Kenny Baker

Kenny Baker (1921-1999) was a technically gifted trumpeter, often cited as perhaps post-War Britain’s best mainstream player. He was born in Withernsea in Yorkshire into a musical family. He learned piano, accordion, saxophone and violin as a child, before taking up the cornet. As a teenager in the 1930s, he played in various bands in Hull.

In London he played briefly with the Lew Stone and Bert Ambrose dance bands, before serving in the Royal Air Force during the Second World War. He made his first recordings during the war, including with a Melody Maker all-star band that included Tommy McQuater, George Chisholm, Harry Hayes and George Shearing. He joined the Ted Heath Orchestra in 1944 as featured trumpet player, helping to turn the band into one of the leading big bands of the era. He left Heath at the end of 1948, and by then was already leading his own bands, often with Heath colleagues like guitarist Dave Goldberg and drummer Jack Parnell. He formed the Baker’s Dozen in 1952. This hugely successful band had its own BBC radio show, and featured leading musicians like Chisholm, McQuater, Harry Klein, Bill Le Sage, Derek Smith, Joe Muddel, Lennie Bush and Phil Seamen among others.

Through the 1960s, Baker would guest in the modernist big bands of Tubby Hayes and Stan Tracey while still appearing in Ted Heath reunion concerts. Together with Heath alumni Don Lusher, Betty Smith and Jack Parnell, Baker formed a sextet called the Best of British Jazz which were a popular festival draw throughout the 1970s, 80s and 90s. He was very successful as a session musician, providing the trumpet playing for (Withernsea-born) actress Kay Kendall in Genevieve and being heavily featured in Alan Plater’s Beiderbecke Trilogy on ITV.

Recommended Recordings:
With Ted Heath
The Half Dozen After Hours 1955-57 (Lake 2002)
Ain’t Misbehavin’ (New Note 1997)