Alan Clare
Encyclopedia
Alan Clare (31 May 1921 – 29 November 1993)
A self-taught pianist, he became a professional musician at the age of 15 and during the next few years became a familiar figure on the London
jazz
scene.
He played with Carlo Krahmer
, Sid Phillips and others in the early 1940s before military service intervened. Wounded soon after D-Day
, he returned to civilian life, playing in the comedy band led by Sid Milward and also began a long sporadic association with Stephane Grappelli
.
In the early 1950s, Clare was busy playing jazz in small groups, some of which he led, mostly in nightclubs such as the Studio Club in London’s West End
. In the mid-1950s, through into the 1960s he fronted a trio with Lennie Bush
on bass and Tony Kinsey
on drums. The three would appear regularly at the Star Club a popular west end nightspot in London frequented by showbusiness stars, politicians and royalty. He worked in many other clubs including The Kool Kanary, Rake and Downbeat, right through to the 1980s and into the early 1990s until ill health prevented his continued performance.
His piano style used a light, subtle touch and he had a vast knowledge of tunes and chord progressions. Allied to a gift for accompaniment and the ability to play with unflagging swing, he became highly respected in the UK Jazz scene and was often referred to as "The Musician's Musician" or "Pianist's Pianist".
It was his involvement in the jazz scene that lead to his teaming up with Spike Milligan
(himself an accomplished jazz trumpeter). Alan appeared in both Spike's series Q and There's A Lot of It About, and not just in musical sketches.
In these shows he would often appear in sketches reading his lines directly from the script as part of a long-running joke.
He lived for many years in the Holland Park
area of London and one of his albums was called Holland Park. After his death a commemorative bench was placed in the park itself, with the inscription: "Alan Clare - The musician's musician - His melodies live on."
A self-taught pianist, he became a professional musician at the age of 15 and during the next few years became a familiar figure on the London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
jazz
Jazz
Jazz is a musical style that originated at the beginning of the 20th century in African American communities in the Southern United States. It was born out of a mix of African and European music traditions. From its early development until the present, jazz has incorporated music from 19th and 20th...
scene.
He played with Carlo Krahmer
Carlo Krahmer
Carlo Krahmer was a British jazz drummer and record producer....
, Sid Phillips and others in the early 1940s before military service intervened. Wounded soon after D-Day
D-Day
D-Day is a term often used in military parlance to denote the day on which a combat attack or operation is to be initiated. "D-Day" often represents a variable, designating the day upon which some significant event will occur or has occurred; see Military designation of days and hours for similar...
, he returned to civilian life, playing in the comedy band led by Sid Milward and also began a long sporadic association with Stephane Grappelli
Stéphane Grappelli
Stéphane Grappelli was a French jazz violinist who founded the Quintette du Hot Club de France with guitarist Django Reinhardt in 1934. It was one of the first all-string jazz bands....
.
In the early 1950s, Clare was busy playing jazz in small groups, some of which he led, mostly in nightclubs such as the Studio Club in London’s West End
West End of London
The West End of London is an area of central London, containing many of the city's major tourist attractions, shops, businesses, government buildings, and entertainment . Use of the term began in the early 19th century to describe fashionable areas to the west of Charing Cross...
. In the mid-1950s, through into the 1960s he fronted a trio with Lennie Bush
Lennie Bush
Leonard Walter "Lennie" Bush was an English jazz double-bassist.Bush contracted polio as a child and as a result possessed a limp for the rest of his life...
on bass and Tony Kinsey
Tony Kinsey
Cyril Anthony 'Tony' Kinsey is an English jazz drummer and composer.Kinsey held jobs on trans-Atlantic ships while young, studying while at port with Bill West in New York City and with local musician Tommy Webster in Birmingham. He had a close association with Ronnie Ball early in his life; the...
on drums. The three would appear regularly at the Star Club a popular west end nightspot in London frequented by showbusiness stars, politicians and royalty. He worked in many other clubs including The Kool Kanary, Rake and Downbeat, right through to the 1980s and into the early 1990s until ill health prevented his continued performance.
His piano style used a light, subtle touch and he had a vast knowledge of tunes and chord progressions. Allied to a gift for accompaniment and the ability to play with unflagging swing, he became highly respected in the UK Jazz scene and was often referred to as "The Musician's Musician" or "Pianist's Pianist".
It was his involvement in the jazz scene that lead to his teaming up with Spike Milligan
Spike Milligan
Terence Alan Patrick Seán "Spike" Milligan Hon. KBE was a comedian, writer, musician, poet, playwright, soldier and actor. His early life was spent in India, where he was born, but the majority of his working life was spent in the United Kingdom. He became an Irish citizen in 1962 after the...
(himself an accomplished jazz trumpeter). Alan appeared in both Spike's series Q and There's A Lot of It About, and not just in musical sketches.
In these shows he would often appear in sketches reading his lines directly from the script as part of a long-running joke.
He lived for many years in the Holland Park
Holland Park
Holland Park is a district and a public park in the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea, in west central London, England.Holland Park has a reputation as an affluent and fashionable area, known for attractive large Victorian townhouses, and high-class shopping and restaurants...
area of London and one of his albums was called Holland Park. After his death a commemorative bench was placed in the park itself, with the inscription: "Alan Clare - The musician's musician - His melodies live on."