The British Jazz
musician and band Leader, Terry Lightfoot has died
just days after fellow jazzman Kenny Ball who was once in his band.
Terry was 77 and had been suffering from prostate Cancer when he died on
Friday evening.
He is survived by wife Iris, and daughters Michele and Melinda
Terry Lightfoot was born on 21st May 1935 in Potters Bar, Middlesex
(now Hertfordshire). He first heard jazz and swing music at the age
of 8 via Glenn Miller's wartime broadcasts and his parents 78 rpm
records of Benny Goodman, Artie Shaw etc. n
During 1951-1953 he lead a band called The Wood Green Stompers, so
named because its regular sessions were as a support band to the
established names of the day (Chris Barber, Humphrey Lyttelton,
George Melly etc) when they performed at the Fishmongers Arms in
North London - home of the now legendary Wood Green Jazz Club. At an
average age of 17, the highlight of this young band's brief
existence was an appearance at London's Conway Hall with the
Humphrey Lyttelton band and Sophie Tucker, the original 'Red Hot
Momma' from the USA.
On his demob from the RAF in September 1955, following a brief
exploratory visit to Europe with a group of fellow budding
musicians, 20 year old Terry formed the first band to operate under
his own name - 'Terry Lightfoot's Jazzmen'. They worked at jazz
clubs in the London area on a semi-professional basis.
In 1957 the band appeared on the first ever British all-night
carnival of jazz at London's Royal Albert Hall, toured extensively
with skiffle king Lonnie Donegan, US country star Slim Whitman and
'beat' stars of the day Freddie Bell and the Bellboys, and Frankie
Lymon and the Teenagers. They also made their TV debut on BBC's 6-5
Special.
With the band now operating on a nationwide basis, the band featured
Kenny Ball on trumpet, until he left in 1958 to form his now world
famous 'Jazzmen'. (information from
http://www.terrylightfoot.com)
16/03/13 -
Yes, very sad
news about Terry Lightfoot. Not a good start to the year. Quite a
loss already.
