skankdelvar Posted November 2, 2014 Share Posted November 2, 2014 Clarinettist 'Acker' Bilk died today 02/11/14. Older BC-ers will recall his pleasant, vibrato-laden style, the quality of which Mr Bilk ascribed to having two teeth bashed out when a child and losing half a finger in a sledging accident. Mr Bilk's was the generation shunted aside by the Beatles and the Stones; no one would call his music 'challenging'. Yet Mr Bilk never lost his pleasant charm and enjoyed modest commercial success long after his early 1960's peak. Mr Bilk enjoyed a close association with that school of British jazzers who were the last to trouble the popular music charts with their hummable tunes. While the mainstream of British jazz hurled itself into the abyss of self-regarding, unlistenable tripe from which it has never climbed Mr Bilk continued to fill seaside theatres and town halls around the country. Polite, cheerful and unassuming he was among the last of his kind. Here's 'Acker' Bilk's rather lovely #1 USA hit http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7jzx664u5DA Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
discreet Posted November 2, 2014 Share Posted November 2, 2014 (edited) He called it 'Strangler on the Floor'. I called him 'Knacker Milk'. RIP. Edited November 2, 2014 by discreet Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bassace Posted November 3, 2014 Share Posted November 3, 2014 I played with him on a few occasions and not only was he a great guy to work with, his 'personality' obscured a fine musical talent - a bit like Louis Armstrong who was thought of as a bit of a clown but was in fact a major jazz innovator. A pal of mine sent him a get well card when he was undergoing therapy some time ago and he sent one back saying 'I'm undergoing radio therapy; I thought it would be a bit like Radio Bristol but I've discovered it's even worse'. RIP Ack. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Norris Posted November 3, 2014 Share Posted November 3, 2014 I saw him play in Eastbourne as a young sprog. Still memorable now. RIP Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
madshadows Posted November 3, 2014 Share Posted November 3, 2014 Sad news, RIP Acker John Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lowdown Posted November 3, 2014 Share Posted November 3, 2014 [quote name='bassace' timestamp='1415003047' post='2595405'] A pal of mine sent him a get well card when he was undergoing therapy some time ago and he sent one back saying 'I'm undergoing radio therapy; I thought it would be a bit like Radio Bristol but I've discovered it's even worse'. RIP Ack. [/quote] Ha ha, that sounds like his humour. RIP Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pfretrock Posted November 3, 2014 Share Posted November 3, 2014 Acker does not come in until 1:48, but worth the wait for what's before and after. [media]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UtSb0mqIEhQ[/media] Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Roger2611 Posted November 3, 2014 Share Posted November 3, 2014 My dad loved his music and brought him to the Jazz Tent at the Northampton Show many years back, I was doing the sound for council events at the time so ended up doing the sound for him, top guy, hopefully he can join my old man at a jazz club in the sky! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
essexbasscat Posted November 3, 2014 Share Posted November 3, 2014 [quote name='skankdelvar' timestamp='1414967974' post='2595253'] Clarinettist 'Acker' Bilk died today 02/11/14. Older BC-ers will recall his pleasant, vibrato-laden style, the quality of which Mr Bilk ascribed to having two teeth bashed out when a child and losing half a finger in a sledging accident. Mr Bilk's was the generation shunted aside by the Beatles and the Stones; no one would call his music 'challenging'. Yet Mr Bilk never lost his pleasant charm and enjoyed modest commercial success long after his early 1960's peak. Mr Bilk enjoyed a close association with that school of British jazzers who were the last to trouble the popular music charts with their hummable tunes. While the mainstream of British jazz hurled itself into the abyss of self-regarding, unlistenable tripe from which it has never climbed Mr Bilk continued to fill seaside theatres and town halls around the country. Polite, cheerful and unassuming he was among the last of his kind. Here's 'Acker' Bilk's rather lovely #1 USA hit [media]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7jzx664u5DA[/media] [/quote] Well said Skank. Another one of the old guard gone, their generation laid the foundation stones we built on RIP and thank you Acker Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BassBod Posted November 4, 2014 Share Posted November 4, 2014 My dad knew him as part of the Bristol jazz scene in the late 50s and 60s. In the early 70's we were living in Long Island and my Dad got to spend some time in New York, walking around seeing all the jazz clubs he'd read about..the first jazz he heard coming from an open door as he walked around the Big Apple was Stranger on the Shore, all the way from Pensford. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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