Nottingham jazz band 1961/62.
The first band to play the Boat Club.

Ray Crane was born in Skegness but grew up in Nottingham and became a jazz trumpeter. Ray started out playing with the Nottingham group the “Mercia Jazz Band” who formed around 1953.

Ray returned to Skegness for a while and then went to University but upon his return to Nottingham played again with the Mercia Jazz Band, Mick Gill’s Imperial Jazzmen, the Riverside Band (resident at the Town Arms jazz sessions) and the Leen Valley Jazzmen, formed in 1959 and who played regularly at the Half Moon Hotel in Hucknall, all commonly known as trad jazz bands as was the parlance of the time, before forming his own group the Ray Crane Jazz Band in 1962. Mick Gill was one of Nottingham’s earliest jazz musicians starting out in the 1940’s with what they then called revivalist music.

In 1961 Ray had been playing modern jazz with Tommy Saville at the Town Arms and still sitting in with Mick Gill’s Imperial Hotel jam sessions. He also had his own “Ray Crane Five”.

Ray’s new band played at the Playhouse in Nottingham in September 1962 along with Johnny Southgate and his Quintet and the “Centre 42” folk organisation mixing jazz and the spoken word.

Playhouse Line up:
Ray Crane: Trumpet
Bob Wilson: Trombone
Richard Hallam: Piano
Brian Nelson: Tenor Clarinet
Dave Mason: Drums
Jeff Richardson: Bass

They played Friday nights at the Conservative Club in Norfolk Place, Nottingham

Conservative Club Norfolk Place Line up:
Ray Crane: Trumpet
Bob Wilson: Trombone
John Smith: Alto Sax
Richard Hallam: Piano
Mike Jameson: Drums
Mike Stocks: Bass

A new venue opened in November 1962 at the Boat Club by the River Trent. Organised by Club Captain Keith Atkinson the first night was launched on 4th November 1962 when Ray Crane’s Jazz Band took to the stage. They held a residency there for a few months and were often joined by guest vocalist Tony Jackson.

Boat Club Line up:
Ray Crane: Trumpet
Bob Wilson: Trombone
John Smith: Alto Sax
Richard Hallam: Piano
Mike Jameson: Drums
Jeff Richardson: Bass

Tony Jackson: Guest Vocalist

Ray’s band held residence at the Boat until he was head hunted and Ray left to take up full time musicianship with Bruce Turner’s Jump Band. Ray went on to have a life long career in music but always kept to his Nottingham roots taking part in many jazz reunions.