- Kenny Ball
Kenneth Daniel Ball (born
22 May 1930 inIlford ,Essex ,England ) is a Britishjazz musician , best known as the leadtrumpet player in Kenny Ball and his Jazzmen.Career
Ball began his career as
sideman in bands, before forming his owntrad jazz band in 1958. Hisdixieland band was at the forefront of the early 1960s UK jazz revival.cite book
first= David
last= Roberts
year= 2006
title= British Hit Singles & Albums
edition= 19th
publisher= Guinness World Records Limited
location= London
pages= p. 40
id= ISBN 1-904994-10-5] Ball and his band have enjoyed the longest unbroken spell of success for bands of their generation. Their traditional, 1960s hits like "Samantha" and "Midnight in Moscow", remain popular in dixieland and trumpet circles today. Ball's status rivals contemporariesAcker Bilk andChris Barber . Their jointalbum , "The Best of Ball, Barber and Bilk", reached #1 in theUK Albums Chart . [http://www.thetop40charts.co.uk/albums/1962.html] [http://everyhit.com/numberalb2.html]In March 1962, Kenny Ball and His Jazzmen reached both #2 on the U.S.
Billboard Hot 100 chart, and theUK Singles Chart , with "Midnight in Moscow".cite book
first= David
last= Roberts
year= 2006
title= British Hit Singles & Albums
edition= 19th
publisher= Guinness World Records Limited
location= London
pages= p. 40
id= ISBN 1-904994-10-5] In the U.S. Ball's releases appeared on theKapp Records label, although they remain one-hit wonders in that country. However, such was their popularity in their homeland, that Ball was featured, alongsideCliff Richard ,Brenda Lee ,Joe Brown ,Craig Douglas andFrank Ifield , on the cover of thepop music magazine ,NME , in July 1962. His March of the Siamese Children had topped the NME chart in March that year.They also appeared in the 1963
film , "Live It Up!".Ball continues to tour well into the 2000s. He has charted no fewer than 14 Top 50 hit singles in the UK alone, the most by any jazz artist.cite book
first= David
last= Roberts
year= 2006
title= British Hit Singles & Albums
edition= 19th
publisher= Guinness World Records Limited
location= London
pages= p. 40
id= ISBN 1-904994-10-5] All such releases were issued on the Pyerecord label .In 2001 Ball was part of the recording of an album on the Decca label. It featured
Don Lusher ,Acker Bilk ,John Chilton and the Feetwarmers,John Dankworth ,Humphrey Lyttelton andGeorge Melly , and was entitled "British Jazz Legends Together".The Jazzmen
The line-up has changed greatly over the years, but the following personnel were in situ when the
musical ensemble was at its commercial peak:
* Kenny Ball - (trumpet)
* John Bennett - (trombone ) - still in the present day line-up
* Dave Jones - (clarinet )
* Ron Weatherburn - (piano )
* Paddy Lightfoot - (banjo )
* Ron Bowden - (drum s)
* Vic Pitts - (bass)Discography
* The Big Ones Kenny Ball Style -- Kapp Records (KS-3340) -- 19xx
References
External links
* [http://www.kennyball.co.uk/ Kenny Ball's official website]
* [http://www.jazzco.co.uk/ Jazzco Jazz Agency which represents Kenny Ball]
* [http://www.45-rpm.org.uk/dirk/kennyb.htm Kenny Ball biography and discography at 45-rpm.org.uk]
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