Acker Bilk has gone

[Clivey]

Another legend away I`m afraid . Not sax but still a great.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/entertainment-arts-29874053

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

 

[Colin the Bear]

RIP Bernard

 

[kernewegor]

He inspired me to learn clarinet.

He played, he swung, he was totally down to earth and without bull.

Unusually I am out of whisky - which he was fond of - of any sort, so I am raising a glass of Cabernet Sauvignon to him as I write.

You were a good nut, Acker.

 

[jbtsax]

The moment I heard "Stranger on the Shore" I wanted to play clarinet in addition to the sax. May he rest in peace.

 

[kevgermany]

Will be sorely missed. Only saw him once, but he was superb

 

[trimmy]

Jazz legend Acker BIlk dies another great musician lost 🙁
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/entertainment-arts-29874053
RIP Mr Acker Bilk

 

[zelda]

Just saw it on BBC World News here and clicked on the Café to see if there was a post and there you were...RIP. 85 years is a good run. I mentioned in a post here a while back that Stranger on the Shore was one of the first tunes I learned on guitar back in 1964. And I've never tired of hearing it.

 

[zelda]

And watched the video you posted. He was able to get a big sound on the clarinet.

 

[Jeanette]

So sad to hear this

Jx

 

[old git]

Saw the band in 1960. Enjoyed him then and he made "Today" this morning and drew a very funny story from John Humphrey.

Thanks Acker.

 

[ProfJames]

It has been a very sad month with some great musicians passing. RIP Acker

 

[Sue]

Wasn't Stranger on the Shore the first British recording to reach number 1 in the U.S. charts back in the early 60s? Beautiful tune. RIP Acker Bilk

 

[Chris]

Very sad news, RIP Acker.

 

[Young Col]

Sad news but a good long musical life. Beautiful tone. A pity that he was caught up in and derided because of the commercialisation of the traditional revival in the 50/60s. There are some good examples of his work on Youtube, including some from the early 1960s before his manager put his band in the waistcoat and bowler hat stuff, which show his knowledge of the music's New Orleans roots. There's a couple which appear to be film of studio recordings complete with fag smoking drummer and tea drinking pianist. You don't see that today.

 

[aldevis]

RIP Acker Bilk

 

[Tenor Viol]

Sadly, I never had the chance to hear him live, which I always meant to do...

 

[Di in France]

Thanks for posting - love the video!

 

[kernewegor]

I think that Colin the Bear will like these...

This one recorded live in Prague.... extended solo by Acker 'In a Persian Market'.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=APE36VLe8Po&list=RDAPE36VLe8Po#t=59

And this one with Rod Mason (who I used to listen to in Plymouth early in his career)... South Rampart Street Parade http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LW9ZF3jMx8s&index=3&list=RDi6OO2XSjl_M

Sweet Georgia Brown... http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PNSxmBS3t3I&index=6&list=RDi6OO2XSjl_M

And, of course http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i6OO2XSjl_M ...which I remember him once introducing as 'Stranger on the Floor'... his repartee was legendary... "We don't usually play requests... only when we're asked..." "We're now going to play 'I've Found a New Baby in a flat...' and, at one of his early gigs at Bristol Corn Exchange when yobs didn't want jazz threw toilet rolls on the stage he got the crowd on his side by picking one up and saying into the mic "Arrr... Bronco...that's my brand..."

A great character, a great performer, and happy music...

 

[kernewegor]

The legend is that Acker started learning a borrowed clarinet in the Army while doing his National Service.

Because of a navigational error with a truck he got sent to the 'glasshouse' ( otherwise 'quod', 'chokey' or, officially, 'the guardroom') which gave him several weeks of spare time...

I seem to remember reading that, having got a clarinet on official loan from the Army, he then used the classic services dodge of drawing spares from the stores to replace 'broken parts', sufficient to make a complete second instrument - the first one he handed in when he was 'demobbed'...

So taxes spent on the armed forces aren't all wasted...

 

[majordennis]

Humph n’ Acker played St Georges Hall Bradford, I was lucky enough to get a ticket and was treated to a evening which stayed with me for a long time, two giants of the genre who came across as two blokes on a stage having a fun time, wonderful stuff, both sadly missed.