A gig on Friday 12th July. The event starts at 20:00.
Join us to celebrate 60 swinging years of Henry's Bootblacks on 12th July at 1904 Arts Club, Red Lodge, Park Row, BS1 5LJ. Tickets £20 Doors 7.30pm
Founded by local musician Henry Davies in 1964, this Classic Jazz Orchestra recreate the ‘hot’ jazz of the 1920’s.
Currently celebrating 60 years of music this classic orchestra was incorporated in 1964 with the specific aim of recreating the ‘hot’ jazz of the 1920’s as played by such as King Oliver, Fletcher Henderson and Duke Ellington.
An early residency at the Ship Inn on Redcliffe Hill Bristol lasted until its demolition due to road widening in 1967. Nowadays the band makes guest appearances at the Old Duke and jazz clubs throughout the south west.
Son of a trained pianist who as a babe would be around the legs of his Dad's Grand Piano, Bristol born musician, Charles Peter Davis, began his musical career as a self taught pianist and arranger who learnt to read music by writing it. After falling in love with the classical era of jazz and compiling an arsenal of instruments, the now 'Henry' Davies sought to bring local "ragtime" musicians together. The new band needed a name. 'Bootblacks' came from the New Orleans Bootblacks, a recording band led by Johnny Dodds for Victor in 1928. A residency at the much sought after Ship Inn, Redcliffe, began on October 1st, 1964 and the opening night was graced with a guest appearance of John R.T. Davies, then of the Temperance Seven.
The band gradually expanded to a sixteen piece big band and some of these sessions were recorded in Febuary and June 1965 by Stan Stickland and released as a limited addition of only 99 copies, under the title "Vintage Jazz at the Ship Inn", now a rarity.
From mid 1967 onwards Henry was working with various groups. A Summer season with Spencer's Washboard Kings, followed by pantomime with the New Vaudeville Band, then from late 1967 til early 1969 with Adge Cutler and the Wurzels.
When the Ship was demolished late in 1967, the Bootblacks moved to the Quay Head Restuarant and a brief change of name followed to the Henry Davies Jazz Orchestra. Henry played with them when he was free, but after a year or so the band was taken over by Pete Tomkins and renamed the Bristol Jazz Orchestra. Encourage by 'Gomez' Cooper, a 'Bix' style cornet/trumpet player, with whom he had worked in the Vaudeville Band, Henry reformed an eight piece vintage hot band. At first it was called the Vintage Jazz Orchestra, to avoid confusion with the still extant Bootblacks, it soon took on the old name, Henry's Bootblacks.
The band grew again with several residencies, radio broadcasts and further recordings leading to the albums "High Society" and "Hullaballo".
Henry has also toured the world with The Temperance Seven and had an 18 year residency at The Chelsea Inn with his Hot Seven.
His love of music is only rivaled by his love of steam trains and real ale. Henry is on the tasting panel for CAMRA and is a published author in railways history.
60 years - and still swinging!
Band Rosta:
-Henry Davies: Lead / Vocal / Pno / Tpt / Bs. Sax
-Phil Blandford: Pno
-Nick White: Clt / Alto Sax
-Hugh Roberts: Clt / Ten. Sax
-Andy Leggett: Clt / Bari. Sax / Vocal
-Ceri Williams: Tpt
-Lewis Taylor: Tpt
-Dave Deakin: Tbn
-Joe Farler: Gtr / Bjo
-Joe Trudgeon: Gtr
-Bill Frampton: Bass / Tuba
-Piotr Jordan - Vln
-Paul Archibald: Perc
-Rachel Lawrence - Guest Vocal
Location:Bristol 1904 Arts
The Red Lodge
Park Row
Bristol
BS1 5LJ
entrance is through the garden gate in Lodge Street at the side of the building
Entry requirements: no age restrictions
Founded by local musician Henry Davies in 1964, this Classic Jazz Orchestra recreate the ‘hot’ jazz of the 1920’s.
Currently celebrating 60 years of music this classic orchestra was incorporated in 1964 with the specific aim of recreating the ‘hot’ jazz of the 1920’s as played by such as King Oliver, Fletcher Henderson and Duke Ellington.
An early residency at the Ship Inn on Redcliffe Hill Bristol lasted until its demolition due to road widening in 1967. Nowadays the band makes guest appearances at the Old Duke and jazz clubs throughout the south west.
Son of a trained pianist who as a babe would be around the legs of his Dad's Grand Piano, Bristol born musician, Charles Peter Davis, began his musical career as a self taught pianist and arranger who learnt to read music by writing it. After falling in love with the classical era of jazz and compiling an arsenal of instruments, the now 'Henry' Davies sought to bring local "ragtime" musicians together. The new band needed a name. 'Bootblacks' came from the New Orleans Bootblacks, a recording band led by Johnny Dodds for Victor in 1928. A residency at the much sought after Ship Inn, Redcliffe, began on October 1st, 1964 and the opening night was graced with a guest appearance of John R.T. Davies, then of the Temperance Seven.
The band gradually expanded to a sixteen piece big band and some of these sessions were recorded in Febuary and June 1965 by Stan Stickland and released as a limited addition of only 99 copies, under the title "Vintage Jazz at the Ship Inn", now a rarity.
From mid 1967 onwards Henry was working with various groups. A Summer season with Spencer's Washboard Kings, followed by pantomime with the New Vaudeville Band, then from late 1967 til early 1969 with Adge Cutler and the Wurzels.
When the Ship was demolished late in 1967, the Bootblacks moved to the Quay Head Restuarant and a brief change of name followed to the Henry Davies Jazz Orchestra. Henry played with them when he was free, but after a year or so the band was taken over by Pete Tomkins and renamed the Bristol Jazz Orchestra. Encourage by 'Gomez' Cooper, a 'Bix' style cornet/trumpet player, with whom he had worked in the Vaudeville Band, Henry reformed an eight piece vintage hot band. At first it was called the Vintage Jazz Orchestra, to avoid confusion with the still extant Bootblacks, it soon took on the old name, Henry's Bootblacks.
The band grew again with several residencies, radio broadcasts and further recordings leading to the albums "High Society" and "Hullaballo".
Henry has also toured the world with The Temperance Seven and had an 18 year residency at The Chelsea Inn with his Hot Seven.
His love of music is only rivaled by his love of steam trains and real ale. Henry is on the tasting panel for CAMRA and is a published author in railways history.
60 years - and still swinging!
Band Rosta:
-Henry Davies: Lead / Vocal / Pno / Tpt / Bs. Sax
-Phil Blandford: Pno
-Nick White: Clt / Alto Sax
-Hugh Roberts: Clt / Ten. Sax
-Andy Leggett: Clt / Bari. Sax / Vocal
-Ceri Williams: Tpt
-Lewis Taylor: Tpt
-Dave Deakin: Tbn
-Joe Farler: Gtr / Bjo
-Joe Trudgeon: Gtr
-Bill Frampton: Bass / Tuba
-Piotr Jordan - Vln
-Paul Archibald: Perc
-Rachel Lawrence - Guest Vocal
Location:Bristol 1904 Arts
The Red Lodge
Park Row
Bristol
BS1 5LJ
entrance is through the garden gate in Lodge Street at the side of the building
Entry requirements: no age restrictions
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