Daily Dose Of Jazz…

Monty Sunshine was born on April 9, 1928 in Stepney, London, England. Along with Lonnie Donegan, Jim Bray and Ron Bowden, he formed the back line of what was the embryo Chris Barber Band. First trumpet Ken Colyer and the original 1953 band took the Colyer name until he left. Pat Halcox took over the spot and the band formally adopted the Chris Barber Jazz Band as its title.

The band quickly made an international reputation following their inaugural tour of Denmark, before their professional debut in the United Kingdom. Sunshine stayed with the band for several years, until he left in 1960, to be replaced by Ian Wheeler. He formed his own band, staying true to the original six-man line up, whilst Barber expanded his band membership to seven, then eight and finally to eleven.

Sunshine returned to play a reunion concert with the original Chris Barber Band at the Fairfield Halls, Croydon in 1975. Well received, the band reformed for an international reunion tour in 1994 and he retired from music around 2001. His discography is extensive, and compact discs have been issued of recordings with Colyer and Barber, as well as with his own band.

Clarinetist Monty Sunshine, known for his clarinet solo on the track Petite Fleur, passed away on November 30, 2010 at the age of 82.

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