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GEORGE LEWIS IN THE UK 1957/8 In 1957 I was twenty years old and a very keen devotee of the music of New Orleans as played by the bands of the day led by Ken Colyer, Chris Barber, and The Saints Jazz band etc. For many years, there had been a ban on American bands/musicians playing in this country and I think there had been only one visitor from America to these shores - the great Louis Armstrong and his All stars. I did see Louis at Belle Vue in Manchester but that is another story. The second visitor was the New Orleans clarinettist, George Lewis.
7 George toured the country as a guest with the Ken Colyer band and to say it was a great success is still a bit of an understatement. This man was the fountainhead of the great jazz revival in this country and that together with the fact that we had been starved of any real heroes during and after the war just ensured success. The good news is that the concert at the Free Trade Hall in Manchester was recorded on someone’s knee (up in the balcony I assumed). I’m not sure how he did it, but another enthusiast in our village managed to get me a bootleg copy of this concert on a 12”LP. In my opinion whilst the band recordings were fine, the quartet tracks with drums, bass, banjo and clarinet were brilliant and amongst my prize possessions.
Alcide 'slow drag' Pavageau As a result of the success of the above visit, on Saturday the 31st January 1958, the full George Lewis band appeared at the Free Trade Hall.
Joe Watkins The line-up was George (clt) Kid Howard (tpt) Jim Robinson (tbn) Joe Robicheaux (pno) Alcide “slow drag” Pavageau (bass) and Joe Watkins (drums/vocal). The front line was the same one that made the famous “Climax sessions” in 1942 and were therefore quite well-known to us.
Kid Howard At one o’clock in the afternoon on that Saturday, I was in Oxford Rd Manchester hoping to get a little closer to my idols. I also had a camera and some film. I can’t remember why I was in Oxford Rd but it proved to be the right place because at around 1-30pm I spotted someone looking remarkably like Jim Robinson coming out of a restaurant. His identification was confirmed when the diminutive figure of Slow drag appeared behind him! I rushed across the street and introduced myself to them. They asked if I knew where the hall was and it was agreed I would take them there on condition I could go back-stage with them.
Joseph Robicheaux Thus, began approximately six hours of sheer bliss. I found myself in a room with all the band plus about fifteen other people – I do remember that a band from Northern Ireland had flown over to be at the concert. I think they were called the “White Eagle Band”. I do remember helping Joe Watkins to set up his kit on the stage and I also remember that Joseph Robicheaux was playing music from the “Frank Sinatra song album”. There were lots of autographs written and photographs taken. I still remember sending £54.00 worth of photos over to Ireland after the event. At around 6-00pm my then girl-friend arrived and George very kindly played something for her (see above).
Jim Robinson, George, me & White Eagle Band from Dublin
Jim Robinson, Kid Howard and me
During the afternoon, I presented George with my LP of his last visit to the Free Trade Hall I also took a bit of a liberty by saying that I thought it was one of the best recordings I had heard and that perhaps he would like to release all/part of it. His manager was a lady called Dorothy Tait and she immediately inspected the space under the stage looking for hidden microphones etc. It is now over sixty years since these events and memories are fading but I will never forget the kindness and the humility of these musicians. They were lovely people and it was a privilege to meet them. It has occurred to me that at the time of these visits, segregation was still rife in America – it must have been quite strange for these lovely guys to be treated with such awe and admiration. George toured this country many times in the following years but I doubt if he ever got the same tumultuous reception again. The last time I saw the Free Trade Hall recording available, it was on Mike Dines' 504 CD label . CD51 I would like to emphasise just how bad things were in those days - only three years earlier in 1955, a black teenager called Emmett Till, had been lynched by a group of white men for whistling at a white girl! - it might have felt very strange to these wonderful guys to be held in such awe and admiration by our group of white guys. Also of course they could go in any restaurant etc. they wished and stay at one of Manchester's top hotels. the subject of Emmett Til is now a film on general release called "TILL" 23/01/23 - Phil Buckley was a lucky bugger!! Right place, right time!. The band concert, however was 1959 not 1958. Unfortunately, I was too young to see George at these concerts, but the recordings certainly capture the adoration the audience had for George and then later for the band. I only got to see George a bit later when he toured with Barry Martyn's Band. - Pete Lay 23/01/23 - On Friday 30 January 1959 l was lucky enough to see the George Lewis band at St Georges Hall, Bradford. After the concert myself and Malcolm Webb and maybe Dennis Armstrong organized a band of local musicians to play a few tunes just to see George on his way for his next concert in Manchester the following day. We had to make a quick getaway as the police were ready to arrest us for breach of the peace. The following day was Saturday 31st and l had tickets for both performances at the Free Trade Hall. After the first performance and everyone was leaving l walked to the front of the stage and met Harold Pendleton who was promoter of the concerts. l asked him if it was possible to meet the band but his reply was no. l told him what a shame as we played for George outside of st George's hall last night. He immediately took interest and asked how many of you are there, to which l replied four. He told us to get onto the stage and then he guided us to the dressing room. We were lucky to meet all of the band in the flesh. I managed to get all of their autographs on the programme l had bought but sadly through time it has disintegrated. All the three concerts were fantastic and some wonderful features especially Joe Robishaux playing piano. His style of playing was so different to Alton Purnell but didn't detract anything from the music. Jim Robinson has always been one of my heroes and influenced me with my style of playing. Lots of wonderful memories nobody can take away. - Brian Ellis (Savannah jazzband) 23/01/23 - Speaking of George Lewis I attach two photographs from my collection. One was taken of him the day he arrived in 1957 with myself, Roy Williams, John Featherstone, Roy Bower, Dorothy Tait, and Norman Dakers in attendance. We attended his concerts with Ken Colyer’s Band at the FTH and also the Liverpool Philharmonic Hall. The other photo is one he gave me duly signed in 1966. - Dr Alan Brown
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