COLLEGIANS, THE

Lead Vocals: Colin Burleigh am

Guest Vocals: Beryl Bryden, Black Anna, Jeannie Lamb, Brenda bear

Trumpet: Les Gostling / Trombone: Roger Hornagold

Clarinet: John Harrison (2)Pete Oxborough (3)Tim Densham + Cl & SSax

TSax, Trombone, Cornet: Pete Webb

Banjo: Charlie Sartain (2)Howard Platt (3)Mike Parle (4)Gerry Cook

(5)Barbara Greene

Trombone: Ian Bell to Applin

Keys: Roy Copping (2)Kevin Gill + Bjo??

Double Bass: John Barker

Drums: Cpt Eric Curly Varnon

An article in 1966 reveals that ex army man Captain Curly Varnon is the driving force behind the band and was also sales manager at Norwich’s, Tom Smiths & Co (The Cracker People). Originally formed in 1948 the group recruited lead singer Burleigh around 1952. They found an early residency away from Norwich at The Boston Gliderdrome in 1951 and in David Peatlings book Goin To The Dance about the venue, Burleigh explains his joining the band, “It was my first week back in Civvy Street after leaving the RAF and some friends had challenged me to get up and sing a few numbers with the group, after which I was offered the position of singer.” Although the band’s roots were trad jazz, with the advent of skiffle they went out under the extended title The Collegians Jazz Band & Skiffle Group featuring Colin Burleigh and for a while they split their set into a mixture of jazz and skiffle. On the 26 May 1958 they were crowned the Best National Jazz Band by the Bury St Edmunds Round Table, who had organised the competition under the auspice of The International Jazz Club. In December 1959 the band attempted to play and walk backwards from Norwich to London, but needless to say the escapade was abandoned after 200 yards. Oxborough, Gostling, and Burleigh crop up in the East Anglian All-Star JB in 1961, although many of its members played in other outfits. In February 1961 The Collegians recorded 15 minutes of material at The Cottage BR, Thorpe, Nch for the BBC radio program Jazz Call. The band broke up in 1988.

Band personnel by Colin Burleigh Feb2018

The band was formed in 1948, and probably the first line-up that took the public’s attention was Les Gostling (tpt), John Harrison (clt), Pete Webb (tnr/sax), Roger Hornagold (tbn), Roy Copping (pno), Charlie Sartain (bjo), Johnny Barker (bs), and Eric Varnon (dms/leader). Early in 1952 I joined fresh from my National Service with the RAF in Germany. I'd been advised to take up jazz singing by Bill Crozier at BFN in Hamburg. Copping and Hornagold left the band in the mid 1950s and Pete Webb took over on trombone and the piano chair was left vacant for a few years. We played on as a 6 piece band adopting the line-up of the Chris Barber band.

When John Harrison left in the late 1950s Pete Oxborough was persuaded to join the band. He came on his condition that his friend Ian Bell (tbn) should come too. The Collegians accepted this and Pete Webb took to playing tenor saxophone and occasionally, cornet. Kevin Gill joined the band on piano and this  line-up won the National Jazz Band Contest in 1958, one of the prizes being a booking at the famous Humphrey Lyttleton Club in Oxford Street, London. Shortly after that Bell decided he preferred the more “regimental” playing of dance bands and left to join Chic Applin’s Band at the Norwood Rooms. Gill also left to return to Yorkshire and the band then consisted of what was probably the best line-up in their history – Gostling, Oxborough, Webb, Sartain, Barker, Varnon and Burleigh. At that time, possibly recognised as one of the best semi-professional jazz bands in the country. We appeared regularly on double bills alongside all the top jazz bands in Britain and the Continent. The London City Agency provided work all over the country – London jazz clubs, Kent, Yorkshire, North Wales and the Midlands. There were also Continental trips to France and Holland. We played on the 9 Riverboat Shuffles on the Norfolk rivers and travelled across to Holland on the North Sea Shuffle along with Ken Colyer’s Jazzmen and others. We acquitted ourselves when having to follow the Dutch Swing College Band  on stage at an All Nighter in The Hague. We also appeared on both BBC and Anglia Television and recorded “Jazz Call” for the Midland Home Service.

Pete Oxborough decided to seek pastures new and John Harrison returned for a while. This, however was short-lived and Tim Densham took his place doubling on clarinet and soprano saxophone. Pete Webb had also left and Ian Bell returned. Charlie Sartian left and a series of banjoists succeeded him, namely Howard Platt, Mike Parle, Gerry Cook and Barbara Greene.

Al Garner deputised on occasions for Gostling and Mike King from Newmarket also took the trumpet lead. By this time the heady days of the “Trad Boom” were past and the band looked like falling apart but was shored up by Mike Leigh (tpt) and Fred Ward (tbn) from the Sole Bay Jazz Band. The situation wasn’t ideal as they juggled with gigs between both bands. Eric Varnon became unwell and Colin Burleigh took to playing drums.. Eric felt that the band was nothing like the band he had formed in 1948 and took Barker and Burleigh to one side with a request that we no longer used The Collegians band name. They agreed, and the band played its last engagement as The Collegians at Wroxham Sailing Club in July 1988. The band at that time was made up of what musicians they could find to form a 6 piece. The only remaining original member was Johnny Barker on double bass who had played through the 40 years of the band’s existence.

Sadly, the band never went into a recording studio, the only recordings in existence are of the BBC “Jazz Call” programme and a series of club sessions taped on Burleigh’s portable recorder.

There are still people around who remember the band in their heyday , bringing back many happy memories.

Selected advertised gigs and supports:

25/11/52 Cat & Fiddle PH, Nch - Beryl Bryden & The Collegians (Opening night East Coast Jazz Club)

16/02/53 Chantry Hall, Nch - Jazz Band Ball

First Norwich jazz band ball organised by East Coast Jazz Club

03/05/54 The S&H BR, Nch - Ken Colyer & guest Beryl Bryden

05/05/54 Orford Arms PH, Nch Basement - NJC Grand Opening

Beryl Bryden, The Collegians, The Mustard City Stompers

30/09/54 The Gala BR, Nch - The Tommy Whittle Group

11/07/55 St Giles Paris Hall, Nch - NJC International Jazz Jamboree

Mustard City Stompers, Anglo Dukes Of Rhythm, Red Hot Momma, Anne (Black Anna), Cy Laurie & Ted Ramm on mic and Ivories

20/10/55 Norwich Lads Club - Chris Barbers JB ft; Ottilie Patterson, Lonnie Donegan and Monty Sunshine

16/06/56 The S&H BR, Nch - Ted Heath AHO with Bobby Britton

15/06/58 BJC Broadland Shuffle - The Resolute, GY

Bungay Tailgate Jazz Band, The Mustard City Stompers, The Mysterious Band.

Mediography:

Collegians with trophy EEN 27/05/58

Walking Backwards to London lasted 200 yards! SJ EEN 05/12/59 (P)

City traditional jazz group EEN 16/02/61 (P)

Norwich jazz band in radio feature EEN SJ 18/02/61 (P)

Jazz Notes H&N EEN 29/03/65

The driving force H&N EEN 06/06/66 (P)

Radio:

BBC?: Jazz Call ~ unk trks aired ??/02/61

Residencies:

The Boston Gliderdrome, Lincs Feb51-195?

Bibliography: Goin’ To The Dance DP