Doug Richford Explained

Douglas Frank Richford (1920-1987) was a British jazz clarinetist, and saxophonist.

Early career

Starting piano at age 7,[1] he became a fan of Artie Shaw and Benny Goodman, taking up the clarinet at 13. A pupil of American clarinetist Danny Polo before the war,[2] during Army Service in World War Two he played in the Lion Swing Stars. Following the war he led a 14-piece big-band, the Streamliners. After a stint with the River City Jazzmen in the early/mid 50s,[3] Richford had his first professional job with George Chisholm and Tommy McQuator.[4] In the later 1950s he was a member of Sonny Morris's and then Nat Gonella's bands; and from 1959 to 1961 Bob Wallis's Storyville Jazzmen,[5] [6] [7] with whom he recorded.[8] [9] [10] [11]

Doug Richford's London Jazzmen

Richford started his trad jazz band in July 1961,[12] [13] which debuted in Coventry.[14] [15] [16] A week later, the boozy London Jazzmen played on a riverboat near Liege for Belgian TV. Trumpeter Trevor Jones,[17] [18] trombonist Eric Dalby, future illustrator Toni Goffe on double bass, 18-stone big Pete Deuchar on banjo,[19] [20] and Kenny Harrison on drums,[21] were in the initial line-up.[22] Clarinettist Gerry Turnham joined later that year.[23]

Represented by the Lyn Dutton Agency Ltd,[24] [25] [26] and financed by publishers Chappell, the DRLJ recorded in November 1961,[27] and released in January 1962 on Parlophone records, their first single Yip-I-Addy-I-Ay/On Sunday I Go Sailing.[28] The band was by then Pete Deuchar, Toni Goffe, Kenny Harrison, the legendary Nat Gonella trumpet/vocals,[29] [30] [31] [32] [33] and Bill Hales trombone.[34] After Colin Bowden took over as drummer,[35] it was probably their second single that was recorded at Abbey Road studios, Cascading/12 Over the 8 - both Richford originals.[36] [37]

The band played in London, often late at night at Studio 51, known as the Ken Colyer Jazz Club off Leicester Square,[38] [39] [40] [41] and around England throughout its 1961-64 life.[42] [43] [44] [45] [46] [47] They appeared four times on the BBC Light Programme,[48] alongside / introduced by Humphrey Littleton, Diz Dizley and George Melly.[49] [50] [51] Trumpeter Nat Gonella was replaced in mid-1962 by young Australian Dick Tattam in his first professional role.[52] [53] Guitarist Paul Sealey also played with the band;[54] vocalist Beryl Bryden appeared with them too.[55]

As well as travelling in Britain, in 1963 the band visited Denmark,[56] where three tracks were recorded by Copenhagen-based Storyville Records,[57] - Spooky Takes A Holiday, Running Wild and Beedle-Um-Bum.[58]

Later career

After the Trad boom ended, as The Beatles changed popular music,[59] [60] Richford took a trio for a summer season in Jersey in 1964. Ironically Richford had appeared repeatedly at the Cavern Club in Liverpool, whilst the Beatles were still a local Merseybeat band performing there.[61] [62]

Richford returned to full-time music in 1978 to tour Germany with Steve Mason's Dixielanders, and then played "residences" in Zurich.

Personal life

Richford was born in 1920 in Camberwell, London, where in 1945 he married Ellen Rolf; their son Lincoln Douglas Richford, born 1946, is a land reform campaigner in Scotland.[63] [64] [65] [66] Doug Richford died in West Sussex in 1987.

Notes and References

  1. Book: Chilton, John. Who's who of British jazz. 2004. Continuum. 978-0-8264-2389-4. 2nd. London. 297–8. 320324851.
  2. News: 10 May 1961. One Night Stand. Jazz News.
  3. News: 16 August 1956. On the Bandstands: AMBITIOUS PROGRAMME FOR PRESTON DUE IN AUTUMN .. the other boys forming the River City Group comprise Derek Janes, trombone. Ray Knowles, trumpet. Kenny Buckner, drums, Doug Richford, clarinet, Vic Bartob. bass, and two banjo'sts. Nobby Willett and Ted Prior.. The Stage.
  4. Martin. John. 10 May 1961. One Night Stand. Jazz News. 6.
  5. News: 10 February 1961. Popular Wallis draws over 700 .. if versatility takes prizes, then Doug Richford should be high up the list. Although playing clarinet with the band, Doug can also play all the saxes, piano, bass and .... Reading Standard.
  6. News: 3 May 1961. Richford goes. Jazz News.
  7. News: 10 May 1961. One night stand. Jazz News.
  8. News: Bob Wallis' Storyville Jazzmen. Everybody Loves Saturday Night. Jazz Music, 11, no. 7 and 8, p.16.
  9. Web site: Doug Richford. 2021-06-18. Discogs. en.
  10. News: 14 Jan 1961. Bob Wallis. Ole Man River. Jazz News.
  11. News: 8 Nov 1961. This contemporary art. Bob Wallis, Travelling blues. Jazz News.
  12. Web site: A small adventure in the process of researching music history books. 2021-06-23. theafterword.co.uk.
  13. Web site: A MUSICIAN'S LIFE CYCLE - Record Collector Magazine. 2021-06-23. en.
  14. News: 15 July 1961. Abracadabra Jazz Club FRIDAY. 21st JULY Public debut ex-Rob Wallis clarinettist DOUGGIE RICHFORD and his Jam Band ... Coventry Evening Telegraph.
  15. News: 18 October 1961. Abracadabra Jazz Club .. DOUGGIE RICHFORD and his London Jazzmen Next week: Kenny Ball ... Coventry Evening Telegraph.
  16. News: 28 June 1961. Richford band in Coventry debut. Jazz News.
  17. Web site: TREVOR JONES BRASS AND WOODWIND INSTRUMENTS. 2021-09-09. www.trevorjonesltd.co.uk.
  18. Web site: Trevor. Jones. 2015-12-21. The Last of the Mohicans (Main Theme). 2021-09-09. Musicnotes.com.
  19. News: 22 September 1962. TRAD Round-up. 10. The DISC.
  20. Book: Chilton, John. Who's who of British jazz. 2004. Continuum. 978-0-8264-2389-4. 2nd. London. 108. 320324851.
  21. Web site: Haesler. Bill. 29 November 2012. [Dixielandjazz] Vale Kenny Harrison]. live. 2021-06-18. https://web.archive.org/web/20210624201431/http://ml.islandnet.com/pipermail/dixielandjazz/2012-November/079285.html . 2021-06-24 .
  22. News: 31 May 1961. Richford adds two. Jazz News.
  23. News: 4 Oct 1961. The Jazz Scene. Jazz News.
  24. Book: Cash Box. 1961-12-23. Cash Box Pub. Co.. William and Mary Libraries Special Collections Research Center.
  25. News: Agents and Management. Jazz News and Review, 7, 22.
  26. News: 7 Feb 1962. Jazz is our business. No.4. Lyn Dutton Agency. Jazz News.
  27. News: 8 Nov 1961. Around the scene. Jazz News.
  28. News: 28 Feb 1962. Jazz for the charts?. Jazz News.
  29. News: 1 Nov 1961. Around the scene. Jazz News.
  30. News: 24 Jan 1962. Around the scene. Jazz News.
  31. News: 9 May 1962. Jazz in Southampton. Jazz News.
  32. Book: Brown, Ron. Nat Gonella : a life in jazz.. 2005. Northway. Digby Fairweather. 0-9537040-7-6. 2nd. London. 154. 61878426.
  33. Book: Chilton, John. Who's who of British jazz. 2004. Continuum. 978-0-8264-2389-4. 2nd. London. 153. 320324851.
  34. Web site: Doug Richford's London Jazzmen With Nat Gonella - Yip-I-Addy-Ay. 2021-06-17. Discogs. en.
  35. Book: Chilton, John. Who's who of British jazz. 2004. Continuum. 978-0-8264-2389-4. 2nd. London. 39. 320324851.
  36. Web site: Doug Richford's London Jazzmen. 2021-06-17. Discogs. en.
  37. Web site: Doug Richford's London Jazzmen - Twelve Over The Eight / Cascading. 2021-06-24. Discogs. en.
  38. News: 25 Oct 1961. Ken Colyer Jazz Club. Jazz News.
  39. News: 16 May 1962. Ken Colyer jazz club. Jazz News.
  40. News: 14 Nov 1962. Ken Colyer Jazz Club. Jazz News and Review.
  41. News: Who Where When. Jazz News and Review, 7, no.9 pp14-5.
  42. News: 26 September 1961. FIERY BRAND OF TRAD AT BROADSTAIRS .. Monday evening sessions at the club will be the Dauphin Street Band, Ken Barton, Doug Richford (who used to be with Wallis) ... Thanet Times.
  43. News: 26 April 1962. 5 PAGES OF LIGHT ENTERTAINMENT .. Roy opens a new Jazz Club on April 27 at Braintree Community Centre. Future bands to appear there are Alan Elsdon and Doug. Richford with Nat Gonella ... The Stage.
  44. News: 29 November 1962. More Jazz .. Mike Daniels' Delta Men, Ken Colyer's Band, Humphrey Lyttelton, the Cy Preston Jazzmen, Dauphin Street Six and Doug. Richford's London Jazzband ... The Stage.
  45. News: 5 September 1963. Davison Swallows Dutton .. Peter Kerr's Scottish All- Stars; Doug Richford's London Jazzmen; Mike Daniels' Delta Jazzmen ... The Stage.
  46. Web site: Warburton. Nick. 15 January 2021. THE PRETTY THINGS' GIGS 1963-1969. live. https://web.archive.org/web/20210115200700/https://garagehangover.com/the-pretty-things-gigs-1963-1969/ . 2021-01-15 .
  47. Web site: Jazz News - National Jazz Archive. 2021-09-09. nationaljazzarchive.org.uk. en.
  48. News: 29 Nov 1961. News in Brief. Jazz News.
  49. Web site: Schedule - BBC Programme Index. 2021-06-17. genome.ch.bbc.co.uk.
  50. Web site: Broadcast - BBC Programme Index. 2021-06-17. genome.ch.bbc.co.uk.
  51. News: 21 December 1961. Richford Airs Twice .. DOUG RICHFORDS London Jazzmen have been booked for a BBC Trad Tavern broadcast on January 20. They share the numbers out with Humphrey Lyttelton's Band. On February 15. Doug and his boys are back on the air with a BBC 'Jazz Club ... The Stage.
  52. News: 28 June 1962. Into Nat's Shoes .. TWENTY-SIX-YEAR-OLD Australian trumpeter Dick Tattam gels his big break on July 1 when he joins Douggie Richford's London Jazzmen - stepping into the shoes of 54-year-old Nat Gonela ... The Stage.
  53. Web site: Dick Tattam. 2021-06-23. Discogs. en.
  54. Book: Chilton, John. Who's who of British jazz. 2004. Continuum. 978-0-8264-2389-4. 2nd. London. 316. 320324851.
  55. News: 28 Nov 1962. Jazzshows Jazz Club. Jazz News and Review.
  56. Book: Chilton, John. Who's who of British jazz. 2004. Continuum. 978-0-8264-2389-4. 2nd. London. 38. 320324851.
  57. Web site: The Golden Years Of Revival Jazz - Sampler - Storyville Records - The Best in Jazz since 1952. 2021-06-24. www.storyvillerecords.com.
  58. Web site: The Golden Years Of Revival Jazz Sampler. 2021-09-27. www.propermusic.com. en.
  59. Web site: John-Slater-Northumberland - User Trees - Genealogy.com. 2021-06-18. www.genealogy.com.
  60. Web site: History Of Traditional Jazz. 2021-06-23. traditional-jazz.com. en-gb.
  61. News: 16 September 1961. AT THE CAVERN CLUB 10 MATHEW ST .. GERRY AND THE PACEMAKERS .. DOUG RICHFORD LONDON JAZZMEN. Liverpool Echo.
  62. News: 18 November 1961. AT THE CAVERN CLUB 10 Mathew St .. TONIGHT: [Saturday] WHITE EAGLES JAZZ BAND, BEATLES. SUNDAY: DOUG RICHFORD'S LONDON JAZZMEN. Liverpool Echo.
  63. Web site: Lincoln Richford, Wanlockhead Community Trust. 2021-09-17. www.communitylandscotland.org.uk.
  64. Web site: Lincoln Richford The Ferret. 2021-09-17. theferret.scot. en-GB.
  65. Web site: Macdonald. Kenny. 2020-08-28. £1.5 million price tag for community buyout bid. 2021-09-17. Daily Record. en.
  66. Web site: 2020-12-01. Ballot box hesitancy. 2021-09-17. Scottish Community Alliance. en-US.

This article is licensed under the GNU Free Documentation License. It uses material from the Wikipedia article "Doug Richford".

Except where otherwise indicated, Everything.Explained.Today is © Copyright 2009-2024, A B Cryer, All Rights Reserved. Cookie policy.