Ted Gordon’s Site
A.k.a. Lost Cause Lair
Traditional Jazz
I first became interested in Traditional Jazz when I was stationed in Germany with the RAF. For a short while one of my staff was Paddy Lightfoot, the brother of Terry Lightfoot.
When I left the RAF in 1958 I bought my first banjo and made my first public appearance as a “sit in” guest of The Johnny Hobbs Stompers. Not long after that I was offered the banjo seat with the Mercia Jazz Band. I felt highly honoured as this band, specialising in King Oliver and Jelly Roll Morton numbers, had a formidable reputation for a beginner such as me.
I stayed with them for approximately 3 years during which time we played on both TV and radio. I then moved on to play with the Apex Jazz Band, which featured Alan Parkin on Trombone, Derek Saint on Trumpet and Cedric Smith on Clarinet. I also did a series of gigs with the Johnny Hobbs Stompers, but I had been bitten by the Bluegrass bug.................
When I left the RAF in 1958 I bought my first banjo and made my first public appearance as a “sit in” guest of The Johnny Hobbs Stompers. Not long after that I was offered the banjo seat with the Mercia Jazz Band. I felt highly honoured as this band, specialising in King Oliver and Jelly Roll Morton numbers, had a formidable reputation for a beginner such as me.
I stayed with them for approximately 3 years during which time we played on both TV and radio. I then moved on to play with the Apex Jazz Band, which featured Alan Parkin on Trombone, Derek Saint on Trumpet and Cedric Smith on Clarinet. I also did a series of gigs with the Johnny Hobbs Stompers, but I had been bitten by the Bluegrass bug.................
Frank Goodman, Clarinet, Paul ‘Rastus’ Russell, Drums, Mick Hallam, Trumpet, Alan Parkin, Trombone and Chris Daniels on Bass.
On stage with the Mercia Jazz Band in 1962
“Sitting in” with Eric Peat’s
Goodtime Jazzmen in Mansfield
Goodtime Jazzmen in Mansfield
Same venue with Alan Willows,
Paddy Lightfoot in action at the TBI
