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Billy Jenkins Turns Sixty
Whilst latterly Jenkins' musical muse has been The Blues, he was always something of an all-round guitarist. He started playing in the art rock band Burlesque, which also featured his erstwhile duo partner, saxophonist Ian Trimmer with whom he subsequently formed Trimmer and Jenkins. With Trimmer he also accompanied legendary Cream drummer
Ginger Baker
drums1939 - 2019
Ginger Baker
drums1939 - 2019
Charles Mingus
bass, acoustic1922 - 1979
Django Bates
pianob.1960
Greenwich was a more jazz orientated album but retained Jenkins' unique hallmark of humour and jazz married with highly inventive compositions, imaginative arrangements and instrumentation. Whilst
Django Bates
pianob.1960
Uncommerciality Volume 1 (the "Chocolate Box" series, so-called because their respective covers pastiched well-known brands of British chocolate) was recorded in 1986 and marked the beginning of a more profound appreciation of Jenkins as a master of complex jazz composition. Richard Williams in The Times described this as 'an impressive example of a man in absolute command of his materials. Vibrant in a way that often recalls the spirit of the late
Charles Mingus
bass, acoustic1922 - 1979
Django Bates
pianob.1960
Mark Lockheart
saxophoneAnother important element to Jenkins' works is the concept of Spa? or Spass which is the German word meaning fun or joke. Hence his album Scratches Of Spain, the title and album cover art being pastiches of
Miles Davis
trumpet1926 - 1991
Humour pervades Jenkins' works, whether it is in the gently mocking album and song titles, the cover artwork or the lyrics ("Jazz Had A Baby And They Called It Avant-Garde"), there is clearly a similarity in approach between Jenkins and
Frank Zappa
guitar, electric1940 - 1993
A real revelation as to the comprehensiveness of Jenkins' guitar technique can be heard on his solo acoustic album In The Nude (1987, West Wind—WW 010) where he plays a range of jazz standards and some blues, at times redolent of the doyen of acoustic jazz blues guitar, Davy Graham, but imbued throughout by Jenkins' inimitable sense of humour. It's sadly now out of print but with some second hand copies still floating about.
In the early 1990s Jenkins instigated a series of "Big Fights," essentially improvised duos with the likes of
Elton Dean
saxophone1945 - 2006
Steve Arguelles
drumsb.1963
Lol Coxhill
saxophone, sopranob.1932
Paul Rutherford
tromboneb.1940
Steve Beresford
piano
Martin Speake
saxophone, altob.1958
Entertainment USA (1994, Babel BDV 9401) included tracks with teasingly provocative titles such as Ronald Reagan and Charles Manson but consisted of thoughtfully-composed instrumental parodies (of sorts); there was even a separate book of poems on the same theme with the same title. Mayfest '94 (1995, Babel BDV 9501) was recorded with the Fun Horns of Berlin, as was East And West Now Wear The Same Vest (1996, Babel BDV 9601) which again were imbued with Jenkins' trademark spoofs such as his memorable take on The Carpenters' "(Not) Close To You," Lee Marvin's "Wanderin' Star" and Satchmo's top ten hit "What A Wonderful World."
These were followed by Still Sounds Like Bromley (1997, Babel BDV 9717) and True Love Collection (1998, Babel BDV 9821). Throughout his solo career Jenkins "backing group" of superbly talented musicians -frequently populated by members of the Loose Tubes ensemble -was billed as the Voice Of God Collective, a singularly ironic title considering Jenkins' self-acknowledged humanist proclivities.
The VOGC transmuted in name to the Blues Collective during Jenkins' later "Blues period," recordings which encompass the likes of S.A.D. (1996, Babel, BDV 9615), Sad and Sadtimes.co.uk. (2000, VOTP VOCD 002). Later recordings include Born Again (And The Religion Is The Blues) (2010, VOTP VOCD 111) and I Am A Man From Lewisham (2010, VOTP VOCD 105). There are also a couple of DVDs which bear witness to Jenkins' singular creativity and are well worth checking out: a live performance Blues Al Fresco documenting an open air free gig with the Blues Collective (2004, Expresso 001) and Ain't Going Yet (2006, Flickering Light 001), a 45 minute paean to Jenkins' serious pursuit of the English game of Lawn Bowls. There was also the ironically titled Songs Of Praise Live! (2007, Babel BDV 2768) which included the numbers "Bhopal" and the bizarrely entitled "Dancing In
Ornette Coleman
saxophone, alto1930 - 2015
Mark Lockheart
saxophoneAs mentioned above, his latest (solo) works involve Jenkins employing the use of a low strung guitar in the form of 2014's The Semi-Detached Suburban Home (Music For Low Strung Guitar) and 2015's Death, Ritual & Resonation: Eight Improvised Studies On Low Strung Guitar. These were incredibly original approaches to guitar playing in which the guitarist seemed to almost physically meld with the guitar. The unusual low tuning of the guitar allows a note played to be "de-tuned" by bending the string upwards or downwards, often resulting in a discombobulating effect on the listener.
Jenkins retired from conducting Humanist funerals in 2014 after seven years. He's now returned to researching, composing, writing and recording and although it can be hoped that one day he might return to live performances, his excellent, extensive back catalogue is there to be explored and appreciated.
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