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Jack Toogood - Alive and Pickin'
(Jack Toogood
Guitarist is still teaching in Bristol in his
80's) If anyone else can contribute
anything additional in the meantime
please do so.
These rare Images of Jack were supplied by Alfie Smith - Entertainments Manager
of the
Pontin's
Holiday Camp, Sand Bay, Weston-super-Mare in 1955
Well done
Alfie - my faith is restored.
Interesting Deep-cut Electric Guitar
with control cluster on the scratch guard. Does anyone recognise this
guitar??
Is it a Gretsch? - and what about that Amplifier. Very basic drum kit for a
touring band in those days. Who are the supporting Musicians?? Alan ?
on Bass -
on drums was
Don Hunter the Leader, piano Les Drake!
The guitars in the picture Jack Toogood is playing are both by the English
maker Emile Grimshaw the big jazzer is a Grimshaw Plectric from around 1955,
and the thin line, with the cats eye holes is a Grimshaw SS.DELUXE around
1957/9 favoured by the early English rockers i.e. Joe Brown Bruce Welch, -
hope that helps - Keith Sellers
Grimshaw Guitars -
History
Grimshaw Guitar
Players
Grimshaw Origins
 

Pontin's Circa 1955, Note
the Pedal Steel Guitar on the floor - a bit unusual for the UK audiences
then. The piano has a Perforated Roll Playback feature - they were
rare too a mess of rubber tubes and bands in between the Frame. Jack
on the guitar with yet another pot arrangement, Les Drake on the Pianola and
Alan ? on Bass. Can anyone name the Saxist/Clarinettist or the Drummer? -
Quite a Pile of Charts eh - before the Big Book was published. Is that yet a
bigger Amplifier out front for the pedal steel - note the jack lead? Good
old Alfie for taking this one.
Powell of Swing DeVille - Brighton worked with
Jack.
----
Originally from Bristol, I studied guitar with legendary guitarist Jack
Toogood. This led to my lifelong love of the music of Django Reinhardt.
Brian Powell
BMG Article
The Monthly Magazine devoted to the interests of the
Banjo, Mandolin, Guitar and Kindred Instruments
Edited by
A. P. SHARPE (1961)
BMG Magazine
THERE is little glamour in the life of a provincial guitar player,” said
Jack Toogood. When I asked him for some details of his career. There is
little acclaim, too, he might have added. His name has been well known in
and around Bristol since the war playing “gigs,” the occasional broadcast
from the Western Region station and, of course, pupils. Then in February
1959 “Guitar Club” went to Bristol and the name of Jack Toogood was heard
all over the Country. His playing so impressed the Producer John Kingdom
that he was given a second broadcast in the programme from London and,
later, several guest spots in the Monday late-night “Stringalong” programmes.
These broadcasts led to Jack’s association with violinist Leslie Baker
(Right) and
the formation of the “Swingtette” (based on the Hot Club of France Quintet)
which was featured for thirteen weeks in the “Stringalong” series.
I remember Leslie Baker very well as I too play the violin and as a teenager in
the early 1960s I entered one of his talent competitions held in the Floral
Pavilion, Bridlington. I was fortunate enough to win and after Leslie announced
the result to the audience (always full of fun!) he said to me - "I wonder, if
you're not doing anything special next Saturday night - (pause, during which I
relished the prospect of a job!) - would you mind lending me your fiddle?"
He only played at Bridlington two or three years and was then replaced by Edwin
Harper. However, he very kindly sent me a Christmas card and invited me to come
and see him play in Southport.
A few years later I heard a sad story to the effect that he had become a
recluse, never played and had wrapped his violin case round and round with
Sellotape. Whether or not it is true I have no idea, but I never heard of him
again. Leslie was a fine fiddler and even to this day, whenever I play
"These Foolish Things" (Fred Hartley arrangement) I incorporate a jazzy bit of
extemporisation that I picked up on when he played the number at Bridlington.
Very interesting website, Robin Johnson (Sheffield)
Hello, Violinist Leslie Baker was my Mother's cousin and although I never
met him, I remember listening to him on the BBC 'Music While You Work' - he also
did Cabaret and played at Quaglino's Restaurant in Soho. - Ron Adams

Another Guitar and another
Amp 1959 - identification of these please. Alan ? on Bass - JT Music
Stands
an Emile Grimshaw SS.DELUXE around 1957/9 see above contribution by Keith
Sellers
MORNING MUSIC
Stringalong” went off the air on Sept. 25th but every
Saturday morning since then Leslie Baker and Jack Toogood (with the “Swingtette”)
have been heard in Morning Music. Today the tasteful guitar playing of Jack
Toogood is a topic of conversation among enthusiasts who recognise first-
class execution and real guitar tone. Jack Toogood started his musical
career at the age of seven learning the piano, For four years he was an
average student.” He told me he could learn easily enough but truthfully had
little interest in the keyboard instrument. When schooling put an end to his
piano lessons he did retain enough interest to play the latest “pops” and,
looking back, he
realises
this helped him to keep what little reading ability he had acquired. At the
age of thirteen he was smitten with the ukulele craze—after seeing some of
George Formby’s films and listening to this famous star’s many recordings.
He taught himself by the aid of every ukulele tutor he could lay his hands
on. He admits that in his early ‘teens he simply “lived” for the ukulele.
At the age of 15 he was a junior clerk in a Bristol insurance office and
one day he was delivering letters when he passed a newsagent’s and saw a
copy of “BMG.” in the window. The subtitle: “Devoted to the Banjo,
Mandolin and Guitar and Kindred Instruments” caught his eye and
thinking here might be a chance to learn something more about his beloved
“uke” he bought his first copy. He even remembers the date: January 1940.
TAKES LESSONS
Within two months he had commenced taking lessons on plectrum guitar
from Horace Craddy (whose address was in our Teachers pages) and stayed with
him until his army call-up in November 1942. Mr. Toogood emphasizes the fact
that the real foundation for his subsequent musical success came from the
instruction he received from Horace Craddy. From his teacher he also became
aware of Lang, Kress, McDonough and, later, Reinhardt and he started
collecting the recordings of these famous players of the plectrum guitar
which have so influenced his own style of execution. Jack Toogood recalls
that studying anything at this period was far from easy. It was wartime and
he was required to take the insurance examinations by his employers and had
to study for these at the same time as he was struggling with the guitar He
said he made the fatal mistake of resting his insurance test papers on a
copy of Eddie Lang’s “Fingerboard Harmony!” He took a guitar with him into
the army and managed to find time to further his studies apart from playing
for his fellow soldiers at sing songs etc When hostilities ceased in Europe
his unit was in Germany and soon he was transferred to the Brigade Concert
(103 A A Brigade R A) When the unit was disbanded he was fortunate in being
posted to the 49th Div Road Show the Polar Stars”—with a fine dance band
under the leadership of Stan Butcher, now staff arranger for Campbell
Connally & Co. Mr Toogood recalls it was excellent training for him as
there were many first-class musicians with the band from time to time. (Don
Lusher—now with the Ted Heath Band was first trombone). At one stage the
band lacked a good jazz man for second trumpet—and Jack took the trumpet
solos on electric plectrum guitar’ He recalls it was most enjoyable
to have a full scored backing instead of the more usual rhythm section only.
Horace Craddy - born in Bristol in 1902. His father and uncle
played a banjo double act for many years, so poor Horace had no chance .
He was a pupil of
Tarrant Bailey Snr. and in turn gave his first banjo lesson when he was
only13! With his brother Wilfred (usually
on piano) he performed in the Bristol area for over 40 years.

Photo from 1956 with Jack, Alan and ??? on drums Les Drake
on pianola had just left the stage - Piccolo Trumpet and even louder shirt - Alfie
Smith unknown. The Jack Toogood Quartet
was booked for a number of seasons by the Manager of Pontin's Sand Bay, Mr
Len Pontin (brother of Sir Fred Pontin).
FIRST BROADCAST
It was while he was playing with the “Polar Stars” he experienced his first
broadcast (from BFN. Hamburg): experience that was to prove invaluable a few
years later back in “civvy street.” After demobilisation there were
tentative arrangements for a small unit of the “Polar Stars” to play
professionally but owing to conflicting demob dates the idea fell through.
Back in his borne town of Bristol, Jack Toogood decided to try to exist as a
professional—but he says it was hard for a time. However, gigs became more
frequent; pupils increased and there was always the occasional local
broadcast to help. Then “Guitar Club” went to Bristol and Jack Toogood has
never looked back. Two highlights of Mr. Toogood’s career has been backing
Joseph Reinhardt in one o the “Stringalong” prograrnmes and playing solo
guitar in the .Light Programme’s “Trad Tavern” on Nov. 11th, when he was
backed by Diz Disley and the Chris Barber rhythm section. One final comment
from Jack Too- good himself: “There is no doubt the extra publicity I have
enjoyed during the past couple of years has been almost entirely due to my
playing a round soundhole acoustic guitar and producing something resembling
the Django Reinhardt sound. This proves to my mind there is still a public
for this kind of music a fact borne out by the many appreciative letters I
received during the Stringalong series This being so I deplore the frequent
knocks by certain people aimed at anyone who plays in this idiom After all
90% of the players of the electric guitar in this country sound like would
be copyists of Barney Kessel Tal Farlow — Johnny Smith el al
(who in turn sound very much like each other) and nobody appears to think
they are committing- any crime!” I personally enjoy hearing the
impeccable playing of Jack Toogood for to my ears he produces a
worth-hearing sound that is unmistakably guitar.
Reproduced -
with kind permission as a tribute to Jack Toogood -
Hi, My
dad was in the 'Polar Stars' with Jack and Don Lusher in 1945 in Germany. He
shared 'digs' with Jack for 6 months, and was also with the band when they did
some recordings at Hamburg ( although he was not with the band when they did the
first recording). He still has a glass, yes glass, 78 recording that the band
made later. He has a couple of old photos (1945) of the Polar Stars with
himself, Jack and Don in them. Dad is 85 (like Jack) so isn't getting any
younger.
Jack was at my mum and dad's wedding (in Iserlohn, Germany) and they have met up
once or twice down in Bristol.-
Mike Crawshaw
I refer to the section about
Jack Toogood. I found this to be very informative about the man whom I first
heard on the BBC in the sixties and really know nothing about. The reason he
stands out in my memory after all these years (I am 72) is that it was rare
to hear decent guitar playing on the radio in those days, especially playing
Django style and being a picker myself, to hear that sound was like Manna
from Heaven. Although I had little money to spare I was the proud owner of a
Ferrograph reel to reel tape recorder and would wait excitedly for Jacks
performance each week to begin and record it. I still have the fourteen good
quality recordings. My notes were very sparse but have the band down as THE
JACK TOOGOOD GROUP and the violinist as Johnny Van Derrick or who died in
1995 aged 68.
The list of tunes are:-
Jealous. Swing Guitar. Basin Street Blues. Indiana.
Sweet Loraine. Moonlight and Shadows. Runnin’ Wild. House of Dreams. Rose of
the Rio Grande. Tears. Minor Swing.
Stars Fell on Alabama. Stompin’.
and one unidentified tune.
There is a question mark over Moonlight and Shadows as it is not in the
Gipsy Jazz style and may not be Jack. - John Bunce
In 1969 I was living in Bristol and had an introduction to Jack. He promised
that if I showed any promise after 12 x £1.00 lessons he would get me a "Sit-In
" with the Riverside Band who were playing Sundays lunchtimes at the "Old Duke "
True to his word went down to the Duke and very much "Heart in Mouth" I bashed
out the chords - Jack's chords - to Georgia and Sweet Sue ! I owe him so much
and have enjoyed my many gigs with Bands from Scotland to Devon !!!! Roger
Middleton
 The
Late Johnny van Derrick -
In performance van Derrick was an
incomparable showman, whether pretending to make pizzicato notes come from the
top of his bald head, or swapping quotes from the classics with the guitarist
Denny Wright. Van Derrick was compared to Stephane Grappelli, whom he knew and
admired, but his style was cleverer, his swing more strident, and his playing
perhaps more influenced by Joe Venuti. It remains a great sadness that his
unique combination of a virtuoso technique and a devilish swing did not quite
reach the large public it deserved.
Van Derrick was born in 1926 and was
introduced to music by his father, who was a fine cornet player. As a young boy
he was sent to the Brussels Conservatoire, where he was awarded a silver medal,
but his classical studies ended with the outbreak of the Second World War. He
found work back in London touring Stoll Moss theatres with Louis Mexano's
Accordion Band ("eight tiny Italians with enormous instruments") before joining
the Merchant Navy and spending the rest of the war on the British convoys to
Russia.
In the early post-war years van Derrick
played trumpet for dance bands like Maurice Winnick's ("the sweetest music this
side of heaven") and Lou Preager's. He couldn't keep away from the fiddle for
long, however, and undertook six years of study with his mentor Sascha Lasserson.
He joined the Halle Orchestra, but he found the working conditions dispiriting
and returned to freelancing.
In his
subsequent career, which spanned almost 50 years of British jazz and commercial
music, van Derrick played for everyone from the Beatles to Rod Stewart. He
proved himself a master of all styles, from his bebop days with Roy Fox and
Tubby Hayes to his jazz broadcasts with the Jack Toogood Swingtet on
BBC's Late Night Live. He was an excellent country fiddler and gave a televised
performance from the Albert Hall of Mancini's country concerto Oklahoma Crude, a
performance which won him a five-star invitation to Nashville. His own CDs,
Always on the Fiddle and the 1993 Mike Batt Produced Gershwinning CD
demonstrates his phenomenal range, with his wistful, French-sounding
compositions placed next to his electrifying swing duets with the guitarist
Phil Bond
But it was as a live performer and a
teacher that he was in his element. He brought the same infectious joy to
musicians as he did to audiences and he was unusually generous in passing on his
knowledge. He imparted his love for all aspects of the violin literature to his
pupils, and refused to take a proper fee.
When I approached
him as a young hopeful trying to 'susc' out the master's secrets, I was warmly
invited to his house. The frail-looking man, who had had heart disease for 20
years, took me through a three-hour assault course of violin exercises and
drills, virtuoso repertoire and concertos, followed by lectures on violin-making
and trumpet playing. Johnny van Derrick always maintained that jazz violin was a
delicate art, and I understood then that his own playing, which looked so
effortless, had evolved out of a lifetime of loving dedication. - David
Lasserson
Johnny van Derrick, violinist: born 1926;
married (two sons); died Denham, Buckinghamshire 15 May 1995.
Hi - The Gershwinning CD was done around 1993....The duo was doin pretty good,
then Johnny unfortunately left us. A sad loss to us all. Thanks and Kind Regards
and we must keep in touch - Phil Bond
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