Southbank Centre Archive

urn:iso:std:iso:639:ed-3:eng

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(In a little village primary school in Derbyshire in 1951 our teachers had us making cardboard and paper mache models of the Festival of Britain buildings we'd read about. However, three decades later I experienced a very exciting event at the RFH - not as a punter, but as a paid performer.) The occasion was a jazz concert in 1983, featuring the traditional-style bands of three famous names from the "trad boom" of the early 1960's - Acker Bilk, Kenny Ball and Chris Barber ("the three B's", as they'd been dubbed by the music press). Although all three combos had soon been steamrollered by the arrival of the Beatles, the Stones etc., traditional jazz still had an enthusiastic middle-aged following in 1983. It caught the imagination; " the 3 B's" on stage together for the first time ever. Three bands, all buddies, but very competitive. I was on Trombone with the Bilk band, and the atmosphere back stage and out front was as crackling as I can remember in 40 years as a professional. The concert was recorded. The resulting album went "platinum". They could have sold out the RFH three times over. I woke next morning with a happy hangover and cheers still echoing

excerpt from 'Southbank Centre Archive' (199 words)

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1413015952249