The Wine Lodge – The Yardbird Club

 

The Wine Lodge – The Yardbird Club

by Pete Clemons

The Wine Lodge - The Tally Ho - now the Philip Larkin

The Hotel Leofric was the place where, for decades, the good and the great of the entertainment world would stay. Of course it had many other visitors. But the Leofric was an important and well known feature at the heart of the city centre.

The hotel's main entrance was accessed from Broadgate. At the rear of the building, but still connected internally to the hotel, was the White Lion Pub. The White Lion did have its own entrance and this was via Smithford Way.

The Leofric wasn't exclusively a hotel though. For several years, during the early to mid 1960s, it was the hub for two jazz major clubs. Both of these clubs were held on Sunday evenings. The Warwickshire Society of Jazz Music (WSJM) held their gigs upstairs in what was known as the Windsor Room. While downstairs in the Grosvenor Room The White Lion Jazz Club held its club nights. For a while, gigs held at The White Lion were billed as 'The Best in British Jazz'.

During this period Ronnie Scott appeared at The White Lion several times. To the point where I suspect he, and his business partner Pete King, may have had an organisational involvement with The White Lion Club. But I may have read to much into that. There is, though, clear evidence that Ronnie and Pete did have a 'branch' in Coventry.

It began when, suddenly and during the early part of 1962, The White Lion Jazz Club changed venues. An announcement appeared in the local press. It read: 'Best in British Jazz' - Will all members, and Modern Jazz Fans, please note that our concerts will now be held every Sunday upstairs at The Wine Lodge'.

Ronnie Scott had, by now, established several 'branch' clubs up and down the country. Already in the Midlands were 'branch' clubs in both Leicester and Birmingham (this was several decades before Ronnie opened his club on Broad Street in the early 1990s). And a branch venue was established at The Wine Lodge by Ronnie Scott and Pete King.

The Wine Lodge was soon being billed as 'the only club in Coventry to play top modern jazz stars such as Tubby Hayes, Ronnie Ross on his saxophone, Jimmy Skidmore and more'. Even well known overseas jazz musicians such as Americas top tenor saxophonist star John ‘Zoot’ Sims appeared there. And Zoot was not the last. He was succeeded by many others. These particularly included many saxophonists whom both Ronnie Scott and Pete King (who were both tenor saxophonists themselves) greatly admired.

It has to be said that all this was at a time well before the, now, world famous Ronnie Scott Jazz Club operated from its current site. Scott's initial base was at Gerrard Street, London and moved to Frith Street in 1965.

The Wine Lodge, of course, was situated on the corner of The Burges and Corporation Street. Just a couple of hundred yards down from The Hotel Leofric. And this new Coventry club became known as The Yardbird Club.

The move to the Wine Lodge meant it freed up the Leofric Hotel's Grosvenor Room. This was immediately filled by The Warwickshire Society of Jazz Music (WSJM) who now occupied both rooms at the Leofric Hotel. It was then that the WSJM then began their simultaneous evenings of both traditional and modern jazz events.

The Yardbird Club remained at The Wine Lodge for around three years or so before moving on to The Mercers Arms. Again, Ronnie Scott was involved by being on hand to perform with his band at the opening night of the 'new Yardbird Club'.

As for The Wine Lodge, towards the mid 1960s, up and coming beat groups had taken over the venue. Bands like The Sorrows, The Pines, The Beat Preachers all appeared there. In fact The Vampires had had a residency there as early as 1962.

After its hey day as a jazz venue The Wine Lodge went through a series of name changes. These included the pub being called The Tally Ho and The Tudor Rose. Today it is known as The Philip Larkin.

Callum Pickard – Tarragon at The Tin Angel

 

Callum Pickard – Tarragon at The Tin Angel

by Pete Clemons

Dream pop, as I understand, involves a continual soundscape. It also attempts to create an ambience. If I am right in my assumption then, at a recent gig at The Tin Angel, Callum Pickard and his band achieved just that.

It was an eclectic sound containing Callum's guitar laden effects as well as other pedal board ingredients. The overall result emphasised strong songs, an atmosphere and sonic textures.

Apart from the evening being the first of a series of 'BBC music introducing' events, a new monthly format, this gig was effectively a springboard for Callum's debut album 'I’ve just Seen A Scene'.

For me personally this was a more preferable presentation of his music. After seeing Callum and Loz perform as a duo at a previous gig, this arrangement seemed to inject more of an edge as well as lending more weight to the songs. No drums just brass courtesy of Jon Pudge, keys by Bill Cameron and additional guitar from Loz Petite.

Callum brings a breathy, casual yet delicate vocal. His songs are strangely compelling. And, as with his album, once in you are committed to listen to the end.

Thankfully there are no anthems on offer. Instead you got an evening of heartfelt and touching songs. Additionally artists who Callum greatly admires, such as from Supertramp and The 1975, have responded positively by lending their services to his album by adding their talents to some of his songs. Furthermore Callum appears to have a team around him who genuinely believe in what he is doing.

I asked Callum how he settled on the name of Tarragon for this project. He responded 'Whilst in the midst of recording the debut album, “I’ve just Seen A Scene” I realised that the album wasn’t just going to be a reflection of just myself and at the time I was asking my friends from Coventry and people that I really admired from my favourite bands to be a part of the album'.

He continued 'I wanted the name of the new project to reflect collaboration and this sense of community rather than just a typical band name or solo artist with a band so to speak. Whist the songs are very much written, arranged and produced by my myself I really wanted other people to add their magic to it. I remember my brother saying to me “why don’t you call the band, Tarragon?” After he asked me that the name immediately stuck with me and I loved that Tarragon is a herb and it’s something that you put in to foods to enhance the flavour and It suddenly appeared to me that this is what this project is in a way. It’s more than a band to me! so that’s where the origin of the name came from'.

Callum's album “I’ve just Seen A Scene” is now available from bandcamp in various formats.

Follow the Sign 

Revise the Moments

The Leofric Hotel Jazz Club

 

The Leofric Hotel Jazz Club

BAND INDEX

It was either during the later part of 1960 or early 1961 that the Warwickshire Society of Jazz Music (WSJM) first commenced operating at the Hotel Leofric on Sunday evenings. It was quickly regarded by visiting musicians, and the cognoscente of the jazz world, as one of Europe's finest jazz clubs.

At that time there was already a jazz club based at The Leofric Hotel. The White Lion Jazz Club held gigs in the Grosvenor Room (downstairs) on Sunday evenings. The Warwickshire Society of Jazz Music held their gigs in the Windsor Room (upstairs).

In terms of comfort, décor and surroundings the club was certainly unsurpassed by any other in the British Isles, whilst the list of artistes and groups who have appeared there read like a 'who's who' of British jazz. And that list included such names as Mr Acker Bilk, Chris Barber, Ottille Patterson, The Temperance Seven, Terry Lightfoot, Bob Wallis, Mick Mulligan, George Melly, Don Rendall, Jimmy Skidmore, Keith Christie, Graham Bond, Joe Temperley and Eddie Blair to name only a few.

In March 1962 the Warwickshire Society of Jazz Music, following the acquisition of the Grosvenor Room in addition to the Windsor Room which they were already occupying, began what was seen as a daring experiment of mixing both traditional and modern jazz.

Predictions within the jazz world were of a grim outlook. However, in total contradiction to the prophecy's of the pundits, this merger became a tremendous success and the followers of each idiom shown extreme tolerance and interest towards the other. Yes, there really had been past clashes between the two cultures.

Members of the WSJM were able to move freely between both rooms as they pleased on payment of only one membership fee and the majority allocate their Sunday evenings entertainment on a 50/50 basis between the two.

Only a short while earlier it would have been unheard of for a jazz club to operate in one of the nations leading hotels but the conduct of the Midlands Jazz fans has lead to Mr J.R. Wearmouth, manager of the Hotel Leofric, to say: 'Their behaviour can only be described as exemplary and my staff and I are pleased to see them at any time'. That in itself was a fitting tribute.

The Warwickshire Society of Jazz Music claimed to be the only club in the country that perused both a traditional and modern policy. Both groups play simultaneously. Traditional in the Windsor Room and modern in the Grosvenor Room.

Over time, of course, modern jazz became more popular. At the same time music trends were changing. It all began getting more avant garde. Bands who were more jazz, blues and, later rock, influenced quickly moved in and the venue became more of an underground hangout.

The Grosvenor room remained modern jazz but the traditionalists had moved on. The Windsor Room, now run by Roy Brunt for McKiernans Promotions, saw acts like the bluesy John Mayalls Bluesbreakers, Cream then later the likes of Taste, Spooky Tooth and Family. It even founfd room for soul legends such as Screaming Jay Hawkins and Lee Dorsey.

Abracadabra Jazz Club – The Mercers Arms

 

Abracadabra Jazz Club – The Mercers Arms

By Pete Clemons

One of the most pleasing aspects I find about writing music blogs is the interest they can attract. And that interest can lead to further information which adds more meat to the bone. I am indebted for the following information that detailed the birth of jazz at long gone The Mercers Arms Hotel and pub.

I have written several articles about The Mercers Arms but this one focuses on, arguably, the most successful of the jazz clubs staged there. The Abracadabra Club, later The Yardbird Club.

The Abracadabra Jazz Club, Coventry, which met every Friday at The Mercers Arms Hotel, Coventry, was part of a chain of Jazz Clubs and began running as early as 1959. The Abracadabra was one of several clubs that operated at the venue.

Abracadabra was the name given to clubs run by its creator Bill Kinnell. At the time Bill ran branches at Nottingham, Derby and Leicester. All of the major traditional jazz bands of the day appeared at the Coventry venue and, in Bill Kinnell's words, 'only the very best of professional jazz musicians were used'.

Historically the Abracadabra Jazz Clubs had a background dating back to 1941 when Bill Kinnell first started running jazz sessions and was secretary of the original Nottingham Rhythm Club.

Bill had been a jazz enthusiast for many years and had been responsible for the discovery and development of many musicians and bands up and down the country. During the 1940s Bill held a variety of positions. He was jazz record reviewer for 'Fanfare' magazine, staff writer for 'Vox Pop' (a magazine for the Workers Music Association) and lecturer on jazz and folk music for the armed Forces Education Branch.

In 1943, along with writer James Asman, Bill published and edited one of the very first British Jazz magazines – 'Jazz Record'.

Two years later the pair formed the first private company solely devoted to the release of jazz records. Known, like the magazine, as 'Jazz Record', the company issued many previously unobtainable jazz masterpieces and was responsible for recording the pioneer traditional band George Webb's Dixielanders.

During 1948 Bill Kinnell was partly responsible for the appearance in this country of the then very famous Graeme Bell Australian Jazz Band who played such an important part in the post war jazz revival in Britain. He promoted and organised concerts for them them in both Nottingham and Newark.

Bill was also, a regular compare at the famous Birminghm Town Hall concerts, the organisation which pioneered the big jazz concert movement in this country. With such a prominent promoter at the helm of the Abracadabra Jazz Club they were bound to present only the very best in British Jazz. And this they did for many years as The Abracadabra club attracted guests such as Tubby Hayes, Nat Gonella, Alan Ganley, Harold McNair, Cy Laurie and Terry Lightfoot.

Mercers Arms Coventry.