I was born into a family with theatrical connections. Grandfather had been a well known artist on the music-halls, performing with an american quartet called 'The Gothams' with Royal Command Performances in 1906 and 1911 and a career that took him, my Grandmother, and his first born around the capitals of Europe and endless travels throughout the United Kingdom. His eldest daughter Nellie was a lyric soprano in common with Eva, his youngest daughter and my mother. Thomas Lightfoot, one of the middle sons in the family of eight children was for a time manager of 'The Ritz' ballroom in Manchester. Other siblings also had connections with various branches of the entertainment business.

This is a copy of copy of a photograph that hung above the piano in my grandparent's house. I lived with them all of my childhood. This copy of the picture was sent to me by a long lost cousin who recently re-discovered me via the Internet. The last occasion I saw it was when I was eighteen years old.

It depicts my grandfather with the other members of ' The Gothams '. Other than my grandfather they were all Amercian citizens and returned to the USA somewhere around 1913-1914. There is a possibility that at least one of them made subsequent careers in the early days of the movie business.

First became aware of jazz in my early teens hearing a recording of 'The Chris Barber Band'. Though I listened to a great deal of music of all kinds on the radio throughout my childhood and by default must have absorbed the music of the many big bands broadcasting during those years. Also a comprehensive memory bank of music-hall numbers my grandfather sang all day long whilst busy in his workshop in the cellar under the house. We also had many visits to the still then exisiting local music-halls, and many 'Pros', the generic term used at that time to describe music-hall artists, used to drift in out of our house and my focus.

This is a copy of copy of a photograph that hung above the piano in my grandparent's house. I lived with them all of my childhood. This copy of the picture was sent to me by a long lost cousin who recently re-discovered me via the Internet. The last occasion I saw it was when I was eighteen years old. It depicts my grandfather with the other members of ' The Gothams '. Other than my grandfather they were all Amercian citizens and returned to the USA somewhere around 1913-1914. There is a possibility that at least one of them made subsequent careers in the early days of the movie business.

Was taught the piano from the age of five -very badly- parents beware of so called teachers! Started to learn Tenor-Horn at school with the school brass band. Then the Euphonium. Was in the RAF for a time and continued to play with brass bands including a short stint on Tuba. The only known photograph, long since lost, shows boots, instrument, and cap, but not much else! Bought a Valve-Trombone, for what particular reason I am not too sure? Much influenced by the New Orleans revival scene. In common with many contemporaries totally fascinated by what we considered to be 'The Jazz Life'. Every possible weekend spent in London doing the Trad Clubs. Ken Colyers. Cy Laurie's all-night sessions. The Skiffle Cellar. Discarded RAF tie and blazer in favour of sandals and baggy sweaters. At this time only very dimly aware of Modern Jazz, the whole jazz music scene at that time imbued with a rancid atmosphere of ' never the twain shall meet'. Saxophone players in particular were regarded by ' The Purists' as being totally beyond redemption. Curious that even with jazz the evidence of history and contemporary happenings can be ignored or just shaped to fit the prejudice and blind preconceptions of the time.