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21/02/12
I note from reading your
"News", Fred, that there are a couple of references to "The
Wolverines" and the occasion of the inauguration in 1957 of
Rochdale Jazz Club.
The band was formed in
1954 and the original personnel were Jim Fielding
(Clarinet), Eric Mainwaring (trumpet), Harry Ashworth
(piano), Ted Jay (drums) and myself, Don Ashworth on
Trombone. In 1955 John Taylor replaced Eric on trumpet and
the band continued to play for many years. At various times
several of today's very active, excellent musicians, played
with the Wolverines.
The Wolverines were the resident Jazz Band for some time at
Rochdale Jazz Club when it was based at the Clock Face and I
recall the inauguration in January 1957.
Amongst other venues we played, The Cavern, when allegedly
the Beatles played our interval spot and, indeed, The
Wolverines name appears on the Cavern wall of fame carved
into a brick! We also played at the Sportsman, Thatched
House and the MSG in Manchester.
I am now 80 years old and, over the years, apart from
playing in the Wolverines I have depped with several
Manchester bands and was a member of Maurice Pike's Panama
Jazz Band during the 1970's. I have not played now for some
years. As time passes there only three of the original
Wolverines band still alive, namely Jim Fielding, Eric
Mainwaring (Canada) and myself.
Donald Ashworth
News
Items
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15/01/12 -
"Hello Fred, Dave
Berry's note prompts me to say that I too remember
Brenda Tomkins (as she then was) from the days when she
played piano with The Oriole Jazzband. The band visited
Rochdale Jazz Club on several occasions in the late
nineteen-fifties. In between numbers Brenda would sit
sideways on the piano stool with a radiant smile when
Peter Kennedy swapped repartee with the audience (the
audience didn't stand a chance!). In The Oriole, Colin
Tomkins played trumpet, and Peter the clarinet. The
trombonist may have been Eric Brierley (RIP) and the drummer
was called Keith, but banjo and string bass I don't
recall at all. The Rochdale Jazz Club was a frontier
outpost of the MSG, and to inaugurate it in 1957, Jenks
promoted a jazz band ball at the Rochdale Fire Station
Hall (although the club's venue was The Old Clock Face
Hotel in Lord Street). The Crescent Jazz Band - Dave
Berry, Colin Knight, Dave Potts, Denis Gilmore and the Haslam brothers - shared the stand with a local band,
The Wolverines. Happy days - and happy memories". -
Alwyn Smith
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16/01/12 -
"Just
looked at your news page and see that someone remembers me
from the Oriole Jazz band! Goodness! That is going back a
bit I think 1955 when Colin and I set up a band with Pete
Kennedy on clarinet, Keith on drums( I've forgotten his
surname) and a young Harvey Tattersall on banjo... think he
changed his name to Mark when he took up trombone and played
with the Southside Stompers. We had Colin's cousin Gary on
trombone for a while.. We played our first gig at The
Thatched House and think we got 10s6d each! Then we played
the Sportsman's for £1 . I remember
The Wolverines and Ye Olde Clock House in Rochdale. I also read Dave Berry's note
and will you please send my good wishes to him and family I
recall him visiting our house in Alkrington with his family
a few times. By the way, the Crescent's drummer was Dennis
Grundy and bass player Norman Slater. Happy days and lots of
fun". - Brenda Canty Forrest.
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In Week-of Variety
Formed early in 1954, the
Wolverines Jazz Band, which was playing at the
Hippodrome last night (Friday) and is due to
appear again to-night, contains quite a number
of personnel from the Norden district.. At the
beginning it had five players, but the present
formation numbers six. Although it originated in
Norden, it has done most of its playing "away
from home," mostly in the Manchester, Bury and
Wigan areas, finding that the type of music in
which it specialises is more in demand in these
areas than it is in Rochdale. Members of the
band are H Ashworth (piano) and D. Ashworth
(trombone), who are brothers, J. Fielding
(clarinet), John Taylor (trumpet), Peter Hoyle
(drums) and (the only lady in the formation) Ann
Larkey, who plays the banjo and who
incidentally, having received the banjo for a
Christmas present, taught herself to play. |
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AT THE ROCHDALE JAZZ CLUB IN 1960
Jim, Eric, Don and Rod
WIGAN JAZZ CLUB - MAY 1960
26/07/14 -
In the course of
researching a review I was to write on The White Eagle Jazz
Band's visit to "Jazz on a Sunday"
here in Rochdale I came across a contribution to your pages
by the late Donald Ashworth. Donald was recalling the
formation in 1954 of "The Wolverines" and reflecting that
other than himself there were only two of its original
members still alive, namely Jim Fielding and Eric Mainwaring
(in Canada). By pure coincidence an 82 year old Eric walked
into our club last Sunday trumpet in hand and, after having
his bona fides verified by a several of those present who
could remember having heard "The Wolverines" at The Clock
Face" all those years ago, was invited to sit in with the
band which he did to great acclaim on "Doctor Jazz",
"Blueberry Hill" and "I Found A New Baby". Keep the faith,
young Eric. There are increasingly few of us left.
Alan Lawless
05/08/14 -
The Wolverines that I
joined played at the Eagle in Rochdale. I too well remember
the late Don Ashworth on trombone, known for his rugged
no-nonsense approach. Another stalwart of that band was Dave
Moore on drums. Some time ago, Dave lent me a tape of that
era, with the proviso that I would convert it to CD. I had
planned to complete this task in time for his Birthday last
Saturday. Sadly, I did not meet this target!
Noel Broadgate |