Email us: nick@bayourhythmkings.co.uk
Hi my name is Nick Telfer, leader of the Rhythm Kings. You are a welcome visitor to my website
I have been playing jazz in public since the formation of the Gloryland Jazz band in Whitehaven in 1958. I learned to play piano and later fiddle in the school orchestra. I became interested in jazz and bought a clarinet because I couldn’t find a cheap trombone! For several years I was a member of the High Cross Jazz Men in the 80‘s and around about that time also played with the Georgia Jazz Band and my own band The Chosen Six which played as backing band in Whitehaven to bands such as Humprhrey Littleton and Acker Bilk. I’ve gigged around with many bands and in many places mostly in England but also Toronto and New Orleans. I’ve appeared at various Jazz Festivals with bands including Roy Kirby’s Paragon Jazz band, Llew Hird’s Sydney Stompers and Brian Carrick’s Algiers Stompers at Upton on Severn (when I took Brian’s place because his van broke down) One of my all time highlights happened on my first trip to New Orleans in 1978. I was sitting in with Andrew Hall’s Society Jazz Band at the Maple Leaf when I was approached by Greg Stafford who hired me to play a parade with Herman Sherman’s Young Tuxedo Brass Band. This parade was for a black marching club called the Scene Boosters. The other trumpet player on this occasion was Leroy Jones.
I now play clarinet(mostly) alto sax, tenor sax (when Joe’s not around!) and soprano sax.
The Bayou Rhythm Kings were formed round about 1989 . Originally we were called Dee and the Bayou Rhythm Kings but things didn’t really take off until about 1991 when the band comprised Mac Rae (tpt), Keith Steven (bjo), Malcolm Moyer (bs) and Paul Adams (drs) unfortunately the logistics of running a band with members so widely separated proved difficult and the increasing cost of transport led to its demise.
However, starting as a duo with only Dan Holden on banjo the band grew to a six piece playing at the Kingfisher Inn in Cockermouth. Half of the band at that timewere under 30. Two members, Adrian Gibson(tpt) and Jack Davies(ds) were from Leeds Music College and resulted in an interesting mix of styles and influences which strangely enough worked very well. Since the departure of Adrian and Dan the band eventually became what we have today, a four piece, two reeds, two rhythm, no drums.
Influences: Johnny Dodds, Sydney Bechet, George Lewis, Especially Emanuel Paul,Willie Humphrey & Albert Burbank ,Professor Longhair, Louis Armstrong, Dr John, Kermit Ruffins, Fats Domino, and in fact everybody I’ve ever enjoyed listening to.
Unfortunately I have a problem. My other major passion is skiing which means if I want,as I do to spend a month or two with my daughters in the French Alps I can’t take many gigs in the winter. As a partner with my daughter Joanne we provide accommodation in Morzine in Haut Savoie for skiers and snowboarders in the winter and various sports and passtimes in the summer.
I have been playing jazz in public since the formation of the Gloryland Jazz band in Whitehaven in 1958. I learned to play piano and later fiddle in the school orchestra. I became interested in jazz and bought a clarinet because I couldn’t find a cheap trombone! For several years I was a member of the High Cross Jazz Men in the 80‘s and around about that time also played with the Georgia Jazz Band and my own band The Chosen Six which played as backing band in Whitehaven to bands such as Humprhrey Littleton and Acker Bilk. I’ve gigged around with many bands and in many places mostly in England but also Toronto and New Orleans. I’ve appeared at various Jazz Festivals with bands including Roy Kirby’s Paragon Jazz band, Llew Hird’s Sydney Stompers and Brian Carrick’s Algiers Stompers at Upton on Severn (when I took Brian’s place because his van broke down) One of my all time highlights happened on my first trip to New Orleans in 1978. I was sitting in with Andrew Hall’s Society Jazz Band at the Maple Leaf when I was approached by Greg Stafford who hired me to play a parade with Herman Sherman’s Young Tuxedo Brass Band. This parade was for a black marching club called the Scene Boosters. The other trumpet player on this occasion was Leroy Jones.
I now play clarinet(mostly) alto sax, tenor sax (when Joe’s not around!) and soprano sax.
The Bayou Rhythm Kings were formed round about 1989 . Originally we were called Dee and the Bayou Rhythm Kings but things didn’t really take off until about 1991 when the band comprised Mac Rae (tpt), Keith Steven (bjo), Malcolm Moyer (bs) and Paul Adams (drs) unfortunately the logistics of running a band with members so widely separated proved difficult and the increasing cost of transport led to its demise.
However, starting as a duo with only Dan Holden on banjo the band grew to a six piece playing at the Kingfisher Inn in Cockermouth. Half of the band at that timewere under 30. Two members, Adrian Gibson(tpt) and Jack Davies(ds) were from Leeds Music College and resulted in an interesting mix of styles and influences which strangely enough worked very well. Since the departure of Adrian and Dan the band eventually became what we have today, a four piece, two reeds, two rhythm, no drums.
Influences: Johnny Dodds, Sydney Bechet, George Lewis, Especially Emanuel Paul,Willie Humphrey & Albert Burbank ,Professor Longhair, Louis Armstrong, Dr John, Kermit Ruffins, Fats Domino, and in fact everybody I’ve ever enjoyed listening to.
Unfortunately I have a problem. My other major passion is skiing which means if I want,as I do to spend a month or two with my daughters in the French Alps I can’t take many gigs in the winter. As a partner with my daughter Joanne we provide accommodation in Morzine in Haut Savoie for skiers and snowboarders in the winter and various sports and passtimes in the summer.
See me on You Tube with Dan Holden