Vic Ash, one of the early pioneers of modern jazz in Britain has died aged 84.
Vic, East End born, started out on the clarinet aged 14 and then moved on to playing the saxophone, first alto and then tenor.
Vic's career was at the centre of modern jazz in Britain from the early days at Club Eleven to associations with Tubby Hayes, Vic Feldman, Ronnie Scott, John Dankworth and a short but productive spell with Harry Klein in the Jazz Five. His later career found him supporting visiting popular US stars such as Frank Sinatra, Tony Bennett, Ray Charles and many others.
Surprisingly, his recorded output as a leader was quite small although he had a long and fruitful recording career with others.
For many years he was associated with the BBC Big Band in it's many formats.
His autobiography, co-written with his former pupil and fellow saxophonist Simon Spillett and his wife Helen, was published in 2006. One of the revealing pieces of information contained there was that his parents, both profoundly deaf, never heard him play although they encouraged and supported him in his musical career.
The photograph we show has Vic with a very young (16 or so) and star-struck Simon Spillett.
R.I.P. Vic Ash: 9 March 1930 - 24 October 2014
You can read here what Vic Ash wrote for the Ronnie Ross Home Page some years ago, a contribution I am always grateful for. Rodney
