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To Neil Stevens (our music man)
(Printed in GLPA)

I always read your piece in the Greater London Pensioner with interest and pleasure. Like you, I am interested in all the popular music of the period although my particular interest is in the swingier bands, like Ambrose, Geraldo and later, Ted Heath. Even some unlikely bands could swing now and again, like Oscar Rabin.   I don't recall that you have mentioned in your piece my special favourite. Lew Stone. He had some great players, including of course, the king of trombone, George Chisholm. 

You may be interested in a bit of personal history.   In 1942 I was a teenager in Bradford. We followed the excellent local dance band - The Ambassadors, who could swing - and a small group let by pianist Allan Holgate (the only other I can recall was Eric Sapphire on trombone, who had some small success later).

One day, we heard that the Pioneer Corps dance band was stationed in Bradford, with Nat Gonella on trumpet. We followed them all over the city. It was a bit comic because the band was conducted in full military style by the band sergeant major, a strict disciplinarian who allowed improvisations only very occasionally, in ?suitable? numbers.  Being a military man, he worked regulation hours and when his duty was finished he'd pack up and go. Whereupon the band would let rip. 

The guitarist was Roy Plummer, who taught me guitar for 2/6d a lesson. He is now forgotten although in fact he had the first band on Radio Rhythm Club - for four weeks, after which Harry Parry took over. For me, his eternal claim to fame is that he had played with Django Rheinhardt. 

Another   bit   of   family   history. Immediately after the war, my wife's father, a journalist, was sent to New York for his paper. The family lodged with Ruth Ellington and Barbara got to know Duke and several of his sidesmen who used to drop by for a blow.

Keep Groovin' Tony Carter - Bromley