Acker Bilk has died

[kernelbogey]

I've just seen that one of my teenage heroes, Acker Bilk, has died. I doubt that he was highly regarded by jazz aficionados, but he got me interested in trad. That remains the one style which still appeals to me. He was a showman and a bit of an eccentric, and I believe, self-taught.

[Bryn]

I've just seen that one of my teenage heroes, Acker Bilk, has died. I doubt that he was highly regarded by jazz aficionados, but he got me interested in trad. That remains the one style which still appeals to me. He was a showman and a bit of an eccentric, and I believe, self-taught.

He had a pretty good innings. I seem to recall that it was his choice of the clarinet which got me to buy a 7" EP of Sidney Bechet (of whom I had never heard) on spec when on a trip to France in my early youth. Thanks for that, Acker.

[Petrushka]

Sad news indeed.

Aria is one of the tunes that reminds me so much of my 1960s childhood and a gorgeous melody it is too, better than Stranger on the Shore in my book.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z-2gIAyhX6g

RIP Acker Bilk.

[Serial_Apologist]

I've just seen that one of my teenage heroes, Acker Bilk, has died. I doubt that he was highly regarded by jazz aficionados, but he got me interested in trad. That remains the one style which still appeals to me. He was a showman and a bit of an eccentric, and I believe, self-taught.

And yet, for future experimentalist Keith Tippett and others like him, in the 1960s Acker was a hero around the Bristol aerial (sic); and of course he made that beautiful recording "Blue Acker" with Stan Tracey, one of the country's leading modernists, in 1968 or thereabouts, which might well have started a healing process between the embattled Traddies and Mods of 7 years previously.

I never got those waistcoats, though...

[Quarky]

May be Alyn Shipton or perhaps Claire Martin might give us a mini-appreciation of Acker's musical contributions. I only know Acker through hits such as Stranger on the Shore, which, although greatly enjoyable, do not fully establish his Jazz credentials.

[ferneyhoughgeliebte]

Aria is one of the tunes that reminds me so much of my 1960s childhood and a gorgeous melody it is too, better than Stranger on the Shore in my book.

But Aria was a late '70s single, wasn't it? (I remember my father buying it for his new stereo "radiogram" - as he called it! - given as a gift from his works in recognition of his 25 years working for them.) Stranger is one of the vey first pieces of Music I can remember - it ranks much closer to page one in my book: one of those pieces that's so part of my memory - like the smell from a fish&chip shop.

RIP Acker Bilk.

[Petrushka]

But Aria was a late '70s single, wasn't it? (I remember my father buying it for his new stereo "radiogram" - as he called it! - given as a gift from his works in recognition of his 25 years working for them.) Stranger is one of the vey first pieces of Music I can remember - it ranks much closer to page one in my book: one of those pieces that's so part of my memory - like the smell from a fish&chip shop.

Now you've got me. I doubt if I'd have noticed it had it been 1970s. Both Stranger and Aria are part of my memory, like the smell of eggs and bacon on a Sunday morning. Can anyone clarify when Aria dates from?

[johncorrigan]

In the early 60s my Dad, who I subsequently assumed had had a wee win at the bookies, turned up in the house with a Bush record player and 5 EPs, one for each in the family ( I got an Elvis EP ). My young brother got Stranger on the Shore ( he loved the TV programme) - my favourite from the Acker EP was ' That's my home' - I loved his vocals; still do actually.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t3j_dn9r-jw

[BLUESNIK'S REVOX]

When I went for my first office placement as an architecture student c. 1963 I had put "jazz" on my application under "interests". The guy interviewing me said, "Oh, Acker Bilk". I was so outraged (being a hard bop modernista) I think that's how I got the gig!

Always liked Acker's tone though.

BN.

[mercia]

Can anyone clarify when Aria dates from?

wikipedia says 1976

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Acker_Bilk

were we all aware that 'Acker' is Somerset for 'friend' ?

[kernelbogey]

were we all aware that 'Acker' is Somerset for 'friend' ?

Yes, I always liked that Zummerzet schtick of his!

[Stanfordian]

wikipedia says 1976

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Acker_Bilk

were we all aware that 'Acker' is Somerset for 'friend' ?

Hiya mercia, I always thought 'Acker' was more 'mate' than 'friend' but whatever, it is a sad loss. After all these years I still love to hear 'Strangers on the Shore'.

[aka Calum Da Jazbo]

with Stan Tracey

graun appreciation

practising in the Egyptian desert eh ....

[kernelbogey]

Somewhere, in a box, are the two EPs of his, and one of Chris Barber, that I bought when I was about sixteen. Not having listened to them for decades, I cannot for the life of me remember a single track that I can confidently attribute to the Paramount Jazz Band: just a miasma of Bilk-Barber trad.

However, I happened to catch, on Saturday's JRR (I'm not a regular) Kenny Ball's High Society. The clarinet break seemed to me almost identical to that on one of those two EPs....

I'd like to hear what Jazz enthusiasts think of Acker's trad jazz. The majority of the comments above seem to be about Stranger on the Shore and Aria....

[BLUESNIK'S REVOX]

Somewhere, in a box, are the two EPs of his, and one of Chris Barber, that I bought when I was about sixteen. Not having listened to them for decades, I cannot for the life of me remember a single track that I can confidently attribute to the Paramount Jazz Band: just a miasma of Bilk-Barber trad.

However, I happened to catch, on Saturday's JRR (I'm not a regular) Kenny Ball's High Society. The clarinet break seemed to me almost identical to that on one of those two EPs....

I'd like to hear what Jazz enthusiasts think of Acker's trad jazz. The majority of the comments above seem to be about Stranger on the Shore and Aria....

Well, in the "Great UK Jazz War", just like the Spanish Civil War but far more vicious, they, the Tradistas were the enemy to be shot, clubbed and strung up by their banjos. No mercy.

But, I always had a sneaky regard for the clarinetists...Sunshine, Sandy Brown and Herr Bilk.

I would still of course have "detained" them.


BN.