Kenny Ball
Kenny Ball is a legend, a genuine institution and the most successful jazz trumpet player this side of the Atlantic.
Ball began his career as a semi-professional sideman in bands, whilst also working as a salesman and for an advertising agency. He played the trumpet in bands led by Charlie Galbraith, Sid Phillips, Eric Delaney and Terry Lightfoot before forming his own trad jazz band in 1958.
His Dixieland band was at the forefront of the early 1960s UK jazz revival.
Ball began his career as a semi-professional sideman in bands, whilst also working as a salesman and for an advertising agency. He played the trumpet in bands led by Charlie Galbraith, Sid Phillips, Eric Delaney and Terry Lightfoot before forming his own trad jazz band in 1958.
His Dixieland band was at the forefront of the early 1960s UK jazz revival.
A
Consummate
Performer
Ball and his band have enjoyed the longest unbroken spell of success for bands of their generation. Their traditional 1960s hits like "Samantha" and "Midnight in Moscow", remain popular in Dixieland and trumpet circles today.
Kenny's status rivals contemporaries Acker Bilk and Chris Barber and their joint album, The Best of Ball, Barber and Bilk, reached Number One in the UK Albums Chart.
In March 1962, Kenny Ball and His Jazzmen reached Number Two on both the U.S. Billboard Hot 100 chart, and the UK Singles Chart, with "Midnight in Moscow". The record sold over one million copies, earning gold disc status. Such was their popularity in their homeland, that Kenny was featured, alongside Cliff Richard, Brenda Lee, Joe Brown, Craig Douglas and Frank Ifield, on the cover of the pop music magazine, NME, in July 1962. His "March of the Siamese Children" had topped the NME chart in March that year.
In 1963 Ball was the first British jazzman to become an honorary citizen of New Orleans. He and his Jazzmen also appeared in the 1963 film, Live It Up.
Ball began 1970 by appearing on the BBC's highly rated review of the sixties music scene Pop Go The Sixties, performing Midnight In Moscow live with The Jazzmen on the show broadcast on BBC1, January 1, 1970.
Still immensely popular, and 50 years on, Kenny Ball continues to tour with his Jazzmen. He has charted no fewer than 14 Top 50 hit singles in the UK alone, the most by any jazz artist.
In 2001 Ball was part of the recording of an album on the Decca label. It featured Don Lusher, Acker Bilk, John Chilton and the Feetwarmers, John Dankworth, Humphrey Lyttelton and George Melly, and was entitled British Jazz Legends Together.
Kenny Ball is indeed a legend, a gentleman and above all, a consummate performer.
Kenny's status rivals contemporaries Acker Bilk and Chris Barber and their joint album, The Best of Ball, Barber and Bilk, reached Number One in the UK Albums Chart.
In March 1962, Kenny Ball and His Jazzmen reached Number Two on both the U.S. Billboard Hot 100 chart, and the UK Singles Chart, with "Midnight in Moscow". The record sold over one million copies, earning gold disc status. Such was their popularity in their homeland, that Kenny was featured, alongside Cliff Richard, Brenda Lee, Joe Brown, Craig Douglas and Frank Ifield, on the cover of the pop music magazine, NME, in July 1962. His "March of the Siamese Children" had topped the NME chart in March that year.
In 1963 Ball was the first British jazzman to become an honorary citizen of New Orleans. He and his Jazzmen also appeared in the 1963 film, Live It Up.
Ball began 1970 by appearing on the BBC's highly rated review of the sixties music scene Pop Go The Sixties, performing Midnight In Moscow live with The Jazzmen on the show broadcast on BBC1, January 1, 1970.
Still immensely popular, and 50 years on, Kenny Ball continues to tour with his Jazzmen. He has charted no fewer than 14 Top 50 hit singles in the UK alone, the most by any jazz artist.
In 2001 Ball was part of the recording of an album on the Decca label. It featured Don Lusher, Acker Bilk, John Chilton and the Feetwarmers, John Dankworth, Humphrey Lyttelton and George Melly, and was entitled British Jazz Legends Together.
Kenny Ball is indeed a legend, a gentleman and above all, a consummate performer.
