HAVANA & DEUCHAR AT McGONAGALL'S - 80'S

This top notch image features the guitarists of Dundee jazz outfit, Havana Swing and local legend, Jimmy Deuchar on trumpet.

Havana Swing started off as a guitar trio in 1986 - Alain Legrand, John Whyte and Kevin Murray.

By 1987, the band had added Calum McKenzie on double bass and Walter Smith on clarinet.

However, also around 1986, story has it that during one of Havana Swing's gigs in Dundee, Jimmy was in the audience (he had his trumpet with him) and was so smitten with their performance that he leapt out of the crowd and joined them centre stage for a bit of the action!

After that impromptu introduction, he actually went on to play regularly with them.

Just wondering if this photo was that actual gig's "spontaneous moment" or whether this was taken later when they were all together as a unit?

The venue was that well known pub along Perth Road, McGonagall's.

The pub started jam session twice a week in 1986, and as you can see on this particular advert dated March 1986, Havana Swing were the band leading the jam.

So there could be a connection to the photo.

By the way, in the 50's, Jimmy released an album called "Pub Crawling" - so the Perth Road the perfect place for him to be!

Photo by The Bear.

JIMMY DEUCHAR - IN HIS OWN WORDS - 1987

I do enjoy a bit of name-dropping now & again, and this article here is loaded!

The piece on Dundee jazz trumpeter, Jimmy Deuchar, comes from a June 1987 issue of Jazz Journal, and has Jimmy giving a short, but detailed account of his career. It's in chronological order too so it's easy to follow his history from the time he was a young lad in the Air Force when Johnny Dankworth asked him to join his band in 1950, right up to the 80's when Rolling Stones drummer, Charlie Watts wanted Jimmy in his jazz band.

Some of the names in between are - Ronnie Scott, Dizzy Gillespie, Jack Parnell, Oscar Rabin, Stan Tracey, Benny Golson, Francy Boland, Tubby Hayes, Jack Sharpe, and the list goes on & on, throughout his many ventures around the world.

One thing he didn't mention, was his recreational project back home, the Sunday Jazz Sessions down at the Sands (70's/80's), many of which I went to. Another name-drop from then was the time when members of the audience used to join in the jam session, and on one particular occasion a guy sat down at the piano and played along. Jimmy, after it, complimented him on his playing, and the guy explained it was his sons who were the real musicians in the family. The piano player turned out to be Mr Brecker, father of Randy and Michael!

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JIMMY DEUCHAR - JAZZ MUSICIAN

 

Regarded by many jazz aficionados as one of the best trumpeters Britain has ever produced, the career of Jimmy Deuchar spanned more decades than is covered on Retro Dundee.

He began trumpeting professionally in the 1950's and kept it going right up until his death in the 90's.

Jimmy was also a composer & arranger who went on to record numerous albums and singles under his own name, and many as guest on other performers recordings.

Although he mainly played on the UK circuit, he has also spent a fair bit of time playing in Europe and USA too, not to mention occasional TV appearances.

Dundee was Jimmy's home base though, and during the late 70's - early 80's he organised jazz jam sessions down at The Sands in Broughty Ferry every Sunday lunchtime. I remember going to many of these. He would start off with a basic quartet, and if anyone fancied joining in, then they did so. Sometimes there would end up being about 8 on stage. All good fun, and a nice way to spend a Sunday afternoon. He also used to invite some of his jazz friends to visit and perform. One I recall was a gig at The Sands by his long time buddy from London, Ronnie Scott.

The photo above is Jimmy playing in the City Square. Perhaps the City Council should rename the square "Deuch's Place" (sorry, just a wee jazz joke there!). The local talent with him in the picture are - Frank Rossiter on trombone - John Whyte on guitar - (unknown hidden guitarist) - Jimmy on trumpet and Jim Mckenzie double bass.

Below is a wee tribute video I made as a reminder of his good work. The track is taken from a 1955 7inch e.p. called "Don't dance, dig" and the tune is a be bop version of "Dancing in the dark"....no, not Springsteens!!