VJAZZ 62 MAY 2014 ISSN: 2203-4811 Distribution 650 Proactively Collecting, Archiving and Disseminating Australian Jazz QUARTERLY MAGAZINE OF THE AUSTRALIAN JAZZ MUSEUM. FOUNDING PATRON: The late WILLIAM H. MILLER M.A., B.C.L. (Oxon.) 15 Mountain Highway, Wantirna Melway Ref. 63 C8 (All correspondence to: PO Box 6007 Wantirna Mall, Vic. 3152) Registered No: A0033964L ABN 53 531 132 426 Ph (03) 9800 5535 email: [email protected]. Web page: www.vicjazzarchive.org.au VJAZZ 62 Page 2 Contents Letters to the Editor Ron Hayton reminiscing with John Thrum Apart from going to Power House and Ormond Hall in the 50s when George Wat- 02 Letters to the Editor son's band was playing I have only been involved in trad jazz for a relatively short 03 Jazz Notes Part 2 time. I had my first sit-in on washboard with Nick Polites when he was playing at By Ken Simpson-Bull Ted Rippon's Auburn Hotel. I would only play a couple of times a year and it was 07 A New Orleans Send-off for Eric J. years later when I was sitting-in with the Penny Farthing band at Mentone Brown RSL that I decided that I would like to have a go at playing drums and badgered Ian 08 News from the Collection Smith to take me on as a student. I was 73 years old at the time. My lessons were By Ralph Powell disrupted by a gall bladder operation, but I reckoned that a sure way to get a gig 09 Research Review was to form your own band, and so I started the Steamboat Jazz Band, mainly for By John Kennedy OAM festivals. I was told by a friend in 2008 that Claremont Terrace in McKinnon was 10 VJA achieves State Recognition looking for a band, put my hand up, and got the gig, with Richard Desmond, Mi- 11 Welsh Rarebit chael Cousins, Lindsay Flint, Ted Egan, Clint Smith and Fred Stephenson with me By Bill Brown on the drums. Just before we started, one of the residents came up and asked me if I would mind if he recorded it. Of course not. We did the gig and were invited back Image: Front Cover for a second time, this time with Ian Orr replacing Richard, who was unavailable, on trumpet. It so happened that Graham was in the audience, visiting a friend, and I John R T Davies and asked him if would like to have a blow with us. So this is how we were privileged to Eric J Brown in have Graham playing with us. The band didn't survive long and, fittingly for its John R T’s Barn name, sank without trace, but I look back with pleasure at the time when the great (studio), Graham Coyle played with us. 1 Walnut Tree The CD of this recording now resides in our collection. Cottage Burnham, Bucks, Australian Jazz Museum England MORE ON OUR NAME CHANGE Early 1970 N our last issue I briefly alluded to the change of name to the Australian Jazz Museum. The primary reasoning behind this change is that our current I name could be misconstrued to suggest that we are only interested in Victorian Images: Jazz. In fact our archive has always proactively collected all Australian Jazz, and is Tom Lucas now the major institution devoted to Australian Jazz. Our collection also encom- Ken Simpson-Bull passes International Jazz. We intend to slowly make the transition to a new visual Ralph Powell identity as resources permit. Bill Brown Terry Norman - AJM President Geoff Tobin Dr Pam Clements NEW 21-YEAR LEASE SIGNED We are very pleased to announce that we recently signed a 21-year lease with our landlord, Parks Victoria, on our Wantirna premises. We have occupied the premises Magazine Editorial Committee for the past 16 years, and over that time have made an enormous number of im- Dr Pam Clements Dr Mel Forbes provements and upgrades to the building, resulting in the marvellous facility it is Terry Norman today. Knowing that we are secure in our location for the next 21 years gives us Ralph Powell confidence to pursue plans for extension and further upgrades so that we can con- Ken Simpson-Bull tinue to provide museum-standard storage for our ever-growing collection and an enhanced experience for our visitors. Board of Management Terry Norman President We Welcome these New and Rejoining Members: Jeff Blades Vice President Graeme Andrews, Julie Bailey, John Baird, Bairnsdale Secondary College, Denis Ray Sutton Secretary Blanchard, Eric Dancey, Michael Freegard, Mitch Hand, Dr. Mal Harrop, Jonathon David Mc Dowell Treasurer Hatton, Sam Hesketh, Philp Kupsch, Matthew Linden, Peter Oakley, Reginald Ray Sutton General Manager Packer, Suelin Tam, Ian Warway, Stuart Winstanley, Graham Wright. Mel Blachford Collections Manager Dr. Mel Forbes Membership Manager We would like to thank the following for their generous financial donations: Anne Thornton Development Manager Australian Jazz Convention, Kim Berchtenbreiter, BlueTone Jazz Band, Ron Margaret Harvey Breckenridge, Royston Coldicott, Rowan & Monica Constable, Jane LaScala & Marina Pollard Ralph Powell Graeme Huntington, John Kennedy OAM, John & Dorothy Kessner, Jean Mac- Kenzie, Ewan Mylecharane, Marina Pollard, Ann Scriven, Ralph B Stride. DISCLAIMER Opinions and views expressed in editorial and contributed articles are those of the authors Location and are not necessarily those of the Museum. The editor reserves the right to edit or abridge AJM “Koomba Park” articles/special features due to special circumstances. The Museum, editor and the authors 15 Mountain Hwy. expressly disclaim all and any liability to any person, whether a Museum member or not, Wantirna who acts or fails to act as a consequence of reliance upon the whole or part of this publica- Mel Ref 63 C8 tion. The editor reserves the right to not publish any articles, correspondence or illustrations Open Tues & Fri, 10am-3pm that may be offensive or contrary to AJM practices and policies. Publication of an advertise- ment does not necessarily constitute endorsement by the Museum of any product nor war- rant its suitability. Advertisements are published as submitted by the advertiser. E&OE. AJM BOARD OF MANAGEMENT VJAZZ 62 Page 3 JAZZ NOTES Part 2 More on Australia’s first magazine for jazz lovers By Ken Simpson-Bull N researching the publication history of Jazz Notes for Day 1945’s 104 degrees … my brother, Spitfire Gay, is charging I the last issue of our own magazine, I came across so about clogging the already unbreathable air with fly spray. many interesting and historical articles within the pages of the full run of this jazz-aficionados’ periodical that I felt Here’s an interesting scene from a meeting of jazz enthusi- asts held at the Australian Club Hotel reported in February, obliged to share some of these discoveries with our readers. 1946: For the first two or three years, Jazz Notes consisted almost TIM: Right-ho gentlemen! entirely of overseas record reviews, and biographies and BILL MILLER (entering): I didn’t come here to drink. All I want is discographies of American performers. Australian artists quiet companionship. Twelve beers, please! barely got a mention. The reason for this was explained by JIM PIESSE: How are you, boy? an editorial in May, 1944 by Bill Miller who wrote: I have often RAY MARGINSON: He’s just a boffin. been asked why I do not feature Australian artists in this maga- C. IAN TURNER: Give that bald-headed gentleman a cigar. zine. The answer used to be that "Jazz Notes" deals only with hot (Sings Baby Won’t You Please Go Home.) jazz, and that I had never heard any music by Australians which TIM: Right-ho gentlemen! qualified. I am now almost beginning to believe that the impossi- RAY MARGINSON: You’re all boffins. ble has happened, and that here in Melbourne we have a group ROGER BELL (indicating McKay and Mair): I want you to meet which is playing genuine, down-to-earth jazz. I refer of course, to this boy. He’s a famous author. He wrote Let My Pimple Go. DICK GAZE: That must have been during his purple period. TIM: Right-ho gentlemen! ROGER BELL: Oh, whip it kid. (He whips out his cornet and whips off Every Baby Loves My Body.) RAY MARGINSON: Of course you’re just a boffin, boy. GRAEME BELL (leaning horizontally away from his piano to- wards a group of admiring fans, with an expression of intense interest that would deceive not even Leonard Feather). Oh, yes? MICHELE GAZE: Who is Leonard Feather, mummy? TEHUKAUHIVA: Mummy is right! TIM: Right-ho gentlemen! (Local chorus sings Baby Won’t You Please Come Soon) RAY BRADLEY: That’s terrific, boy. RAY MARGINSON (proudly displaying a coverless volume): Look at this, boy! The 1904 edition! Sixpence! And some boffin in front of me wouldn’t have it because he said it was too dear! (They all play Boffin, Boffin, who’s got the Boffin for five minutes) Bud Baker (g), Ade Monsbourgh (t), Ian Pearce (tb), Pixie Roberts (cl), TIM: Right-ho gentlemen! Graeme Bell (p), Roger Bell (t), Charlie Blott (d), Lou Silbereisen (sb). The scene continues with inputs from Norm (Bud) Baker, Ade Monsbourgh, Don Roberts, Alan Saunders (from the the Graeme Bell outfit. These boys can be caught at the Palais ABC), Russ Murphy and other luminaries. Seems like the Royale on Thursday evenings or at the Heidelberg Town Hall drinking started early, but oh, what a great time they obvi- every Saturday night. No visitor or Melbourne resident should ously had. miss hearing them. Recent recordings by the group are of an In March, 1946, Ade Monsbourgh did some rather interesting exhilaratingly high standard, and constitute a bright promise for the future.