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| Geraldo's Navy... |
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From the late 1940s through to the 1960s noted bandleader Geraldo (Gerald Bright) acted as agent for the shipping lines Cunard and Canadian Pacific to recruit musicians for the entertainment of passengers on the. regular transatlantic crossings as well as cruises to the West Indies and world cruises. The liners were magnificent with every comfort and convenience for the passengers. They were Queen Mary, Mauretania, Caronia, Carinthia, Sylvania, Carmania Queen Elizabeth and QE2 (all Cunard), and Empress of England and Empress of Canada (both Canadian Pacific). In 1998 drummer Kenny Harris, (who played on the Mauretania and Queen Mary), wrote and published a book titled Geraldo's Navy that contains the author's and other musicians recollections of playing on the Cunard and Canadian Pacific liners for Geraldo. With anecdotes about life on the ships, the bands and visiting New York and stories of the musicians who emigrated to the USA and those who worked back in Britain, plus a list of over 200 musicians who were in Geraldo's Navy. (Much of the information on this page is taken from the book.) Many of the musicians who signed up for Geraldo in the late 1940s were jazz enthusiasts who wanted to get to New York to hear the 'new' bebop of Charlie Parker, Dizzy Gillespie and others live in the clubs. 
There were no records available in the UK so the musicians could bring back records and other difficult to obtain musical items. Geraldo recruited working bands and unattached musicians that he formed into 'pick-up' groups. Some liners contained four or five bands playing for different classes, the Queen Mary had twenty musicians (four in Tourist Class, five in Cabin Class, six in First Class, a string quartet and an organist). There was not a lot of jazz played on board and, pay was not that good and dress was formal, dinner jackets and bow ties in the evening. The hours could be long and the music played was mainly dance music. Contracts were normally for six months and by re-joining musicians could get regular work for a year or more. Some signed up for a number of trips.Some musicians in their time off in New York took lessons from top musicians - Tony Kinsey (with Cozy Cole), Kenny Harris (Don Lamond), Ronnie Ball and Peter Ind (Lennie Tristano), Pete Blannin (Arnold Fishkin) and Bruce Turner (Lee Konitz). The book lists the names of over 200 musicians who at one time or another were members of 'Geraldo's Navy'. Brief details of those who became well known jazz musicians are shown below: |
| Gray Allard Vic Ash Ronnie Ball Keith Barr Phil Bates Pete Blannin Alan Branscombe Lennie Breslaw Leon Calvert Jeff Clyne John Dankworth Allan Ganley Benny Green Kenny Harris Peter Ind Dill Jones Tony Kinsey Harry Klein Bill Le Sage Gerry Moore Laurie Morgan Ken Moule Colin Purbrook Leon Roy Ronnie Scott Mike Senn Norman Stenfalt Eddie Taylor Stan Tracey Reg Wale Johnny Weed |
Queen Mary Queen Mary Queen Mary Caronia, Queen Mary Mauretania Caronia, Queen Mary Mauretania Caronia, Mauretania Mauretania Mauretania Queen Mary Empress of Canada, Queen Mary Caronia Mauretania, Queen Mary Queen Mary Queen Mary Queen Mary Queen Mary Queen Mary Caronia, Queen Mary Queen Mary Queen Mary Queen Mary Queen Mary Caronia, Queen Mary Queen Mary Queen Mary Queen Mary Caronia, Queen Mary Caronia Caronia |
More... More... Worked on the liners from 1949 to '51. Emigrated in '52 More... More... More... Worked December, 1950 to September, 1951 More... More... More... More... More... First worked 1947 up to Club XI formation. More... More... More... From 1950 and emigrated in 1954 More... From 1949-51 and emigrated in 1951 More... From 1950 and finally emigrated in 1961 More... Worked in 1950 More... More... More... More... More... More... More... More... First trip in 1947, then again with his father Jock's band. More... More... More... More... More... More... More... |
Other British jazz musicians included double bass player Stan Wasser (Caronia and Queen Mary), John Drew double bass (Mauretania) and pianist Lennie Metcalfe (Mauretania). John Drew emigrated to the USA in 1954 and worked with the Gene Krupa in Miami and Las Vegas for a year before returning New York where he soon became one of the busiest bass players on the New York recording scene. He then returned to his native Liverpool and in 1961 died at the early age of 34 from leukemia. Lennie Metcalfe emigrated after working on the Mauretania for two and a half years.from 1957. He arrived in New York in 1960 and worked regularly as a pianist / vocalist for many years in hotel lounges playing cocktail piano and singing when required. Kenny Harris' fascinating book contains photographs of some of the bands that worked the liners. Names that are maybe are not as well known as those above and include: Lew Hooper, Jack Canter, Al Gay, Dave Kahn, Harry Taylor, Jack Duff and Ray Terry. . | ||