Acker Bilk, trad jazz clarinettist, dies aged 85

A key figure in the trad jazz boom of the 1950s and 1960s and known for his trademark goatee, waistcoats and bowler hat, he learned how to play clarinet in the army – his Acker moniker taken from the Somerset slang for ‘mate’.

Taking up the clarinet while doing National Service in Egypt he formed a band called the Egyptian Stompers, and continued on his return, playing with a local Bristol band the Chew Valley Stompers. Heading to London and working with Ken Colyer, Bilk decided the city wasn’t for him and he returned home to Somerset and formed the first incarnation of his Paramount Jazz Band.

His signature tune came about after Bilk composed a piece for his daughter after she was born, entitled ‘Jenny’, soon after which he was approached by a British television company who wanted to use it – renaming the piece ‘Stranger On The Shore’. It went on to become the title of an album and a single that stayed in the British charts for 55 weeks. The tune went to Number One on both the UK and US Billboard Hot 100 charts going on to sell over a million copies.

Bilk went on to tour and perform with Paramount Jazz Band and as a featured artist alongside other stars from the Trad scene in the 1960s including George Melly, Diz Disley, Chris Barber, Kenny Ball, Ken Colyer, Mick Mulligan and many others. He enjoyed further success in the US while his other hits included ‘Summer Set’, ‘Buona Sera’ and ‘Evergreen’. He continued playing up until last year and his last live performance was at Brecon Jazz Festival in 2013 – he is survived by his wife Jean, daughter Jenny and son Pete.

– Mike Flynn
– Photo by Tim Dickeson