Jazz / Dixieland
Monty Sunshine - clarinet
Photography by: Timeless Records Archives
Art direction and design by: Dolphin Design.
Monty Sunshine was founder of the groundbreaking Crane River Jazz Band in 1949 which had great influence on the development of British traditional jazz. He is to this day one of the most prominent performers of the New Orleans clarinet style. After having played in the Chris Barber Jazz and Blues Band he formed his own band in 1960 and is confirming the reputation he built up starting with the best selling hit Petite Fleur recorder in the late fifties time and time again. Find a selection of fine Monty Sunshine recordings on this CD.
Monty Sunshine
Active Decades: '60s, '70s, '80s, '90s and '00s
Born: Apr 08, 1928 in London, England
Genre: Jazz
Styles: Dixieland, Trad Jazz, Jazz Instrument, Trumpet Jazz
Jazz clarinetist/singer Monty Sunshine was born in England in 1928, and although he would go on to become a solo recording artist, first got his start as part of such bands as the Crane River Jazz Band and the Chris Barber Band. Come 1960, Sunshine decided to strike out on his own, forming Monty Sunshine's Jazz Band, which included trumpeter Rod Mason, ex-Barber banjoist/guitarist Dickie Bishop, vocalist Beryl Bryden, pianist Johnny Parker, trombonist Geoff Sowden, bassist Gerry Salisbury (who also doubled on trumpet), and drummer Nick Nicholls. The early '60s saw Monty Sunshine's Jazz Band tour regularly to support such albums as Black Moonlight and Sunshine, as the group kept going (with a few lineup adjustments along the way) right up to the 21st century. In 1994, Sunshine rejoined the Chris Barber Band for the Barber Jubilee Tour, before returning back to his own band. Further solo releases soon followed, including 1998's Live at the BP Studienhaus, plus a pair of albums in 2000, Gotta Travel On and South.
---Greg Prato, All Music Guide |
