Nottingham born pianist Dave Rowberry was born in 1940 and died in 2003. He had a successful career that started in jazz and later player RnB included national success playing with The Mike Cotton Sound and then replacing Alan Price in The Animals. He then played as a session player and band member for many acts including The Kinks and Dana Dana Gillespie.

Dave is often overlooked when it comes to the legacy left by The Animals (one of the great sixties British invasion groups). He replaced Alan Price in 1965 and while it is true to say he wasn’t part of the original group and didn’t perform on legendary classics like “House of the rising sun” and “Don’t let me be understood” he was the keyboard player on a substantial amount of their hits and recognised classics like “We Gotta Get Out Of This Place”, “It’s my Life”, “Inside-Looking Out” and “Don’t Bring Me Down”. He enjoyed his moment in the limelight but didn’t promote himself as a star or as Alan’s replacement and was just content for the opportunity given to him. His work with Mike Cotton is also highly commendable.

The Animals were inducted into the rock and roll hall of fame in 1994 with the original line up, rightfully so, but not to mention Dave who was with them as long as he was, a great player and well liked by the group seems a little unfair and maybe a little disrespectful . While, I am not particularly bothered about the RRHF, if I were to nominate someone from Nottingham who could be added to their ranks then a posthumous award to Dave wouldn’t go amiss. We already have Andy Fletcher of Depeche Mode and Ian Paice, of course, in the RRHoF with Deep Purple and when they were inducted they chose 8 members to be part of the ceremony. A longer lasting group with a larger rotating line up I grant you but Dave Rowberry was the only other member of the original Animals (Mick Gallagher stood in on keys for a few weeks before Dave joined) and he was shunned. If I ever start a Notts RRHoF then Dave will be assured of a place. And how come Ten Years After aren’t in the RRHoF as well! OK rant over.

With those things in mind here is a short history of Dave’s musical career.

1956

Dave Eric Rowberry was born in Nottingham July 4th 1940 and grew up in Mapperley. He learnt to play piano at a young age and was soon playing for the newly formed Apex Jazzmen in 1956. They were led by Derek Saint and Archie Knight and the seven piece trad jazz group were based at the Brookside Club in Mapperley.

1958/59

In the late 1950’s, in Nottingham’s thriving jazz scene, Dave would also play as a solo pianist at many venues.

Dave won a place to study at Newcastle University to do a degree and moved there.

1960/61

It was in Newcastle that he found a similar bustling jazz and blues scene with many clubs and pubs to play and earn a living. He slowly lost interest in his studies and formed his own jazz group called “The Dave Rowberry Septet”.

Spending time between Newcastle and Nottingham he would often play at the “Riverside Club” in the Town Arms on Trent Bridge. This was a jazz club ran by Richard Castledine. It was here that during the “Monday night” sessions Dave’s talent started to get noticed. Here he also met John Crocker, the West Bridgford born clarinettist. They would maintain their friendship and meet up again in a couple of years.

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More later ……

More to come later…………