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Hi Fred.

You don't know me, but I've followed your site for some years. I'm a retired GP in Crewe, trad groupie, & amateur artist. For the last 10 years I've concentrated on portraits of some of my good friends in the North West jazz world. I'll post a picture or two to you from time to time. For a start, can you recognise this charismatic character? I call it 'The Joy of Jazz', because that's what he represents for me. He's a 'dead good' player too! Here he is, flying over the Norwegian fjords. If you know him, you'll know why!

Kind regards, 'Jenks' (Dr.W Jenkyn Jones)
8th Feb 2010

 


The Joy of Jazz

I count Terry as a very dear friend, and have done three portraits of him so far. I also painted two of his decorated trombones for him, the 'I'm Green' one & his MCFC one. As I support MUFC that was a chore! I am a very slow painter, and am working on Peter 'Pedro' Robinson, Dave Berry, & George Galway at the moment. At 81 I'm way ahead of Moe Green, & wonder if I'll manage to finish any of the present batch. I've done about 18 in all, some worse than others.

Here's a double portrait of dear Peter Barker, 'The Grand Jazz Parade Marshal', with his 'Ideal' marching band. Unfortunately, there's a ghostly reflection of me taking the photo, in the sky!


Peter Barker, 'The Grand Jazz Parade Marshal'

Mike Hayler is a great reeds player. I painted this one of him when
 he was landlord of the Three Greyhounds at Allostock, in 2000. 

The very first of my Jazzmen. Geoff Wilde's kindness in encouraging a seven-year old 
trumpeter, son of a friend of mine, inspired me to paint him, & that's how the series started. 

His is the only original portrait I've given to the subject, the others have prints.
A lovely man. now retired to his roots in Flixton. We miss you Geoff!

Here's Howard Murray, a regular multi-player with the Giants of Jazz, at the New Horseshoe in Alsager. 
He's almost converted me to enjoying jazz post-(early)-Ellington! We have a common interest in linguistics. 
I did this one in 2002.

 

Ged Hone's grandfather's cornet is almost as well-known as the man himself, so I did a double portrait in 2002 ! 
They play together in so many bands I don't know where to start!

A posthumous portrait of Dick Wharton done in 2005. 
He played cornet with the Salt City in Nantwich, & the Severnside
in Shrewsbury. He had a lovely tone, & was outstanding in his use of the mutes. 
It's a privilege to have heard him in his prime.

Alan Newton, a left-handed trombonist (No, the picture isn't the wrong way round!) 
is a very long-standing member of the Salt City, & weekly programme compiler. 
They play now at The Jolly Tar at Wardle, near Nantwich. This was done in 2001

Harry Christian is well known in these parts for his reed-playing with the Salt City & Mercia bands,
& his depping with Willie's Weepers in Alsager. He's recently added a beautiful new
baritone sax to his armamentaria. This picture was painted in 2003.

Here's Derek Pierce of the Salt City (2001). He's an archaeologist & a Welshman, so I painted him
in a Welsh druid's stone circle at map reference SH 722 746. He's never dug there though!

Bob Jones, another long-standing member of the Salt City painted in 2003

Nigel Cartwright, bass guitarist with the Giants of Jazz at the New Horseshoe in Alsager. Former art student, who likes Vincent van Gogh & the Austrian Secessionists, so I 'van Gogh-ed' him up a bit & put an Egon Schiele portrait on the wall. We have long arty discussions when we meet!

Stuart Renn, guitar & banjo player with the Salt City, & formerly with the City Syncopators in Manchester  I'd known him for several years before I discovered he was a Jazzman!

Mark Challinor, leader and powerhouse of the Wabash Jazzmen. Used to play with the Salt City
a long time ago. I did this one in 1999.

The late Arthur Pedder, who used to play with the Wabash, the Blue Magnolias.
Also runs the annual Jazz Festival at Kelsall. This was painted in 2000

I used to regard Howard Worthington as my favourite trad bass player, but it's so long since I've heard him or even seen him, that I've transferred my allegiance to John Muskett, who has replaced him with Willy's Weepers at the Wilbraham Arms in Alsager. They are remarkably similar in appearance, apart from the hat!  This was done in 1999.

Peter 'Pedro' Robinson - I want to enthusiastically endorse Ian Royle's comments about Peter, who is a wonderful virtuoso multi-instrumentalist, who has given me immense pleasure over several years with his musicianship. I wanted to portray him in a Spanish background, ( patio of the Casa d'Oleza in Palma Majorca), but foolishly didn't think it through, & gave him a banjo to play in the initial drawing. I then got worried about all the ellipses I'd have to draw in the instrument's body, particularly as the skin was transparent. Wrongly drawn, it would be glaringly obvious! I apologised to Peter, who innocently saved me. He said "Is it too late to change it to a guitar? BINGO!!! I finished the painting in a fortnight after three years of false promises.

 

Eric 'Busker' Newton. Marathon man & virtuoso clarinettist. How I wish I had the talent to paint like he plays! Many years ago I went into a small antique shop in Knutsford, where a jazz record was on the player. I said to my friend "That sounds just like Eric Newton" whereupon the proprietor appeared & said "It is!" He has a certain way of playing very smooth glissandi, as in Gershwin's Rhapsody in Blue, & characteristic triplet passages which are his alone. He's a familiar sight busking in the Potteries & around Cheshire, when he's not running Marathons, playing all the way!

George Galway, like his brother, is a virtuoso flautist, Classical & Jazz. Unlike his brother, he chose Jazz as his specialty, & is world-class on clarinet & various saxophones. If we have to have an Honours system, why is it so selective? Time for Jazzers to start lobbying maybe?

 

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