Ken Colyer's Jazzmen

about

Ken Colyer ( 1928 - 1988) was a British traditional jazz revivalist who specialized in the New Orleans jazz and ragtime stylings. He first interfaced with New Orleans players when a young man in the UK's Merchant Navy and after long jaunts at sea, began looking up familiar names in a New Orleans telephone directory found in the Westminster Public Library. When Ken got to the US, he thought nothing of breaking the strict segregation lines in New Orleans and finally he was looking up and sitting in with greats like George Lewis, Doc Souchon, Lizzie Miles and many others before finally over staying his visa. He eventually was deported from the Crescent City but brought back a newly invigorated appreciation for the old jazz sounds. Back in England he started his band the Jazzmen and in the 1950's they became the preeminent New Orleans style UK jazz band, playing many concerts, pubs & festivals, and producing some notable records. The stand-outs are their work with Decca including "They all Played Ragtime," "Club Session With Colyer" and "Colyer Plays Standards," "Marching Back To New Orleans," and "Colyer In Hamburg". He retired eventually to France where he hoped to teach music, but died before fulfilling this quest, and a trust has since been established to carry on his musical legacy and distribute his recordings. User-contributed text is available under the Creative Commons By-SA License; additional terms may apply.

top songs

albums

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The Best Of British Jazz From The BBC Jazz Club Volume 1

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New Orleans to London and Back to the Delta - Classic Recordings from 1953 / 54

Ken Colyer Very Very Live at the 100 Club

Memories... A Jazz Club Session With Ken Colyer's Jazzmen

Serenading Auntie

More Of The Lost 1954 Royal Festival Hall Tapes

Vintage Ken Colyer - Vol. 2

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The Best Of British Jazz From The BBC Jazz Club - Volume 1

Up Jumped the Devil

The Classic Years

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Trad Jazz For Cool Cats

Christmas With Colyer

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