Ken Colyer
Born on: 18 April 1928
Born in: Great Yarmouth, Norfolk, UK
Instrument: Trumpet
Bands: Crane River Jazz Band, The Christie Brothers Stompers, Ken Colyer's Jazzmen
Died on: 9 March 1988
Ken Colyer was born on 19 April 1928 and he and his brother, Bill, were big jazz fans and collectors. Ken wanted to be a musician while Bill acted as his manager and biggest promoter. In 1952 Ken Colyer managed to travel to New Orleans to meet his old jazz heroes, who are still playing the clubs of New Orleans. After a month in New Orleans Ken gets kicked out of America and travels back to England to form his own band playing old trad jazz. During the break in the set the Ken Colyer Jazz Men introduces a new kind of music which they call skiffle. They also recorded their debut album, From New Orleans To London, late 1953 but this album doesn’t include any of the skiffle songs. The album is a success and things are going great for the band, having success both in the UK and outside. The future looks bright until…
After a year of playing together Ken wants to get rid of some bandmembers but his plans backfire on him and he is kicked out of the band. The remaining bandmember go on as the Chris Barber Jazz Band and Ken starts looking for new bandmembers, still playing under the name: Ken Colyer Jazz Men.
The new version of the Ken Colyer Jazz Men recorded another album but this one is not as successful as the first one. Ken Colyer would continue to play and owned his own jazz club but would never have a single in the charts. He was popular with jazz fans in the UK, Germany and Scandinavia and would tour these countries for many years.
On doctor’s advice he stopped leading a band in 1972 but would continue to tour as a solo artist until his death in 1988.
Ken Colyer would be remembered as starting the skiffle movement and bringing jazz back to his roots. He never had any mainstream success and he probably never wanted that either, for him it was all about the music, not about mainstream success.