‘Black Bob’
His B-flat Bombardon and the Yorkshire Jazz Band
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.1558/pomh.37827Keywords:
black jazz musicians, Bob Barclay, trad jazz, tubaAbstract
Bob Barclay (1911-1987) was the tuba player and leader of the Yorkshire Jazz Band and one of the few black musicians in the British revivalist (trad) scene of the 1950s and 1960s. The article describes the career of the YJB through interviews with its members, their associates and contemporary press coverage. It discusses the importance of Barclay's Studio 20 in Leeds as a meeting point for touring jazz musicians and other entertainers, both British and American. Barclay's situation as a person of colour on the jazz scene and in wider English society is considered.
References
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Brace, Reginald. 1983. ‘All That Jazz’. Yorkshire Post, February.
Cooper, T. L. 1974. Brass Bands of Yorkshire. Yorkshire: Dalesman Books.
Cryer, Terry. 1992. One in the Eye. Castleford, West Yorkshire: Yorkshire Art Circus.
Eagle, Jim. 1982. ‘Letter’. Jazz Journal International, August: 4.
Godbolt, J. 1976. All This and 10%. London: Quartet.
Harris, Rex. 1952. Jazz. Harmondsworth: Penguin.
Holdsworth, Peter. n.d. ‘Chance to Hear a Trad Jazz Pioneer’. Bradford Telegraph & Argus.
Jazz News. 1957. ‘Skiffle and Jazz Contests Give Cause for Alarm’. November: 8.
Leslie, Peter. 1949. ‘Oop for t’Boop’. Daily Mirror, 29 June: 8.
Melly, George. 1996 [1965]. Owning-Up. London: Weidenfeld & Nicholson.
Melody Maker. 1949. ‘They Starred at Sunday’s Great “Festival of Jazz”’. 30 April: 5.
Robinson, Dave. 1961. ‘Lowdown on Leeds’. Jazz News, 22 March: 4.
Roscoe, Bix. 1987. ‘…and Bob Barclay’. Jazz Journal, August: 4–5.
Watson, Ben. 2004. Derek Bailey and the Story of Free Improvisation. London: Verso.
Webb, Malcolm J. n.d. ‘Bob King Tuba Barclay and the Yorkshire Jazz Band’ (Unpublished mss).
Wilmer, Valerie (as Alita Barbah). 1965. ‘Speedy!’ Flamingo 4/8 (July): 41–42.
—1992. ‘Obituary: Speedy Acquaye’. The Independent, 18 November.
Wilmer, Val. 2001. ‘Barclay, Victor Robert “Bob”’. In New Grove Dictionary of Jazz, 2nd edn, ed. Barry Kernfeld. London: Macmillan.
—2004a. ‘Barclay, Victor Robert “Bob” (1911–1987)’. In Oxford Dictionary of National Biography. Oxford: Oxford University Press.
—2004b. ‘Love, Geoffrey (Geoff) (1917–1991)’. In Oxford Dictionary of National Biography. Oxford: Oxford University Press.
Wilson, John. 1989. Liner notes, King Tuba (Esquire S338).
Wittrick, Rae. 1963. ‘London’. Coda (Toronto) 5/11 (June): 10–11.
Yorkshire Evening Post. 1957a. ‘Many Charges Withdrawn in Studio 20 Club Case’, 25 July.
—1957b. ‘Manager Fined in Club Drink Case’, 26 July.
Brace, Reginald. 1983. ‘All That Jazz’. Yorkshire Post, February.
Cooper, T. L. 1974. Brass Bands of Yorkshire. Yorkshire: Dalesman Books.
Cryer, Terry. 1992. One in the Eye. Castleford, West Yorkshire: Yorkshire Art Circus.
Eagle, Jim. 1982. ‘Letter’. Jazz Journal International, August: 4.
Godbolt, J. 1976. All This and 10%. London: Quartet.
Harris, Rex. 1952. Jazz. Harmondsworth: Penguin.
Holdsworth, Peter. n.d. ‘Chance to Hear a Trad Jazz Pioneer’. Bradford Telegraph & Argus.
Jazz News. 1957. ‘Skiffle and Jazz Contests Give Cause for Alarm’. November: 8.
Leslie, Peter. 1949. ‘Oop for t’Boop’. Daily Mirror, 29 June: 8.
Melly, George. 1996 [1965]. Owning-Up. London: Weidenfeld & Nicholson.
Melody Maker. 1949. ‘They Starred at Sunday’s Great “Festival of Jazz”’. 30 April: 5.
Robinson, Dave. 1961. ‘Lowdown on Leeds’. Jazz News, 22 March: 4.
Roscoe, Bix. 1987. ‘…and Bob Barclay’. Jazz Journal, August: 4–5.
Watson, Ben. 2004. Derek Bailey and the Story of Free Improvisation. London: Verso.
Webb, Malcolm J. n.d. ‘Bob King Tuba Barclay and the Yorkshire Jazz Band’ (Unpublished mss).
Wilmer, Valerie (as Alita Barbah). 1965. ‘Speedy!’ Flamingo 4/8 (July): 41–42.
—1992. ‘Obituary: Speedy Acquaye’. The Independent, 18 November.
Wilmer, Val. 2001. ‘Barclay, Victor Robert “Bob”’. In New Grove Dictionary of Jazz, 2nd edn, ed. Barry Kernfeld. London: Macmillan.
—2004a. ‘Barclay, Victor Robert “Bob” (1911–1987)’. In Oxford Dictionary of National Biography. Oxford: Oxford University Press.
—2004b. ‘Love, Geoffrey (Geoff) (1917–1991)’. In Oxford Dictionary of National Biography. Oxford: Oxford University Press.
Wilson, John. 1989. Liner notes, King Tuba (Esquire S338).
Wittrick, Rae. 1963. ‘London’. Coda (Toronto) 5/11 (June): 10–11.
Yorkshire Evening Post. 1957a. ‘Many Charges Withdrawn in Studio 20 Club Case’, 25 July.
—1957b. ‘Manager Fined in Club Drink Case’, 26 July.
Published
2018-12-29
Issue
Section
Articles
How to Cite
Wilmer, V. (2018). ‘Black Bob’: His B-flat Bombardon and the Yorkshire Jazz Band. Popular Music History, 11(2), 121-154. https://doi.org/10.1558/pomh.37827
