We were saddened to hear of the passing of British saxophonist Bobby Wellins back in November, a prominent figure in the British jazz scene who played with many great musicians including Stan Tracey, whose seminal suite inspired by Under Milk Wood features Wellins’ saxophone work. Wellins appeared regularly at Band on the Wall during the mid-eighties and as recently as 2013, with his band and varying guest players.
One such player was Don Weller, who played with Wellins and his quintet at the Band on 5th January 1984. A live recording recently emerged online of Weller and Wellins’ quartet playing live at Sheffield Leadmill in the same year, which was recorded and broadcast for the BBC’s Jazz at the Leadmill series in April 1984, indicating that the appearance would have been part of the same tour.
Listen to the recording below, for a taste of what live jazz at the Band in ’84 would’ve sounded like!
If you happen to have been at the show (we don’t appear to have a definitive record of how many were!) we’d love to hear any memories of the show or the venue at that time.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qTD5BSGyw54