Alan Seymour, Radio Sussex Big Band leader and trombonist in action during the Eighties
A highlight of
bandleader Alan
Seymour's long
career was paying
homage to Henry
Hall at a special concert in 1987.
The famous broadcaster and
bandleader, by this time confined
to a wheelchair, sat in a box at
the Devonshire Park Theatre in
Eastbourne, his home town.
Alan, who was leading the BBC
Radio Sussex Big Band in A Tribute
To Henry Hall, launched into the
veteran's theme tune, Here's To The
Next Time, just a little too fast to
start the show.
He slowed down when he heard a
plaintive plea from Henry in the box
of, "It's too quick".
The theatre was packed to capacity
for the concert recreating his music,
led by the Big Band augmented by
strings. There was a standing ovation
from the audience for the concert,
which was broadcast by BBC Radio
Sussex.
For many years, Henry Hall led
his band, renowned for its crisp
sound, and also presented a popular
programme on the BBC national
radio.
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The Radio Sussex Big Band
started in 1982 after Alan Seymour,
a trombonist, and saxophonist
Don Pashley had played a summer
season together supporting Little
and Large at the Congress Theatre
in Eastbourne.
They met with station manager
John Saunders and music director
Keith Slade, a great jazz enthusiast,
and the band was born.
Alan said: "It wouldn't have
happened without the enthusiasm of
John Saunders and Keith Slade."
In its short life, the band won five
major honours in the National
Big Band competition run by BBC
Radio 2. Trumpeter Jo Hunter was
the outstanding musician of the year
in 1984 while Alan, as a trombonist,
received a special award in 1989.
Drummer Frank Marshall also
received a trophy while the band
itself picked up the remaining two
awards.
The band played at the Dome in
Brighton, the Congress and the
Devonshire Park in Eastbourne,
and the White Rock in Hastings, to
capacity audiences each time.
Only in Crawley, where it was
chosen to open The Hawth, were
there any spare seats despite the
added attraction of Sussex-based
pianist Russ Conway.
Band members enjoyed good
relationships with many of the
presenters, including John Henty
and Ian Collington.
They received no payment but
enjoyed the kudos and having
access to the BBC's national library
of music for rare arrangements.
But, sadly, both Keith Slade and
John Saunders left the radio station
and the new organisers were not
interested in the band.
It folded but many of its members
have remained friends and continue
to meet each other regularly.
Pianist Jimmy Stewart even wrote
a signature tune called Marlborough
Place after the radio station's address
in Brighton during its early years.
Alan offered to play it as a fond
farewell to Marlborough Place when
the station moved to Queen's Road
but said: "I did not receive a reply".
For Alan, the big band years were
a good time during a varied career
as a musician.
He started with music while
doing National Service and became
a professional musician afterwards,
playing in the Joe Loss Orchestra.,
He is still called on by the band when
it is augmented and has worked
with it for half a century.
Alan has also worked for the Glenn
Miller UK Orchestra and for the
Syd Lawrence Orchestra over many
years. He was never out of work.
Among the many singers he has
backed in his time are Frankie
Vaughan and Matt Monro.
He was friendly with Syd Dean,
resident band leader at the Regent
ballroom in Brighton after the
Second World War. After his
enforced retirement, Syd was always
hoping the glory days would come
back but they never did.
With the big band which contained
many of Syd's players, Alan was
arranging a tribute to him but the
end came before it could get going.
Alan recalls parking near
Hammersmith Palais when working
for Joe Loss and driving his Austin
Healey back to Hove in the early
hours, sometimes taking only
50 minutes. He said: "You couldn't
possibly do that today."
Now 72, Alan gave up touring
several years ago but still plays
about four hours a week, mainly for
his own pleasure.
He said: "John Saunders, Keith
Slade and the BBC did us proud
during those years and we had
a wonderful big band.
"The highlight was the concert
for Henry Hall and I am glad he
was there, for he died only a few
months later."
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