The winning line-up at the 1969 Montreux Jazz Festival (l-r) John Taylor, Kenny Wheeler, Harry Miller, Alan Skidmore and Tony Oxley
Playing with Elvin Jones’ Jazz Machine
Chilling with Elvin
SOH – Ali Haurand, Tony Oxley, Alan Skidmore
Sonny Rollins left his exhortation to keep blowing to Alan and his dad Jimmy on a menu at Ronnie Scott’s in 1965.
Twenty years later Sonny Rollins wanted a selfie with Alan, his wife Kay and daughter Alice.
Alan has played many times with the George Gruntz Concert Jazz Band in this instance on soprano sax but he also played tenor and flute on the gig. With Elvin Jones on drums, the impressive line up included Earl Gardner, Americo Bellotti, Alan Botchinsky, Palle Mikkelborg, Benny Bailey, Woody Shaw and Franco Ambrosetti on trumpets, Runo Eriksson, Jimmy Knepper, Eje Thelin, Mike Zwerin on trombones, Howard Johnson, Jerry Dodgion, Lew Tabakin and Bernie Wallace the others saxes. Lois Colin on harp, John Schofield guitar, Mike Richmond bass and George Gruntz at the keyboards.
Alan with another great drummer – Peter Erskine at the Viersen Jazz Festival in Germany in 2012
Alan was honoured to share the bill with many of John Coltrane’s regulars in 1987.
He also played in 2017 at a concert marking 50 years since Coltrane’s passing.
Alan ‘giving it some welly’ as a guest with the Paul Dunmall Sun Ship quartet
Alan with Howard Cottle (left) and Paul Dunmall at the 2018 Herts Jazz Festival playing John Coltrane’s Sun Ship
Fronting Georgie Fame’s New Blue Flames with Guy Barker at the Herts Jazz Festival 2018
Alan playing in 2017 Photo Graham Mullett
Looking oh so Cool in his special 25th anniversary Love Supreme tee shirt from UK Vibe magazine – should have had it for the Café Oto gig!
Alan Skidmore 