southside Stompers in 1958, we played every Saturday Night at The Black Lion in Salford. I was an art student - Eric at Manchester Tech. He taught me much about timing and blues feeling in the music Over the years our paths crossed in and out of bands together Eric was a truly great trombonist - The clip on your tribute page is of me and Eric together with the Red River Band at Dresden Jazz Festival in 1985 We duetted on 'Hit that Jive Jack' - Danny Moss was guesting with the band - He plays a fantastic solo. Rip Eric, and Thank You for The Music - Sheila Collier 18/06/23 - We played together from 1955 to the
end of 1957 in the Southside Stompers when I had to retire due to pressures of
medical studies. Ron Pratt replaced me in the band. We were resident at
the Black Lion, Blackfriars Street for many years. Also involved were Roy
Bower - tpt, Don Bridgewood - ds, Derek (Ulysses) Newton - bass, John
Featherstone - p, and Norman Dakers - bjo. Eric was a very talented
trombonist with wonderful feeling for the twelve bar blues. I last saw him
and his wife at Norman Dakers funeral. Condolences to his widow. - 19/06/23 - I am extremely sad to hear that my ‘old’ friend Eric Brierley has died. He was a fantastic trombone player and over the years he often played for me with Shep’s Banjo Boys. He was such an asset, both as fantastic musician and good company. He will be greatly missed. Howard (Shep) Shepherd. 20/06/23 - Eric played with Mart Rodger Manchester Jazz for a number of years. Mart rated him as an excellent trombonist and a fine blues singer. His illness caused him to retire from playing only recently.- Janet Rodger 21/06/23 - Such heartbreaking news about Eric. A truly great traditional Jazz Musician that inspired us all. Thinking of you and our sincere condolences to Maggi and family. R.I.P Eric - Peter and Karla Brown 21/06/23 - Losing Eric was like losing a piece of jazz history. There are so many tales to tell. His wonderful originality, and his choice of music from diverse branches of jazz when it came to planning a trombone feature, set Eric aside from the rest. Others have mentioned his fine playing and wonderful singing, I want to also play tribute to Eric the Promoter. He arranged so many gigs for others – particularly in his beloved Hayfield. Thanks for all the memories Eric. The local jazz scene will never be the same Roger Browne 22/06/23 - I first met Eric when playing with Ray Hay's band at Hartley's in Liverpool in the 70s-80s.what a fine player he was and with Jed on trumpet, what a combination. After that, I met him many times when playing with different bands. On one trip to New Orleans with our N'Or Leans Jazz Band (Bruce Bakewell) we were because of illness without trombone. Who did we meet there on holiday? Eric. What great sessions we had there over the 3 weeks and the 4 days of the Jazz and Food Festival. Both Eric and I enjoyed a good time then and one night and early morning good time, Eric on his way back to his hotel fell asleep in a shop doorway. Later he was woken by a local giving him $5 and telling him to get a coffee and pull himself together. I know that he won't mind me telling of this happening as we always used to laugh about it. God bless Eric what a fine bandsman you were. Jim West 23/06/23 - There was a time when I would be asked to put together a trad band dressed as clowns for Carnivals, Shopping Centres and the like. We would play the normal jazz repertoire but would dress as clowns. Eric was one musician who threw himself into the role with great gusto. I even remember on one occasion Eric driving home to Hayfield from Crewe still wearing his slap clown makeup. What a guy he was. A great musician and wonderful company. RIP Richard Slater (Billy Bedlam)
23/06/23 - I was very sorry to learn of Eric Brierley’s death. Not being involved in the earlier years of jazz in Manchester, I first learned of Eric from Les Moore when I joined the Heritage Band (quartet) in (I think) the late 1970s. Les had a great fund of Eric Tales, so I looked forward to our eventual meeting. I was not disappointed: while we were never regular band colleagues, we often met up in pick-up groups and depping. Eric was a superb musician, fine vocalist and excellent and amusing company. When getting into jazz and blues in the late 1950s I was a big fan of Big Bill Broonzy – I only heard him on record as he had died a year or two earlier. I was enormously jealous of Eric, who had not only seen Broonzy live, but talked with him and PLAYED with him. While most of us were trying to play jazz authentically (whatever that means), Eric had blues and jazz inside him, just waiting the opportunity to burst out. I shall certainly miss him: condolences to Maggie and others close to him.
Harmoniously, 27/06/23 - I’ve just returned from holiday abroad with poor internet reception and read the very sad news about Eric. I played with him for some 35 years at the Royal Hayfield, Manchester Jazz ,Devonshire Arms and Harlem Hot Stompers. He was an excellent trombonist and blues singer he will be sadly missed.
Our thoughts are with Maggi. 30/06/23 - Prickly, self opinionated and a great trombonist and blues vocalist. That was my friend Eric. It was why I booked him and Sheila to tour Austria. Not a particularly comfortable trip as I recall but the music was superb-two true professionals. Eric and I were virtually the same age. We grew up together in the days of the Rams Head, Disley jazz club etc. Later, we played occasionally at the Royal in Hayfield. He was one of those musicians who 'read your mind' when as a trumpet 'lead' I had a musical idea. Such guys are pure gold. Although we hadn't played together for some years, I'll remember the ambience we had. I'll be there on July 17th. Ian Royle 11/07/23 -
So sorry to hear the news about Eric, a fine trombonist and
vocalist who contributed so much to jazz in our region and elsewhere.. He was a
member of our band, Doctor Jazz, for about four years around the turn of the
century, having appeared before that as a guest at some of the sessions at the
Jazz Rendezvous in Rainford. One moment I remember particularly was when he did
Trombone Cholly with Edwina to a packed house at the Whitewater Hotel near Newby
Bridge. It brought the house down. We were also amused when he would turn up to
gigs in his camper van and sleep on the car park so that he could relax and have
a drink after the gig. It was also a pleasure for me to play with Eric
occasionally on his own patch, at the Royal in Hayfield, where he was completely
at home. 15/07/23 - So sorry to hear, via his daughter, of Eric's recent passing. As a blue eyed boy making his way on the Manchester jazz scene in the early 80s, I received much help and encouragement from Eric among many others who gave me sit-ins, work, and indeed turned out when I offered gigs. To be included in the 1983 Hayfield festival was an honour beyond belief. In February 1984, I took a band to Switzerland, and dear Eric was on trombone. His alter ego, Rupert Bear, joined us each night! Rupert's appearance, as many will recall, signalled an upping of the levity level even further! In quieter moments, tunes would be suggested, venues pointed at, strategies outlined......"You'll need these", "Don't do that, do this", "Go there, have a knock, the gigs will come" etc. There were many others who were equally kind, but this is for Mr Brierley, a true gentleman of jazz who is no doubt raving up a storm wherever that eternal all-nighter is.
Greetings from Germany to one and all. 22/07/23 - Eric's daughter, Julie Gail here. I just wanted to thank you for the lovely tribute page and to thank all who contributed to it. It was so nice to read all the comments. I'll keep them for posterity. Also big thanks to all the great musicians who followed the hearse, played at the burial and kicked up a storm at Dad's funeral reception. It was so wonderfully nostalgic for a kid who grew up sitting in pubs and various other places watching her Dad play. Music was just a part of the man my sister, Lesley, and I knew as Dad, but it was always the soundtrack and will now be a wonderful way to remember him. Luckily there are lots of recordings from over the years to enjoy, so we can always see and hear him in action and hear his voice. Neither of us could have got up and spoken at the service - far too choked up - so very grateful to those, musicians and otherwise, who did stand up and share memories of Dad. Allan Wilcox did a fantastic job of leading the service, and playing some mean bass afterwards, and Dad's wife, Maggi, did a brilliant job of organising it all at such a sad time. So much gratitude to Alan and Maggi too. One musical fact about Dad: We used to joke in our house if he was flagging of an evening after work before setting out to a gig that his 'public' needed him. We called him Ernie, Ernie Public.
One non-musical fact about Dad: He always took the scenic route!
Just wanted to add this old grainy photo, which I THINK is my Mum, Shirley, and my Dad playing together in the early days. Mum is on piano. Dad is on trombone. Not sure who everyone else is.
And also a press cutting of young Eric.
Julie Gail |
