Kenny Ball (born Kenneth Daniel Ball, 22 May 1930, Ilford, Essex, England) is an English jazz musician, best known as the lead trumpet player in Kenny Ball and his Jazzmen.
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Ball began his career as a semi-professional sideman in bands, whilst also working as a salesman and for an advertising agency. He played the trumpet in bands led by Charlie Galbraith, Sid Phillips, Eric Delaney and Terry Lightfoot before forming his own trad jazz band in 1958. His dixieland band was at the forefront of the early 1960s UK jazz revival.[1] 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 contemporaries Acker Bilk and Chris Barber. Their joint album, The Best of Ball, Barber and Bilk, reached #1 in the UK Albums Chart.[2][3]
In March 1962, Kenny Ball and His Jazzmen reached both #2 on the U.S. Billboard Hot 100 chart, and the UK Singles Chart, with "Midnight in Moscow".[1] The record sold over one million copies, earning gold disc status.[4] In the U.S. Ball's releases appeared on the Kapp Records label, although they remain one-hit wonders in that country. However, such was their popularity in their homeland, that Ball was featured, alongside Cliff Richard, Brenda Lee, Joe Brown, Craig Douglas and Frank Ifield, on the cover of the pop music magazine, NME, in July 1962. His "March of the Siamese Children" had topped the NME chart in March that year.
In January 1963, NME also reported that the biggest trad jazz event to be staged in Britain had taken place at Alexandra Palace. The event included George Melly, Diz Disley, Bilk, Barber, Alex Welsh, Ken Colyer, Monty Sunshine, Bob Wallis, Bruce Turner, Mick Mulligan and Ball.[5] In 1963 Ball was the first British jazzman to become an honorary citizen of New Orleans.[4] He and his Jazzmen also appeared in the 1963 film, Live It Up!. Ball appeared on the BBC Television's highly rated review of the sixties music scene Pop Go The Sixties, performing "Midnight In Moscow" with his Jazzmen on the show broadcast on BBC 1, on January 1, 1970.
Ball continues to tour well into the 2000s. He has charted fourteen Top 50 hit singles in the UK alone, the most by any jazz artist.[1] All such releases were issued on the Pye record label.
In 2001 Ball was part of the recording of an album on the Decca label. It featured Don Lusher, Bilk, John Chilton and the Feetwarmers, John Dankworth, Humphrey Lyttelton and 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 - (drums)
- Vic Pitts - (bass)(quitar bass)
Discography[]
- The Big Ones Kenny Ball Style - Kapp Records (KS-3340)
- Midnight in Moscow - Kapp Records (KL-1276) - 1962
References[]
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 Roberts, David (2006). British Hit Singles & Albums (19th ed.). London: Guinness World Records Limited. p. 40. ISBN 1-904994-10-5.
- ↑ Thetop40charts.co.uk
- ↑ Everyhit.com
- ↑ 4.0 4.1 Murrells, Joseph (1978). The Book of Golden Discs (2nd ed.). London: Barrie and Jenkins Ltd. p. 131. ISBN 0-214-20512-6.
- ↑ Tobler, John (1992). NME Rock 'N' Roll Years (1st ed.). London: Reed International Books Ltd. p. 116. CN 5585.
External links[]
- Kenny Ball's official website
- Jazzco Jazz Agency which represents Kenny Ball
- Kenny Ball biography and discography at 45-rpm.org.uk
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