Acker Bilk
Jazzman Acker Bilk (real name Bernard Stanley Bilk ) came to fame
during the trad jazz boom of the early 60's. The clarinetist scored a
run of 10 top 40 hits, including Stranger On The Shore, which
became an enduring classic almost 40 years ago.
Bilk was on National Service in Egypt as an 18-year-old when he
learned to play a borrowed clarinet. He copied jazz records to while
away the time. Returning home, he formed a band, playing dances and
setting up the Paramount Club in Bristol. He and his wife Jean moved
to London, playing occasional gigs with his band but they honed their
act with a six-week stint in a Düsseldorf beer bar.
They also adopted their trademark hats and waistcoat and Bilk began
to write his own music. He became a chart regular in 1960 with tunes
like Summer Set and Buena Sera, but when
Stranger On The Shore was released in 1961
he soared to new heights. It was in the charts for more than a year,
peaking at number two. Bilk also became the first UK act to top the US
charts in the 60s with the haunting instrumental. He became a staple
of the TV variety circuit along with contemporaries Kenny Ball and
Chris Barber.
During 1962 Bilk enjoyed three British hits with Frankie and
Johnny, Gotta See My Baby Tonight and Lonely. But the run
was coming to an end due to the increasing popularity of pop music;
the beat boom was tightening its stranglehold on the charts, freezing
out jazz artists along the way. A Taste Of Honey was Acker
Bilk's last hit, in January 1963. It peaked at Number 16.
Hits or not, the demand for Acker Bilk's live performances remained
constant. He even returned to the British charts in 1976 with Aria
which soared into the Top 5. This unexpected success was capitalized upon with the release of The Very Best of Acker Bilk. Other
albums followed: Sheer Magic and The Best of Acker Bilk -
Volume Two, both in 1979, and Mellow Music a year later.
Acker Bilk was recently diagnosed with throat cancer but was soon
back on stage performing with his Paramount Jazz Band, and has been honored
with an MBE for services to music.
TRIVIA NOTE
When Bilk first wrote Stranger On The Shore he called it
Jenny after one of his children. In stepped BBC TV who wanted him
to write the theme for a new series titled . . . Stranger On The
Shore.
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