Back in the 1950s my cousin John did his National Service which took him to Jamaica. He so loved it there he decided to return. He handed me his vinyl jazz collection and headed for Jamaica. He’s still there today despite losing his banana plantation to a hurricane and is now associated with famous blue mountain coffee. Despite being a Brit’ - and I love this bit - he has been Honorary Consul for Sweden.
So I listened to the Nat Cole Trio, Benny Goodman and the rest of his collection all of which turned me into a confirmed modern jazz nut.
The idea of a Jazz Festival was first put to me when I was with Philips Electrical. Having moved to Sanyo I put the proposition to my Sales manager who said immediately “I love jazz. Let’s do it.” I said “No, not for that reason but we at Sanyo are way behind the other Japanese companies, Sony, Hitachi, Toshiba, National Panasonic in terms of awareness that linking ourselves with live music does make sense.” We became the darlings of the music press because of our efforts.
My Festival Musical Director and I first visited Oscar Peterson backstage at Ronnie Scott’s where he was appearing. He turned us down, not knowing the Sanyo name. That prompted us to bring over acts especially for the 5 day, 7 concert gig. So we hired Woody Herman (and his Orchestra) Sarah Vaughan, Stephane Grappelli, Ronnie Scott, Humphrey Lyttleton, Stan Tracey (all featured on the event’s poster and programme) and Bud Freeman and others. We created the first commercially-sponsored Jazz festival in the U.K.
The event was a musical success, not financially though because October fog at Chichester and elsewhere somewhat reduced the audience. The Japanese directors wouldn’t sponsor the event again and London’s Capital Radio took up the option the following year and staged it at Alexandra Palace, (‘Ally Pally’) North London where the world’s first Television broadcast had occurred. After which Peter Boizot of Pizza Express orchestrated the event in its Dean Street premises and other London venues in the month of October. It continued – at least while I was in London – up to three years ago. That included Shampers wine-bar in Soho where my cartoons were displayed and sold.
Every October I have cherished memories of Woody’s performance. Fauré’s Pavanne and Aaron Copland’s Fanfare for the Common Man are special favorites. Divine Sarah had the audience in the palm of her hand which made up for her complaining about the sound system on her first appearance. If she’d turned up for the Bose sound check – it was the professional debut of their 802 series of speakers – she could have avoided that.
With the recent News of the World debacle and closure, I have another memory. Journeying back to the office with Derek Jewell, the Artistic Director and compère, I said I had letters to sign, what would he be doing in his other role as a director of the London Times? He replied in a matter-of-fact way, “I’m going back to vote on whether we close the paper down.” Which as wikipedia states it: An industrial dispute prompted the management to shut the paper for nearly a year (1 December 1978 – 12 November 1979). My letter signing paled into insignificance. (The 1979 energy crisis and union problems subsequently brought about the sale of the Times and Sunday Times to Rupert Murdoch.)
So October brings mixed memories – the disappointment of that lasting fog that affected the potential pleasure of many jazz fans; the multitude of jazz events spawned from the original October event and of course the joy of being responsible for the original commercially sponsored jazz festival. Long may jazz reign!
Stephane, Woody & me
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