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Donald's Encyclopedia of Popular MusicA B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y ZMIDNITE FOLLIES ORCHESTRAUK band playing classic arr. of Sam Wooding, Duke Ellington, Cab Calloway, Fletcher Henderson etc as well as originals; formed '78 by multi-instrumentalists Keith Nichols (b 13 Feb. '45, Ilford, Essex), arranger Alan Cohen (b 24 Nov. '34, London). Albums on EMI '78, ASV '80. Lineup incl. cornettist Digby Fairweather (b 25 April '46), drummer Laurie Chescoe (b 18 April '33, London; worked with Monty Sunshine, Bruce Turner). Nichols was a child actor and accordion champion, then specialised in ragtime: led scholarly Ragtime Orchestra mid-'70s, New Sedalia and other groups; wrote for Dick Hyman's New York Jazz Repertory Company, Pasadena Roof Orchestra, etc; both worked with New Paul Whiteman Orchestra (LPs '74 on Argo, '75 on Wave) led by multi-instrumentalist/journalist Dick Sudhalter. Cohen led a quintet on soprano sax; he recorded Ellington's Black, Brown And Beige '72 on Argo, was mus. dir./arr. for Bing Crosby Decca LP Feels Good, Feels Right '76, TV show Cotton Club At The Ritz '85 (for Cab Calloway), Charlie Watts Big Band (video and LP '86), much else. The Pasadena Roof Orchestra was formed '69 by bassist/BBC session player John Arthy, playing arr. from '20s-30s, first vocalist was John "Pazz' Parry: enormously popular on the Continent, they made albums on Transatlantic, later on their own label and were still touring after 25 years. |