Brian Parker was born in 1934. He plays Bass, Violin and Guitar. In 1953, he joined the Galleon Jazz Band in Tooting London as a Jazz player. He then played in the Sandy Brown's Band and, at the same time, had his own modern jazz quartet band. In the mainstream band, together with Pat Hawes, they featured on radio and recorded records: This was probably the first mainstream band in England. In 1992 he started promoting Jazz on the Costa del Sol, playing bass as well as running his radio programme - All That Jazz - on Onda Cero International. Since 2000, he has been involved in setting up an Internet Jazz Radio, running 24 hours a day, and so has not played for a while. Amongst others, he has played with Humphrey Lyttleton, Louis Armstrong and Lionel Hampton. He toured with Mick Mulligan's Band with Geroge Melley, as well as Big Bill Broonzy, Sonny Terry and Brownie McGee.
Alice Babs Sjoblom was born in 1924. She studied at the Royal Academy. From 1956 she was active in films, TV and on stage. Between 1959 and 1963 she joined forces with violinist Sven Asmussen and guitarist Ulrik Neumann to form Swe-Danes. The purity of her voice and her sense of swing attracted the attention of Duke Ellington, with whom she made many appearances. She recorded with him on the Reprise label and appeared in some of the Sacred Concerts, including the second, in New York City in 1968, and the third, in London in 1973. She hosted the International Ellington Conference in Stockholm in 1994. She was appointed as Royal Court Singer, the only non-opera singer to be given that title, by the King of Sweden in 1972. She was elected to the Royal Academy in 1974. Ellington remarked that 'She is a performer without measure. She can sing anything she sees or hears, Opera, Bach or Jazz.“What has Alice Babs got, that other singers lack?” A reporter asked Ellington later. “EVERYTHING” the composer replied.
The original idea of the JAZZ APPRECIATION SOCIETY was to assemble a group of Jazz lovers, who could gather together regularly to discuss Jazz, listen to records, tapes, CD's and watch videos and, generally, enjoy the company of like-minded people It was hoped that the Society would, one day, develop and provide a ready audience to enable its members to bring international jazz musicians to the Coast for everyone to enjoy.
The meeting place has changed quite a few times over the years, and the Jazz Appreciation Society will now be meeting at the Magna Café Bar - Restaurant, Nueva Andalucia. Meetings are held on the second Tuesday of the month, except July and August. Details of menu, map with directions and facilities etc, may be found at the following link -www.magnacafe.com. The Meetings start at 8.30pm and last until about 10.30 to 11.00 pm. Food and refreshments are obtainable, from an extensive menu, throughout the meeting. However, if you prefer to eat earlier, then you will find that there will be some background jazz, from a CD or Audio Tape, from around 7 pm, until the meeting starts.If you are a jazz aficionado and would care to join, or even visit us at one of our meetings, please ring our Secretary, Colin, on 952 787 364, so that seating can be arranged to enable you to enjoy All That Jazz !!
