Polly Bolton began her music career singing in the folk clubs around Leamington Spa. This article deals with when she hooked up with acoustic folk rock band, Dando Shaft, who were well aware of her talents.

1971 saw Polly Bolton finish taking her exams at Swansea University for a B.Sc degree in zoology. Polly had been interested in conservation long before ecology became a fashion ‘in’ word in every trendy person’s vocabulary.

With her studies over she could start getting down to work with Dando Shaft, one of the brightest new groups on the acoustic rock scene.

Multi instrumentalist, Martin Jenkins (fiddle, flute, mandolin, cello) and a very highly respected musician mentioned during 1971 that, ‘apart from a reasonable following in the north, the band haven’t yet had as strong an impact as they might had have’. Dando Shaft were described by the music press as ‘producing an exuberant, joyous sound’.

Dando Shaft’s album on RCA’s Neon label retains the spontaneous gaiety, though Martin said: ‘the songs are more carefully arranged, with less jamming, plus the addition of Polly – a girl from Leamington Spa – who is the latest graduate of that remarkable singer making system we call the provincial folk clubs’.

Although Polly hadn’t done much solo work, before she joined Dando, she was noticed by enough people for news of her prowess to have leaked down to London, usually the last place in Britain to know about promising new talent.

Polly had sang for a while with a folk choir called the Fenny Compton Coke Shovellers which she called ‘multi-harmony arrangements of folk evergreens’. She had known Martin and the rest of Dando when they were in Coventry, and she mentioned: ‘she’d always planned to join them when the time ripe’.

‘Well’, said a national music magazine, ‘the time is ripe now, and so is her voice, and it comes out on record as a rich mature instrument belying her youth and apparent inexperience. Perhaps the fact that most of her singing, which has been specialised – and far from being in a group context, maybe accounts for the extremely able way she has integrated herself into a group that already seemed stuffed to overflowing with talent before she joined them’.

The beauty of her singing only went to prove that there were ‘floor singers’ male and female, in abundance, in many provincial clubs who could lick some of the highly respected soloists and concert performers in London in any fair contest.

Of course, until 1971, her studies have limited what she can do with the band. And this shows on the record which includes more songs without her than with her. But in addition to her lovely singing she displays a real talent for harmony within the context of the very tight vocal sound that Dando Shaft produce.

Polly also had to get used to singing through a PA, something which her folk training hadn’t accustomed her to but essential in some of the ballrooms and heavy rock clubs where the band played.

Polly also sang on the Dando Shaft albums Lantaloon and Kingdom.

I noticed recently a commercial on TV advertising a programme called ‘Secrets of the Playboy’. The television show claimed to explore the truth behind the Playboy empire famous for its gaming and bunny girl croupiers. Seeing that documentary advertised made me wonder if Coventry group, The Ray King Soul Band – who once recorded an LP at that very venue, would be featured.

After playing dozens of gigs in Coventry and surrounding areas the reputation of The Ray King Soul Band quickly spread. Gigs were arranged way beyond the Coventry boundaries. In fact The Ray King Soul Band performed an estimated 250 to 300 gigs between 1966 through to 1970. Possibly many more. These gigs were held in many parts of the country and included at least one trip to France. And these figures do not include Ray’s gigs with his previous band The King Size Kings.

A gig by Ray and the band could last as long as two and a half hours to three hours. Quite a feat back then. News of The Ray King Soul Band reached London and, after many gigs in the capitol, the band were asked by the famous Playboy Club to perform there. During 1968 The Soul Band were offered a weekend residency. And from that residency an LP was released on the Direction label a subsidiary of CBS records.

Booking agent Victor Sutcliffe was, by then, dealing with Ray’s gigs. And Victor added the sleeve notes to the album. He wrote ‘Ray King Soul Band live session ingredients, one Ray King voice, one Tim Whelan tenor sax (with a dash of baritone), a large helping of Malc the Jenks drums, add Paul Williams guitar, Tony Lucas bass, mix with generous portion of Malc Aldridge type Hammond organ and leave to play for three hours in the London Playboy Club. Result, high quality, high fidelity long playing 12 inch album with an audience who for a few brief hours forgot that they had to go to work the following morning. Seldom on record does a live session give the same feeling as one would actually get from being there, but, this is as close as damn it. Already one of the three most popular bands in the London clubs the Ray King Soul Band is destined for the really big time, so when the opportunity is there, take it, become one of the many lovers of the Ray King Soul Band sound’.

And Victor, who headed the Tangerine Agency in London, wasn’t wrong. DJ Johnnie Walker, who once wrote a soul column for a major music magazine, was flooded with readers letters recommending the band. In his column Johnnie once said: ‘Thanks very much for your many letters re The Ray King Soul Band. They have just returned from a tour of France and are currently doing a week both on the ‘David Symonds Show’ and at the Playboy Club. This is a return gig for the band who, when there last, recorded there show for a new LP just available on the Direction label. ‘Live at the Playboy’ includes ‘Mercy’, ‘Respect’, ‘Save Me’, ‘Knock on Wood’, ‘Malita’ (a Ray King original), ‘Funky Broadway’, ‘Hold on I’m Comin’ etc etc. Haven’t heard it yet but it should be very good’.

However album reviews were not exactly as enthusiastic. They were mixed, favourable and not hugely critical of the LP. Any issues were mainly around the sound: ‘Nothing new here but its soul with a healthy sound and big beat. Nicely played too, but songs like ‘Respect’, ‘Knock on Wood’ and ‘I’m a Man’ are nearing retirement, for a while at least. The recording is occasionally a little muzzy and off balance but they do build a fair degree of excitement’.

‘Featuring songs such as ‘Respect’ and ‘Knock on Wood’ this is really a discotheque sound, with audience participation plus announcements, some live soul singing from Ray and a compact sound behind featuring mostly organ and tenor sax. These boys really go – not distinctive but exciting’.

By the time of the record’s release the music scene was rapidly changing. That said The Ray King Soul Band continued success in London was not just a flavour of the month. It lasted for another couple of years till the band broke up during 1970. Even after that Ray was in demand. But what a legacy they left us with.

Built in 1832 Drapers Hall sits on the junction of Bayley Lane and Priory Street just across from the old cathedral.

Extensive restoration work saw the building open as a music venue just over a year ago. An incredible project that has given Drapers Hall with the most elegant of interiors. The top of a curved staircase eventually leads you to a magnificent music room.

And to mark that year as an active concert room Drapers Hall recently invited London based jazz outfit, The Kansas Smitty’s to help celebrate the event. The Kansas Smitty’s, on this occasion, were a septet headed by American-Italian alto-saxophonist and clarinettist Giacomo Smith.

Covering traditional and modern jazz this was a band containing many facets. That said the tunes covered, as far as I understand, were all originals. It was an exceptional experience. Ensemble passages were effectively played with real artistry and the solos, often quite brilliant in themselves, fitted supremely into the performance.

In the distant past, and when, the music had a solo section, the soloist had to make their way to the optimum position to enable him or herself to be heard. The Smitty’s, either came with or, were treated with an excellent sound system enabling the soloist to perform without the routine of stepping up front.

There was also a time when jazz traditionalists and the modernists confronted each other artistically.

The trads would label the modernists as ‘the more extremist elements of the younger jazz generation’. They were accused of hogging the limelight. However a number of musicians committed to neither the trads or the avant garde worked away assiduously at developing a form which embraced the best elements of the past, present and the future.

More than fifty years on from those largely forgotten times and jazz bands nowadays seem to continue to do what they what. And that’s what I heard from the Kansas Smitty’s. Music without boundaries yet capturing elements of all jazz styles.

Waves of nostalgia washed over us during this gig. At least for me they did. The gig came just as I had completed a series of Coventry related jazz articles. Researching those articles got me very absorbed in the whole romance of the genre. And now here we were being entertained by some of the most classiest exponents that particular music scene has around today. In short, excellent and timeless music in the Ellington manner.

The Kansas Smitty’s are also a house band. A quote from folk far more eloquent than me ‘Music this good needs a place to live. That’s why the band run their own bar on Broadway Market, London, where they meet to record, play, drink, and entertain audiences’.

Support for the evening came from Duke Keats and his bands unique take on creating more than just a gig. Costume, feedback, artistry, it appeared to have it all.

What does a guy, who is in his mid 60s, know about Rap Music and Grime?. Well, in the case of this one, absolutely nothing. Dont get me wrong, I was not completely unaware of those genre’s. I have heard them performed. But I couldn’t tell you anything about the who’s, why’s and wherefore’s along with other fundamentals.

However, like many, I enjoy a positive and uplifting story and that was the reason which drew me towards this particular news item and to try and delve a tad more into rap and grime.

In order to give me a bit more insight, and for the purposes of this article, I did try to research the subject a little. In all honesty I hardly scratched the surface. However I found the following description of rap: ‘an insistent, recurring beat pattern that provides a background and counterpoint for rapid, slangy, and often boastful rhyming patter intoned by a vocalist or vocalists’. As for Grime, I then discovered that it, is a form of electronic music.

I also stumbled across the name ShadowCV who is an up and coming exponent of these forms of art. Furthermore ShadowCV is, it seems, one of two Coventry based artists involved in creating a music video called ‘Depzman – Life Cut Short’.

‘Depzman’ has been created as part of an anti knife crime campaign. As such, the positivity I mentioned – and which attracted my attention initially, has been created out of incredibly tragic circumstances.

A little background to it all. Joshua Ribera Aka Depzman was a rapper and grime artist from Birmingham. His art was well known in his city and his work had already began to spread across the country. Tragically Joshua was robbed of a bright future after being stabbed to death in 2013. Since that time Joshua’s mother, Alison Cope, has visited various fraternities such as schools, colleges denouncing the senselessness of knife crime and all that surrounds it.

Shadow CV, had already been making a name for himself by way of his own art. His work also touches on the subject of knife crime. And his endeavours includes ‘Pray For Peace’ a piece designed to spread awareness of the issue and broadcast a message of peace, hope, positivity and unity across the whole country. And ‘Pray For Peace’ has attracted an awful lot of attention.

There was a certain inevitability, I guess, that ShadowCV was approached about a video idea for the Joshua Ribera foundation. Shadow CVs’ involvement in the ‘Depzman’ project was a natural fit.

McCann London, who bring stories to life and tell them to the world in a way that impacts culture, had been in talks with Alison Cope about a video idea for the Joshua Ribera foundation – ‘to bring Depzman back to life using deepfake A.I technology’. ShadowCV agreed to write the lyrics for the song. And those lyrics were performed by Birmingham rapper T.Roads in order to sound as close to Depzman’s voice as possible. The work was produced by Phaze FX. The goal of the project is to keep Depzman’s memory alive while, at the same time, delivering a powerful anti knife crime message at a time where it is needed more than ever.

The video was released on 24th October. Since then it has received millions of views across multiple platforms with news of its release being covered by ITV news, BBC News and many more outlets.

The video has also been shared by U.K. artists such as Skepta, Jaykae and is currently in the pipeline to be featured on national TV programmes like BBC The One show and ITVs Loose Women.

Using and condensing ShadowCV’s own words: ‘I was born and raised in Coventry City, the city of peace and reconciliation. My plan is deliver projects like this all over the country to spread maximum awareness and inspire as many people as possible’.

The scourge of knife crime has become endemic in many areas. It is far reaching and impacts on so much more than the obvious effects. I say, good luck to the lad, the project and all they do. Positiveness is power.

Prologue by Trev Teasdel (Editor)

Richard explained ‘Our manager Paul Padun got us in with an agency. Can’t remember who. I think his relationship with John Peel opened several doors too. We did a few gigs with him. Victoria park CND rally and the Torbay jazz and blues festival to name two’.

The gig I stumbled across, which turned out to be a lengthy residency, was at the Railway Tavern, Angel Lane, Stratford (Friday) E15. As far as I can make out these nights began in 1968. Asgard hosted the evening and guests included bands like Mandrake Paddle Steamer and another Coventry band, Tim James’s Ra Ho-Tep.

The event continued into 1969. By now the event was known as the Asgard Arts Lab which included Gromit Light Show. Mandrake Paddle Steamer were still regular visitors but bands like the Strawbs, Third Ear Band, Jody Grind, Hard Meat and Audience were also putting in guest appearances.

Then Richard dropped Blaises Club into the conversation and how Asgard had also done a residency there.

Now demolished, Blaises was located in the Kensington area of West London. To be precise, it was in the basement of the Imperial Hotel at 121 Queen’s Gate. It was also an important meeting place for musicians, agents, managers and writers.

‘Blaises’, Richard explained, ‘that would have been 69/70. It was before we had our Long Wheel Base transit van, I know that as we used to go down in an old Bedford. I think it was Wednesday nights but can’t be sure. I will ask Bob Mansfield, our roadie. He remembers everything. I know we also did the Roundhouse. A sort of all weekend festival. Kevin Ayres borrowed one of our mikes and tried to keep it. We also did Eel Pie Island in the week. It was virtually empty. Just about 50 turned up. Things looked up a bit after Peel took an interest in us. Did gigs with Principal Edwards Magic theatre a few times etc’.

I mentioned to Richard that it must have been a fantastic time but also an absolute nightmare with all the travelling. He replied: ‘It was. In the Bedford we travelled in the back with the gear. Sitting on it and a couple of stools being thrown about and slipping off. It was luxury when we got the transit with aircraft seats in the back’.

I then asked Richard what a typical night at Blaises consisted of. He responded: ‘it was a DJ for half an hour then us for half an hour until 2 am. There was a fetid damp dressing room the size of a bathroom we had to sit in while the DJ was on. It was purgatory. I hated that gig. I think we got out of it by saying we weren’t going to turn up if it carried on. We did covers, mainly instrumentals. There were a couple of ours we kept in. The less psychedelic of course. ‘Green Onions’ was one I remember, a couple of Nice numbers. Small Faces. Julie Driscoll, ‘This Wheels on Fire’. etc. Then drive back to Coventry. They used to drop me off at Canley where I worked mowing for the council. We had a hut opposite the shops and I had a key, so would grab a couple of hours kip before the days work’.

Next year Richard has vowed to contact roadie Bob Mansfield and tax his brain. ‘He had to stay sober so remembers so much more’.

I for one look forward to the results. As I mentioned above, I really feel I have only touched the tip of the iceberg here.