A Life Defining Moment

During the 1950s Jazz bands were a colourful and popular feature of carnivals, sports days and various other events of that time. Fortunately when I joined the band it had a full compliment of Kazooists and I was chosen to play a drum. After repeating the required rhythm correctly on Peggy's kitchen table I was informed that 1 would have to pay sixpence a week to the band fund and one and sixpence to her father for the sticks and to attend band practice in the nearby Scout hall on Monday night. Clutching the sticks I ran all the way home, it was nearly impossible to contain myself, I 'Raggadaggadumed' on anything that remotely resembled a drum almost driving my parents to distraction. Monday evening came and a broad leather sling was draped over my shoulder and a shiny brass shelled drum attached to it. 'Some have greatness thrust upon them'! It was love at first sight, a defining moment. I was positioned in one of the ranks of the band and off we went, marching and countermarching up and down the hall. A week later the band boarded a coach and we left for Inkberrow to play at a sports day and resplendent in a uniform reminiscent of the Patagonian Merchant Marine I marched enthusiastically round the field thumping my drum to the raucous sound of the kazoos as they destroyed 'When the saints go marching in'. This was it show business, I was on my way. My debut with the band was to have been commemorated for posterity by my mother proudly following us round the field with her Brownie camera, unfortunately she accidentally exposed the film. Petulant as ever, I refused to speak to her all the way back home but determined to mollify me she took me to a photographer's studio spending the exorbitant sum of seven shillings and sixpence.(36P). I stayed with the band for a few months but the rhythmic limitation of 'Raggadaggadum' was creatively stultifying and, I had already been ticked off several times by Peggy for improvising my own drum beats, a predilection that would eventually lead me to jazz.

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