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Life Membership

Merseysippi Jazz Band Honorary Life Members John Barnes and South 'Frisco Jazz Band members Leon Oakley and Vince Saunders have now been joined by another world-class musician, trumpeter Eric Holroyd. Eric has played with the MJB many times in recent years when he has been on European tours with the 10th Avenue Jazz Band. Eric originates from Bradford in Yorkshire, but has been living in Australia for over 30 years. His partnership with Tom Baker leading their San Francisco Jazz Band producing some of the finest swinging West Coast jazz you could find anywhere came to a sudden halt when Tom passed away in Holland last month. Eric has threatened that he might fly half way round the world to collect his illuminated scroll at the next jazz Festival. If anybody at the Festival thinks they have bumped into Pete Daniels, lead horn player with the MJB from 1952 to 1970, they'll be mistaken. It'll be Eric Holroyd whom everybody agrees could well be Pete's identical twin brother.

Derek Vaux 12/12/01

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