My sister and I had a particular rapport in our musical tastes. 

Frances, one year older, had her wages and was able to buy the latest American style popular music - Frank Sinatra especially so - while we wore out the LP of West Side Story.  These early years encompassed our concert-going to hear all the best jazz orchestras - Duke Ellington, Count Basie, Woodie Herman, Stan Kenton and groups such as The Modern Jazz Quartet, and Gerry Mulligan, and soloists such as Dave Brubeck, Nat King Cole (singing and playing).  It was a magical time musically, one where local jazz talent received a boost from meeting august company. 

Frances tried unsuccessfully to teach me to jive.  She loved to jive to traditional jazz and our visits to clubs were highlights in those years. As I got older I came to see our interests as among the happiest of my life, shared with her. 

She passed on to me her good taste in music, jazz and the American Song Book - Sinatra and others; concerts and jazz clubs were our favourite musical occasions.  It was the happiest of memories to see her enjoying the music, and to see her whirl intently on the dance floor to British bands, now long-forgotten.

She always let me know if she’d been to a good concert on the Island.  One occasion is memorable.  She had written to me about a concert given by one of Britain’s best jazz combos.  I said I’d like this band to know how much she enjoyed their performance, so with her agreement I photocopied her account to its leader - Don Rendell whom I knew from concerts he’d given in local pubs in Croydon. He was delighted to read her words about the group’s performance, as musicians often, have no feedback beyond the original performance.  He said he’d put this into his book, (a memoir, I suppose).  It’s a pleasant feeling to tell someone their work gives pleasure beyond the ordinary.


Running, then, like a steady stream through our lives was the mutual love of music, both of us in harmony with the creative flow of brilliant British jazz musicians and the best the wider world had to offer. It’s been a joy to be her brother!