Stan Tracey was a major talent. I saw him lots of times in St Albans (which was his home town I believe) and Welwyn Garden City. The author Clark Tracey his son is a very fine drummer and the driving force behind the Herts Jazz club which has ridiculously good value gigs in Welwyn on Sunday nights.
I have a vague recollection that there was a BBC4 doc. about Stan.
There was indeed an excellent BBC 4 doc about Stan, also titled ‘The Godfather of British Jazz’ if I remember correctly. In it he tells the story of how he wrote his wonderful ‘Under Milk Wood’ album on the night bus after gigs supporting all the jazz greats at Ronnie Scott’s. Difficult to imagine musicians travelling home on the night bus nowadays what with Uber and all. Different times.
Colin H says
Stan on piano with Joe Harriott, 1969:
Alias says
Stan Tracey was a major talent. I saw him lots of times in St Albans (which was his home town I believe) and Welwyn Garden City. The author Clark Tracey his son is a very fine drummer and the driving force behind the Herts Jazz club which has ridiculously good value gigs in Welwyn on Sunday nights.
I have a vague recollection that there was a BBC4 doc. about Stan.
jazzjet says
There was indeed an excellent BBC 4 doc about Stan, also titled ‘The Godfather of British Jazz’ if I remember correctly. In it he tells the story of how he wrote his wonderful ‘Under Milk Wood’ album on the night bus after gigs supporting all the jazz greats at Ronnie Scott’s. Difficult to imagine musicians travelling home on the night bus nowadays what with Uber and all. Different times.
Colin H says
Amazing they could afford a bus on Ronnie’s wages.
Mike_H says
Stan was in and around “the scene” forever, it seemed. One of the greats.
That book is on my list of Must Reads.
Colin H says
That cover – it’s rubbish, isn’t it?