• 17 years ago
Wolverine Blues Alcorn Alvin 1977

Alvin Alcorn is a trumpetplayer from New Orleans. In the fifties he was a member of the Kid Ory Jazz Band.
Here he is special guest with Pete Savory's New Orleans Joy Makers in one of Peter Appleyard's TV jazz programs recorded in 1977.
What makes this clip very special is the clarinet player. Bruce Bakewell from Great Britain had moved to Toronto and joined our band in 1972. For four years we played together 6 nights a week in the Olde Brunswick House on Bloor Street West. Our Climax Jazz Band's early years brought us also to great festivals in New Orleans, Sacramento, the Worldchampionship of Jazz in Indianapolis and many others.
I've always considered Bruce a very talented player who respected the early New Orleans styles as played by Dodds, Simeon, Bigard, Nicholas and Bechet.
Much to my regret Bruce left our band and played with different other groups in Toronto before deciding to move back to GB. For many years he was member of Ken Colyer's Jazzmen.
Bruce became ill, and passed on in 2003.