Melody Maker Readers Poll (1968)...
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Melody Maker Readers Poll (1968)...
For 74 years the "Melody Maker" was the weekly 'trade paper' for the dance band and jazz musician as well as all those interested in the modern music scene. One of it's continuing features and talking points were the annual Readers Polls where readers voted under different categories for individual musicians, singers, big bands and a host of other categories.
The annual jazz polls were a major event in the jazz world but were also an important historical record of the state of British jazz through the years and preserve some of the historical perspective on British Jazz.
This page carries the full results of the 1968 poll result published on March 1st, 1969.
1968
Again the MM Readers Poll was dominated by one man - Tubby Hayes! Voted "Top Musician" and top "Tenor Sax" he was second in the "Vibes" and "Flute" polls and he was third in the "Small Group" section...
In addition his "Mexican Green" LP was placed second in the "LP of theYear" section of the poll...

(Unlike previous years only the top three were listed for most sections).

Top Musician
1 Tubby Hayes
2 John Surman
3 Johnny Dankworth...



Trombone
1 Chris Pyne
2 George Chisholm
3 Keith Christie...



Organ
1 Alan Haven
2 Brian Auger
3 Mike Carr...



Bass
1 Dave Holland
2 Dave Green
3 Ron Mathewson...



Arranger
1 Johnny Dankworth
2 Stan Tracey
3 Michael Garrick...



LP of the year
1 Little Klunk (Stan Tracey)
2 Mexican Green (Tubby Hayes)
3 Phase III (Rendell / Carr)...



Big Band
1 Mike Westbrook
2 Ronnie Scott
3 Johnny Dankworth...



Clarinet
1 Sandy Brown
2 Acker Bilk
3 Tony Coe...



Alto sax
1 Joe Harriott
2 Peter King
3 Bruce Turner...



Baritone sax
1 John Surman
2 Ronnie Ross
3 Johnny Barnes...



Vibes
1 Frank Ricotti
2 Tubby Hayes
3 Bill Le Sage...



Drums
1 Tony Oxley
2 Phil Seamen
3 John Hiseman...



Small Group
1 Don Rendell / Ian Carr
2 Chris McGregor
3 Tubby Hayes
4 Dick Morrissey
5 Spontaneous Music Ensemble



Tenor sax
1 Tubby Hayes
2 Ronnie Scott
3 Don Rendell...



Flute
1 Harold McNair
2 Tubby Hayes
3 Johnny Scott...



Miscellaneous
1 John Surman (Soprano sax)
2 Johnny Barton (Banjo)
3 Don Rendell (Soprano sax)...



Composer
1 Stan Tracey
2 Michael Garrick
3 Johnny Dankworth...



Female Singer
1 Cleo Laine...



Trumpet
1 Ian Carr
2 Kenny Wheeler
3 Hank Shaw...



Piano
1 Stan Tracey
2 Michael Garrick
3 Gordon Beck...



Guitar
1 Terry Smith
2 Louis Stewart
3 Dave Goldberg...



New Star
1 Dave Holland...



Male singer
1 Georgie Fame...



Blues Artist
1 John Mayall
2 Eric Clapton
3 Georgie Fame...







This page was last updated during February, 2014.
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