ACKER BILK
Jazzman Acker Bilk (real name Bernard Stanley Bilk ) came to fame
during the trad jazz boom of the early 60's. The clarinettist
scored a run of 10 top 40 hits, including Stranger On The
Shore, which became an enduring classic over 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
Dusseldorf 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. Interestingly, when Bilk first wrote the tune 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. And voila . . .
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 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.
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