Seven Dials Jazz Club
Encyclopedia
The Seven Dials Jazz Club opened its doors in 1980 as a venue for live music
in Covent Garden, London. It hosted a range of artists and styles of jazz
and began to attract a regular audience. Starting in 1983, a series of saxophone
festivals was held on the premises each year.
It started in the Seven Dials Community Centre on Shelton Street and later moved nearby to 46 Earlham Street, opposite the Donmar Warehouse
. In 1986 it moved to the Black Horse, 6 Rathbone Place.
and Dave Chambers
, on behalf of local musicians, approached Matthew Wright of Collets Jazz & Folk Shop (soon to become the famous Ray’s Jazz Shop), Shaftesbury Avenue
, to take over and run the club.
It was at this time, during a visit by Matthew Wright to Ronnie Scott’s club, that Ronnie mentioned to him that he had heard he had taken over the Dials. Wright replied in the affirmative and extended an invitation that anytime Ronnie wanted to drop by, his name would be on the door as his guest.
“And I suppose you’d like me to reciprocate?” was Ronnie’s characteristically deadpan riposte, the difference between the two venues in terms of profile not escaping the attention of both men.
were all regular attractions. South Africa trumpeter Hugh Masekela
dropped by on one occasion he was in town and sat in to play.
The ‘freer’ end of the music included Paul Rutherford
, Mike Osborne
, Evan Parker
, Barry Guy
, John Stevens
, Howard Riley
, Phil Wachsmann
, Phil Minton
, Lol Coxhill
, Roger Turner
and others. More mainstream jazz nights saw groups headed by bop drummer Tommy Chase, Clark Tracey
, Alan Skidmore
, Elton Dean
, Don Weller
, John Taylor, Don Rendall and the Lennie Tristano
-influenced saxophonist, Chas Burchall, amongst others.
Although the club had a reputation for modern players, New Orleans style trumpeter Ken Colyer
performed, as Wright widened the musical policy, whilst retaining the improvisational element. The hugely respected folk singer, Frankie Armstrong
, appeared with percussionist Ken Hyder’s group, and Blues bands were also booked; notably Rolling Stones pianist Ian Stewart’s all-star Rocket 88, Jimmy Roche and Carol Grimes.
Kate and Mike Westbrook’s Brass Band made appearances, as did the legendary American pianist/guitarist/vout vocalist, Slim Gaillard
. Wright had recently written an article about Gaillard for the magazine “Collusion”, and the two had struck up a close friendship after Gaillard appeared on the London Jazz scene and settled in the capital.
The policy of stretching the boundaries was exemplified by two evenings which featured established post-bop tenor saxophonist Bobby Wellins
with ‘free’ player Evan Parker
. The first meeting saw Wellins in an improvisational setting with Parker’s group; a few weeks later, Parker guested with Wellins’ more straight-ahead quartet. Both occasions were a success and the mutual respect of the players was evident.
As well as established names, the club also promoted up-and-coming musicians, such as the emerging talents of Annie Whitehead, Alan Barnes, Simon Pickard, Veryan Weston, Tim Whitehead, Django Bates
, Mervyn Africa and Ruthie Smith’s all female group, The Guest Stars.
The club hosted small ‘festivals’. It was the venue for the first of ‘Four Nights of Canadian Improvised Music in London’, in which visiting reed player and editor of CODA Magazine
, Bill Smith
, with fellow Canadian saxophonist Maury Coles, played with local musicians Paul Rutherford
(tb), Paul Rogers (b) and Nigel Morris (d).
Lol Coxhill was MC, a role in which he had become accustomed at festivals, and as Jack Massarik pointed out in his review in the London Evening Standard (28.2.83), Coxhill explained wryly:
“I first got into this as a ruse to be near my idols, but things didn’t go quite as planned when I turned out to be one of the finest musicians in the world.” Massarik continued, “The ice thus broken, he retired to “sit at the feet of the master” as (Tony) Coe did indeed give a magisterial performance both on tenor sax and clarinet.”
The following year’s Saxophone Festival included Sultzmann, Parker, Peter King, Ray Warleigh, Kathy Stobart (with vibes player Bill Le Sage), Don Weller, Art Theman and the duo of Elton Dean and pianist Keith Tippett.
The structure and juxtaposition of styles was always important to Wright, to reflect the breadth and variety of the genre.
John Fordham wrote in the Guardian
newspaper in June 1984: “There was a time when saxophone players as far apart on the spectrum as Stan Sultzmann and Evan Parker would never be able to appear in the same club let alone share the microphone. Both events transpired on the first night of the Seven Dials excellent saxophone festival.”
Later in the year, Wright took more of a back seat, due to commitments following the changeover of Collets into Ray’s Jazz Shop, and he handed the reins to American drummer Joe Gallivan
, although his right hand man, well-known Soho jazz character, Jackie Docherty, continued to man the door.
The regular listings programme contained woodcut-style pen and ink drawings by illustrator Clifford Harper
, whose current work can be seen at Agraphia.
Live Music
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in Covent Garden, London. It hosted a range of artists and styles of 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...
and began to attract a regular audience. Starting in 1983, a series of saxophone
Saxophone
The saxophone is a conical-bore transposing musical instrument that is a member of the woodwind family. Saxophones are usually made of brass and played with a single-reed mouthpiece similar to that of the clarinet. The saxophone was invented by the Belgian instrument maker Adolphe Sax in 1846...
festivals was held on the premises each year.
It started in the Seven Dials Community Centre on Shelton Street and later moved nearby to 46 Earlham Street, opposite the Donmar Warehouse
Donmar Warehouse
Donmar Warehouse is a small not-for-profit theatre in the Covent Garden area of London, with a capacity of 251.-About:Under the artistic leadership of Michael Grandage, the theatre has presented some of London’s most memorable award-winning theatrical experiences, as well as garnered critical...
. In 1986 it moved to the Black Horse, 6 Rathbone Place.
Early days
During the mid 1970s the Seven Dials Community Centre, in Shelton Street, London WC2, was briefly used by the Jazz Centre Society (founded 1969) as a venue for music. After some building alterations, the Seven Dials Jazz Club reopened on a regular basis in July 1980, but soon met with financial difficulties. In 1982, saxophonists Evan ParkerEvan Parker
Evan Shaw Parker is a British free-improvising saxophone player from the European free jazz scene.Recording and performing prolifically with many collaborators, Parker was a pivotal figure in the development of European free jazz and free improvisation, and has pioneered or substantially expanded...
and Dave Chambers
Dave Chambers
Dave Chambers is a former Canadian ice hockey coach. He was head coach of the Quebec Nordiques from 1990 to 1992....
, on behalf of local musicians, approached Matthew Wright of Collets Jazz & Folk Shop (soon to become the famous Ray’s Jazz Shop), Shaftesbury Avenue
Shaftesbury Avenue
Shaftesbury Avenue is a major street in central London, England, named after Anthony Ashley Cooper, 7th Earl of Shaftesbury, that runs in a north-easterly direction from Piccadilly Circus to New Oxford Street, crossing Charing Cross Road at Cambridge Circus....
, to take over and run the club.
It was at this time, during a visit by Matthew Wright to Ronnie Scott’s club, that Ronnie mentioned to him that he had heard he had taken over the Dials. Wright replied in the affirmative and extended an invitation that anytime Ronnie wanted to drop by, his name would be on the door as his guest.
“And I suppose you’d like me to reciprocate?” was Ronnie’s characteristically deadpan riposte, the difference between the two venues in terms of profile not escaping the attention of both men.
Artists and styles
However, the Dials soon started to pick up and attracted a regular audience with a wide range of artists and styles of jazz. Jazz-rock was represented by the Dick Morrissey-Jim Mullen group, Ian Carr’s Nucleus and the Latin band Cayenne. African and Township Jazz were featured and Julian Bahula’s Jazz Africa, Dudu Pukwana & Zila, Brian Abraham’s District Six and the explosive bands of Louis MoholoLouis Moholo
Louis Tebugo Moholo , is a South African jazz drummer.He formed The Blue Notes with Chris McGregor, Johnny Dyani, Nikele Moyake, Mongezi Feza and Dudu Pukwana, and emigrated to Europe with them in 1964, eventually settling in London, where he formed part of a South African exile community that made...
were all regular attractions. South Africa trumpeter Hugh Masekela
Hugh Masekela
Hugh Ramopolo Masekela is a South African trumpeter, flugelhornist, cornetist, composer, and singer.-Early life:Masekela was born in Kwa-Guqa Township, Witbank, South Africa. He began singing and playing piano as a child...
dropped by on one occasion he was in town and sat in to play.
The ‘freer’ end of the music included Paul Rutherford
Paul Rutherford
Paul Rutherford is the former backing vocalist, dancer and occasional keyboardist with 1980s pop band Frankie Goes to Hollywood , one of the group's two openly gay singers....
, Mike Osborne
Mike Osborne
Michael Evans Osborne was an English jazz alto saxophonist, pianist and clarinetist, perhaps most noteworthy for his contributions as a member to the Chris McGregor band Brotherhood of Breath in the 1960s and 1970s.He was born in Hereford and attended Wycliffe College in Gloucestershire and the...
, Evan Parker
Evan Parker
Evan Shaw Parker is a British free-improvising saxophone player from the European free jazz scene.Recording and performing prolifically with many collaborators, Parker was a pivotal figure in the development of European free jazz and free improvisation, and has pioneered or substantially expanded...
, Barry Guy
Barry Guy
Barry John Guy is a British composer and double bass player. His range of interests encompasses early music, contemporary composition, jazz and improvisation, and he has worked with a wide variety of orchestras in the UK and Europe...
, John Stevens
John Stevens
John Stevens may refer to:In politics, law and public service:*John H. Stevens , built the first house west of the Mississippi in what is now Minneapolis, Minnesota*John L. Stevens , U.S. Ambassador to the Kingdom of Hawai'i...
, Howard Riley
Howard Riley
John Howard Riley is an English jazz pianist and composer.Riley began on piano at age six, and began playing jazz as early as age 13. He studied at the University of Wales , Indiana University in America under Dave Baker , and then at York University...
, Phil Wachsmann
Phil Wachsmann
Phil Wachsmann is an African avant-garde jazz/jazz fusion violinist born in Kampala, Uganda, probably better known for having founded his own group Chamberpot. He has worked with many musicians in the free jazz idiom, including Tony Oxley, Fred van Hove, Barry Guy, Derek Bailey and Paul...
, Phil Minton
Phil Minton
Phil Minton is a jazz/free-improvising vocalist and trumpeter.Minton is a highly dramatic baritone who tends to specialize in literary texts: he has sung lyrics by William Blake with Mike Westbrook's group, Daniil Kharms and Joseph Brodsky with Simon Nabatov, and extracts from James Joyce's...
, Lol Coxhill
Lol Coxhill
Lowen Coxhill, generally known as Lol Coxhill is a free improvising saxophonist and raconteur...
, Roger Turner
Roger Turner
Roger Felix Turner was an American figure skater.He was born in Milton, Massachusetts and died in Walpole, Massachusetts....
and others. More mainstream jazz nights saw groups headed by bop drummer Tommy Chase, Clark Tracey
Clark Tracey
Clark Tracey is an English jazz drummer. He is the son of Stan Tracey.Tracey played piano and vibraphone before switching to drums at age 13, studying under Bryan Spring. Tracey played in several ensembles with his father, including in a quartet called Fathers and Sons with John and Alec Dankworth...
, Alan Skidmore
Alan Skidmore
Alan Skidmore is a tenor saxophonist of jazz and blues music, son of the saxophonist Jimmy Skidmore.-As a sideman:...
, Elton Dean
Elton Dean
Elton Dean was an English jazz musician who performed on alto saxophone, saxello and occasionally keyboard....
, Don Weller
Don Weller (musician)
Don Weller , is a British jazz musician, tenor saxophonist and composer.-Career:...
, John Taylor, Don Rendall and the Lennie Tristano
Lennie Tristano
Leonard Joseph Tristano was a jazz pianist, composer and teacher of jazz improvisation. He performed in the cool jazz, bebop, post bop and avant-garde jazz genres. He remains a somewhat overlooked figure in jazz history, but his enormous originality and dazzling work as an improviser have long...
-influenced saxophonist, Chas Burchall, amongst others.
Although the club had a reputation for modern players, New Orleans style trumpeter Ken Colyer
Ken Colyer
Kenneth Colyer was a British jazz trumpeter and cornetist, devoted totally to New Orleans jazz. His band was also known for skiffle interludes.-Biography:...
performed, as Wright widened the musical policy, whilst retaining the improvisational element. The hugely respected folk singer, Frankie Armstrong
Frankie Armstrong
Frankie Armstrong is a singer and voice teacher.She has worked as a singer in the folk scene and the women's movement and as a trainer in social and youth work...
, appeared with percussionist Ken Hyder’s group, and Blues bands were also booked; notably Rolling Stones pianist Ian Stewart’s all-star Rocket 88, Jimmy Roche and Carol Grimes.
Kate and Mike Westbrook’s Brass Band made appearances, as did the legendary American pianist/guitarist/vout vocalist, Slim Gaillard
Slim Gaillard
Bulee "Slim" Gaillard was an American jazz singer, songwriter, pianist, and guitarist, noted for his vocalese singing and word play in a language he called "Vout"...
. Wright had recently written an article about Gaillard for the magazine “Collusion”, and the two had struck up a close friendship after Gaillard appeared on the London Jazz scene and settled in the capital.
The policy of stretching the boundaries was exemplified by two evenings which featured established post-bop tenor saxophonist Bobby Wellins
Bobby Wellins
Robert Coull "Bobby" Wellins is a Scottish tenor saxophonist best known for his collaboration with Stan Tracey on the seminal 1965 British jazz album Under Milk Wood....
with ‘free’ player Evan Parker
Evan Parker
Evan Shaw Parker is a British free-improvising saxophone player from the European free jazz scene.Recording and performing prolifically with many collaborators, Parker was a pivotal figure in the development of European free jazz and free improvisation, and has pioneered or substantially expanded...
. The first meeting saw Wellins in an improvisational setting with Parker’s group; a few weeks later, Parker guested with Wellins’ more straight-ahead quartet. Both occasions were a success and the mutual respect of the players was evident.
As well as established names, the club also promoted up-and-coming musicians, such as the emerging talents of Annie Whitehead, Alan Barnes, Simon Pickard, Veryan Weston, Tim Whitehead, Django Bates
Django Bates
Django Bates , is a composer, multi-instrumentalist and band leader. He plays the piano, keyboards and the tenor horn. He currently lives in Copenhagen where he is a professor at the Rhythmic Music Conservatory and leader of the StoRMChaser orchestra.-Career:Django Bates was born in Beckenham,...
, Mervyn Africa and Ruthie Smith’s all female group, The Guest Stars.
The club hosted small ‘festivals’. It was the venue for the first of ‘Four Nights of Canadian Improvised Music in London’, in which visiting reed player and editor of CODA Magazine
CODA (magazine)
CODA is a Canadian magazine devoted to covering all things related to jazz. The magazine produces 6 publications a year on a bi-monthly basis...
, Bill Smith
Bill Smith (Canadian musician)
William Ernest Smith is a Canadian writer, editor, record producer, saxophonist, and clarinetist of English birth...
, with fellow Canadian saxophonist Maury Coles, played with local musicians Paul Rutherford
Paul Rutherford
Paul Rutherford is the former backing vocalist, dancer and occasional keyboardist with 1980s pop band Frankie Goes to Hollywood , one of the group's two openly gay singers....
(tb), Paul Rogers (b) and Nigel Morris (d).
The saxophone festivals
1983 saw the first of the Saxophone Festivals, supported by the Arts Council of Great Britain. Presented over 3 nights, the first coupled Bobby Wellins’ Quartet with Lol Coxhill’s Hot Lava Band; the following night, Tony Coe’s Quartet and the Alan Skidmore/Tony Oxley Duo; the final night Stan Sultzmann and John Taylor opened the proceedings before the climax of Trevor Watts’ Moire Music. This was a ten-piece band which included 4 saxophonists and 2 violinists, and it played to a packed house.Lol Coxhill was MC, a role in which he had become accustomed at festivals, and as Jack Massarik pointed out in his review in the London Evening Standard (28.2.83), Coxhill explained wryly:
“I first got into this as a ruse to be near my idols, but things didn’t go quite as planned when I turned out to be one of the finest musicians in the world.” Massarik continued, “The ice thus broken, he retired to “sit at the feet of the master” as (Tony) Coe did indeed give a magisterial performance both on tenor sax and clarinet.”
The following year’s Saxophone Festival included Sultzmann, Parker, Peter King, Ray Warleigh, Kathy Stobart (with vibes player Bill Le Sage), Don Weller, Art Theman and the duo of Elton Dean and pianist Keith Tippett.
The structure and juxtaposition of styles was always important to Wright, to reflect the breadth and variety of the genre.
John Fordham wrote in the Guardian
The Guardian
The Guardian, formerly known as The Manchester Guardian , is a British national daily newspaper in the Berliner format...
newspaper in June 1984: “There was a time when saxophone players as far apart on the spectrum as Stan Sultzmann and Evan Parker would never be able to appear in the same club let alone share the microphone. Both events transpired on the first night of the Seven Dials excellent saxophone festival.”
Later in the year, Wright took more of a back seat, due to commitments following the changeover of Collets into Ray’s Jazz Shop, and he handed the reins to American drummer Joe Gallivan
Joe Gallivan
Joe Gallivan is an American jazz and avant-garde musician. He plays drums, percussion and synthesizer....
, although his right hand man, well-known Soho jazz character, Jackie Docherty, continued to man the door.
The regular listings programme contained woodcut-style pen and ink drawings by illustrator Clifford Harper
Clifford Harper
Clifford Harper is an illustrator and militant anarchist. He was born in Chiswick, West London on the 13th of July 1949. His father was a postman and his mother a cook. Expelled from school at 13 and placed on 2 years probation at 14, he then worked in a series of "menial jobs" before 'turning on,...
, whose current work can be seen at Agraphia.