He is a percussionist born in England during WWII whose father was an amateur drummer and xylophonist. He began his interest in music by listening to his father and taught himself by accompanying big bands on 78rpm recordings on the drum kit he received when he was 10 years old.
A local bandleader, Len Manley, allowed him to sit in while he was still young and that led his father to arranging a 12-year contract for him at the Royal Marines School of Music when he was 14 and during his years there he would make several overseas tours and appear at the Edinburgh Military Tattoo.
After leaving service he became much sought after by popular artists of the day such as Danny LaRue and he could regularly be heard on the soundtracks of films and television series such as Superman, Murder on the Orient Express, and Z Cars.
He went on to perform with many acclaimed ensembles and orchestras including the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra, the Festival Ballet, the Philip Jones Brass Ensemble, the New London Consort and was Principal Timpanist with the Orchestra of the Royal Opera House, Covent Garden, for over 30 years.
He appeared on many albums including Festive Brass, La Battaglia and Mussorgsky: Pictures at an Exhibition with the Philip Jones Brass Ensemble, The Royal Philharmonic Orchestra Plays the Music of Pink Floyd, and Susato: Dansereye with the New London Consort. He died of cancer in 2005 aged 62.
He performs here…
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