In early March this year following a car accident and a long period in hospital, Roger Jane's life support system was turned off and Australia lost one of its favourite jazz musicians and I lost a long time friend.
Roger was loved by everyone - for his trombone and guitar playing, his vocals and his art. A measure of this feeling is that though Roger left Melbourne for Sydney in 1976, some 20 or more of his Melbourne friends traveled to Sydney to attend his funeral.
The following profile of Roger's life derives primarily from a taped interview I conducted with him on 17th July 1976 immediately prior to his departure for Sydney where he had been based ever since. My 'Roger Janes File' has helped fill in the remainder of the story.
Born in 1942, just outside of Bristol England, Roger immigrated with his family to Australia at about nine years of age. Here they settled at Noble Park, then an outer Melbourne suburb.
His father was an organist at a local church and Roger joined the choir, where he first developed his love of singing.
In 1956 his brother Peter took him to the Louis Armstrong concert at the St. Kilda Palais. Here he was greatly impressed by the trombone playing of Trummy Young and later by recordings of Jack Teagarden.
The 'bloke next door' had a number of rock'n' roll and blues recordings which he listened to, but it was going to the DownBeat concerts, listening to the Melbourne New Orleans Jazz Band, Sny Chambers' Bayside Jazz Band and Frank Johnson's Fabulous Dixielanders, that influenced his love of jazz.
At the age of nineteen Roger started working at Clemengers Advertising Agency as a messenger boy. He had always wanted to play the trombone and now had the money to purchase one, which he did, beginning lessons with Norm Dart who was also the teacher of Bill Howard. He also took lessons from Dave Rankin.
While working at Clemengers he took lessons in illustrative-art at Melbourne Technical College. Convinced that this was too commercial he began to attend the National Gallery School full time, studying amongst other subjects, life drawing, which became one of the most important facets in his art, which at times he considered more important than his trombone playing.
Roger held many exhibitions of his work in a wide variety of medium. Primarily etchings and various other print techniques, pastels, charcoals, pen and ink, watercolour and often combinations of the above. He also produced calendars and sets of photographed cards of his work.
Many of his 'subjects' often taken to the edge of caricature, were drawn from the wonderfully rich sub-culture of the streets and from the audiences in the pubs and clubs where his band performed in Balmain. Roger resided there, only five minutes walk from his Unity Hall Hotel gig.
Roger's first musical job was in a pub in Colac with a trio comprising Ian McCrea, washboard; Lance Kennedy, clarinet; Jenny Barton, Piano and sometimes John Thompson sat in on guitar. Occasionally the publican joined in on ukulele, singing rude songs!
Often Roger would visit Peggy Dyer to listen to here records and realising that he was a Warwick Dyer fan Peggy kindly presented him with one of 'Wocka's' mutes.
Cornet player Nigel Hunt led one of the first bands Roger played in and they performed in Moonee Ponds. Other members of the band included at times Dick Miller, clarinet; Dick Barnes, Bass; Andy Symes, Banjo and Peter Clohesy, drums. Later Roger replaced Charlie Powell in Eddie Robbin's band.
During this period Roger listened to actual New Orleans recordings under the guidance of Don Heap who insisted Roger go back to the original sources of the music. Bands such as that of George Lewis, rather than the English bands who were only copying the originals with varying degrees of accuracy themselves.
This is something that Roger always did, finding his inspiration at the source in all genr�s of music.... Rhythm & Blues, Western Swing, Boogie etc. On a trip to Ghana he took an interest in and played with 'Hi-Life' bands. On another he recorded with New Guinean drummers.
All these currents may be detected in the tunes he recorded with his own 'Roger Janes Band'.
Roger's memory of his earliest Jazz Conventions include playing with 'Cross-Eyed Al's Ragtime Jazz Band' led by Allan Browne and including Brett Iggulden on trumpet and Jenny Barton at the piano. At another Bill and Julie Linton wore 'l Like Ike' buttons, taking a shot at Roger's playing which they likened to the elemental trombonist of the 20s, Ike Rogers.
The joke was on the Lintons since Ike Rogers was widely respected by his New Orleans contemporaries (and Roger Janes), for his knowledge of where and how to play the trombone in a Classic Jazz ensemble.
Another place Roger attended in his early years was Jazz Centre 44 and the all night sessions with the Yarra Yarra Jazz Band, Paul Martins Slew Foot Five & Dennis Ball's Elastic Band amongst others.
On one memorable occasion Paul Martin advised him to 'go home and learn chords' which he did.
In 1965 he replaced Les Fithall in the Yarras, thus beginning a long association with Maurice Garbutt. During this period the band appeared on the ABC Jazz Club (television), at Gasworks and at the Down Beat Club. On one occasion they appeared dressed as 'Flintstone' characters, on a truck in the 1967 Moomba Parade.
In November 1968 Roger left for Sydney to join Graeme Bell's Band for a tour of England and Europe. This band comprised Graeme and Roger along with Tom Hare, trumpet & tenor sax, Andy Brown, bass and Laurie Thompson, drums. They travelled on the liner Patris to Athens where after a performance at the Athens Hilton they disbanded. Travelling on to England Roger sat in with many bands including those of Barry Martyn, Mike Casimir's Brass Band, Keith Smith, Ken Colyer, Bill Brunskill Snr and John Keane.
To make ends meet the trombonist Mike Sherbourne secured Roger a job packing kitchen supplies. Keith Smith also gave him a job packing records for Keith's mail order service. Roger took an early retirement from this position when it was found that he was stapling through both the cardboard packing and the records!
The Yarras arrived in England early 1969 and Roger took over the trombone chair from Adrian Ford who returned to the piano. The band toured all over England and Europe, with Frank Stewart replacing Dave Myers on double bass and Kay Younger joining the band as vocalist.
In January 1970 Roger married Angela Lohr a Norwegian working in London. Later they had two sons, Tor and Lars.
During a visit to London by the Olympia Brass Band from New Orleans, Roger recorded with them for the '77' label.
In Munich Roger and the Yarras recorded during a residency at the Allotria Club.
In July 1971 the Yarras commenced a tour of the USA and Canada with some further personnel changes, this time with Ashley Keating, bass; Petra Keating, banjo and Rudy Baillieu of the Belgian 'Cotton City Jazz Band' on clarinet, along with Roger, Maurice Garbutt, Lynn Wallis and Adrian Ford.
They played at Jimmy Ryans in New York and at a party at Al Volmer's home in Larchmont where Wild Bill Davidson sat in, having just attended Louis Armstrong's funeral.
After recording for George Buck's GHB label they arrived in New Orleans where they were able to perform with many of the Crescent City's legends at various clubs including the New Orleans Jazz Club.
With Butch Thompson on clarinet the Yarras performed two concerts at the Hall Brother's Emporium of Jazz in Minneapolis. Then followed three nights at Grossman's Tavern in Toronto before returning to Australia late in 1971.
In 1973 New Orleans trumpet player Alvin Alcorn toured Australia with the Yarra Yarra Jazz Band and they recorded together on the 'Emulation' label.
In 1975, pianist Don Ewell then touring here, performed in concert with the Yarras at Melbourne's Nicholas Hall. This concert was recorded and has recently been released on the GHB label. (Highly recommended! Ed.)
Continuing with the Yarras, Roger also took a tour in 1976 with the New Orleans pianist Alton Purnell along with Geoff Bull's Olympia Band. This included a concert at Melbourne's historic Esplanade Hotel promoted by Geoff and myself. Following this Roger was invited to become a regular member of Geoff's band in Sydney.
With the Olympia Band, Roger took part in various tours including that with pianist Sammy Price in 1982 and another with New Orleans vocalist Topsy Chapman together with clarinettist Sammy Rimington in 1987.
In 1978 during one of Geoff's numerous overseas absences Roger decided to form his own band. 'The Roger Janes Band' without trumpet, gave Roger the freedom and space to explore with his voice and trombone, an extremely wide variety of material drawn from the many musical directions that he had been nurturing for many years.
They continued the jazz policy which had been established at the Unity Hall in Balmain.
Initially, along with Roger the band comprised Dave Ridyard, clarinet; Gary Walford, piano, Don Heap, bass and Lynn Wallis, drums. Soon after, Barry Wratten joined on clarinet and vocals, to be replaced a couple of years later on saxophone by Marty Mooney.
This later band recorded for Alan Leake's Jazz Note label in 1981, prompting a review in The Melbourne Herald which said 'they play a mixed bag and country and western songs with bright enthusiasm'. In another the same reviewer said, 'I'm not so sure about Roger's singing, luckily most of the set is instrumental'. So much for reviewers!
They performed four nights a week for many years at the Unity Hall. Amongst various other intermittent bands that came and went on some other nights over the years, Roger's band performed every Friday night for over 22 years, right up to the time of Roger's accident. A remarkable achievement!
To list but a few of the many musicians would be to risk unfairness by omission.
Suffice to say that the Unity Hall with Roger's Band became a real workshop and 'melting pot' for a great deal of established and also emerging talent. (B.W. Ed.)
Roger was also a member of Tom Baker's Chicago Seven, recording with them at the Strawberry Hill Hotel in Sydney in 1989 and 1991 and travelling with them to the 1992 Sacramento Jazz Jubilee in California.
Together with Gary Walford, Roger was invited by Mitsuo and Akiko Suehiro to their 24th. All Japan Dixieland Jazz Festival in June 1989. Here they recorded with various bands including Osaka's New Orleans Rascals.
In November 1989 the Yarra Yarra Jazz Band celebrated their 30th anniversary and their first 'Reunion' band was formed. The personnel along with Maurice Garbutt, Karl Hird and Roger Janes in the frontline were Andy Symes, banjo & guitar; Adrian Ford, Piano; Don Heap, bass and Lynn Wallis, drums. In 1994 the Yarras were invited to Japan for Osaka's Sister Port Jazz Festival, this time taking with them Gary Walford on piano. Appearing on the same bill was The Hot Antic Jazz Band of France.
Prior to this trip the 'Reunion Band' recorded with the Yarra's original vocalist Judy Jacques for the Newmarket label on 6th &7th April 1994. Since then the Reunion Band had played many festivals including Wangaratta, Monsalvat, Thredbo, Eureka Jazz Fest, and The Melbourne International Jazz Festival.
In Sydney Roger had settled in Balmain. Tiring of the rat race of the big city that eventually swallowed this once quiet working class neighbourhood, he moved south to Callala Bay where he lived with his partner Chris Vella. With her companionship and encouragement Roger was able to find a new tranquility, concentrating on his art and developing his expertise on the Dobro pedal steel guitar, forming the band 'Ocean City' with guitarist Peter Anson.
Three CDs of this period have been released, one of which features the sounds of the waves lapping on the shore of Callala Bay, a typical Roger touch.
Roger's last appearance in Melbourne was for the Yarra Yarra's 40th Anniversary Celebrations at a Sandy Beach concert on Sunday 7th November 1999. I recorded this concert and on playing it back I realise just who we have lost!
In the words of Maurie Garbutt 'This is for those of us that knew and loved Roger Janes and those that should'.