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
capitalised 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 honoured 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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