HEATHROW - FINAL APPROACH

Over the years I have photographed many subjects and enjoy all aspects of photography including architecture, disused railways, astrophotography although my favourite is my work with the wonderful models I have been fortunate to know over the past ten years. This has included fashion, portrait, cosplay, swimwear and boudoir/lingerie photoshoots. I have been fortunate to have been published in several magazines and even had one of my images used as the cover on a local magazine. More of my work can be seen on my Instagram page @peterlewry and on my Purple Port profile... https://purpleport.com/portfolio/peterlewry/

Recently I discovered another subject to photograph...planes, and in particular capturing them taking off and landing at London Heathrow Airport. In this latest article I look at the history of the airport,  the history of plane spotting and photography along with my own experiences and examples of my work.

Heathrow Airport was called London Airport until 1966 and is now known as London Heathrow. Located 14 miles from Central London it is the largest of the six international airports in the London airport system, the others being Gatwick, Luton, City, Stanstead and Southend.

It was founded in 1930 as a small airfield but in the years that followed the end of World War Two it developed into a much larger airport. Over the past seventy-five years it has expanded and today has two parallel east-west runways, four operational passenger terminals and is the main hub for both British Airways and Virgin Atlantic.

There have been many significant events at Heathrow over the years... The first non-stop flight to California sets a record for distance and time (1957), The Beatles are mobbed when they leave and arrive back from America (1964), Terminal 1 opens (1969), Concorde makes its first passenger flight (1976), London Underground link is established (1977), Heathrow Express rail service launched (1998), Airbus A380 makes its first landing (2006), Terminal 5 officially opened by Her Majesty The Queen (2008), Brand new Terminal 2: The Queen's Terminal opens (2014), Terminal 1 is closed permanently (2015) and Heathrow records its busiest year to date with more than 80 million passengers served (2018). 

There are many airlines operating at Heathrow including British Airways, Virgin Atlantic, Air France, United, Qatar, Emirates, Cathay Pacific, American Airlines and several more. Among the types of planes used by these companies are Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner's, Boeing 737's and 777's, Airbus A319's, 320's, 321's, 330's and the impressive A380.

Plane spotting is a hobby similar to that of train spotting with enthusiasts watching, photographing or detailing their movements... or even all three. People have been watching planes since aviation began although it wasn't until the Second World War that the term 'plane spotters' became a common term. It was during the war that civilians were encouraged to observe aircraft for public safety in the United Kingdom, something which was organised and encouraged by the Royal Observer Corps.

The activity led to the publication of a magazine, The Aeroplane Spotter, first published in January 1941 and, after 217 issued, ceased publication in July 1948. 

With an increased interest several groups and publications have formed over the years and the following years saw a steady increase in the hobby.

Although I had attended many military air shows throughout the 1980s, at bases including Biggin Hill, Mildenhall, Fairford, Middle Wallop, and watched the planes taking off and landing at the end of the runway at Gatwick Airport I'd never considered taking photographs seriously.

It was after seeing images on social media of planes flying low over the houses on their approach to London Heathrow that made me want to try my hand at similar photography. I spent some time researching suitable locations and the dates and times planes took off and landed in both directions, using the Heathrow Alternation Schedule which was available on the Heathrow site. There are two runways, 27L and 27R, and the direction of flights change every other week, although sometimes this is different, as I would find out during my first trip.

Research showed that Myrtle Avenue, a short walk from Hatton Cross Underground, was a popular stop for plane enthusiasts and photographers. It is located at the eastern end of the south runway 27L. At the end of the road is a large green field where those with similar interests congregate. At times there can be just 2 or 3 people while more often there will be well over 20 people, with their cameras, chairs and a good supply of food and drink.

In March 2024 I made my first trip and on arriving at Heathrow discovered the planes were only taking off in the direction of London rather than coming into land. This was due to the weather conditions and wind direction.

Although I was disappointed that I wouldn't be able to capture the planes approaching over the houses I did learn a lot about plane photography on this first visit. I was still able to capture some images which, for my first efforts, I was very pleased with. As they were taking off it was harder to get good images of the whole plane and most of the images I took that day showed more of the underside of the planes, but it was still a fun and interesting few hours.

It was amazing to see the variety of planes, airlines and the frequency which meant there was a plane flying over every 90 seconds. 

I had the chance to chat to a few other plane enthusiasts/photographers and learnt a lot from them, including a few tips on the times and dates that were best for photography and also suggesting that I use the Flightradar24 app. 

Once home I downloaded the Flightradar24 app and found it was invaluable for anyone interested in spotting planes. It is the best flight tracker for both IOS and Android on which you can track live air traffic around the world from a mobile device.

The app allows you to see flights around the world in real time, follow flights in 3D, search flights (by flight number, call sign, airline or route), find out which flights are nearby with AR View by pointing your device at the sky and see data from past flights. Most importantly for those wishing to photograph planes is the option to view airport departures and arrivals with flight status, delay stats, weather conditions and aircraft on the ground. This is also available by choosing a particular airport in the menu or tapping on the airport pin on the map. Although I only refer to it for flights at Heathrow it does cover every other airport in the world and has been an invaluable tool during my photography trips.

My next trip was a couple of weeks later and having checked my app before leaving home I knew that I would be able to capture images of the planes coming into land.

I captured the best photos I had taken so far as I had the opportunity to watch and photograph the planes as they came into land on Runway 27L.

It was quite a sight watching the planes flying low over the houses and trees and flying so low to where I was standing as they crossed overhead and approached the runway.

I stayed for almost three hours and among the airlines that I photographed were Qatar, Logan Air, Air France, Emirates, Singapore Airlines and even one operated by DHL. 

My favourite images from this trip were those of the Emirates and Singapore Airlines Airbus A380, an impressive plane, and worth the long wait. It was the final plane I captured before I headed back into Central London. 

My third visit was another opportunity to capture planes landing on Runway 27L and again I was really pleased with the images. It was during this visit that I captured the best, and my favourite, images of planes and the houses/trees which really showed how low they are when coming into land.

I also took this opportunity to get some close-ups of the undercarriage and engines. 

My last trip found me viewing the planes taking off again and with everything I had learnt during my previous visits meant that there was a marked improvement on the images I took during my first efforts.

The images I have included in this article are only a fraction of those I have taken during my four visits.

Until now I have only used Myrtle Avenue, and the immediate area, as my location but there are several other places which I plan on visiting in the future and will be making more photography trips to Heathrow. Keep an eye on my Instagram profile... @peterlewry for more images.

WAR BY TIMETABLE

Recently returned from my fifth Leger Battlefield Tour... War By Timetable, which explored the role of trains in World War One. This tour covered two of my many interests, history and steam trains and, as with previous Leger Battlefield Tours, did not disappoint.

In this article I take a detailed look back at the tour, the places we visited and where relevant, some World War One history. I have also included just a small selection of the many photos I took during my trip.

Our journey began early in the morning with the short journey down to Stop 24 in Folkestone where we boarded our tour coach for the week. The original plan was to head to Dover and catch the ferry to Calais. Unfortunately, due to problems beyond the control of Leger, we were delayed and a change of plan saw us take the Eurotunnel across to France. I must say at this point that the staff at the Leger desk were excellent, keeping us updated and also supplying food vouchers and drinks during the long wait for our replacement coach to make its journey from Nottingham down to the coast.

During our drive through the French countryside towards our hotel in Saint Quentin our guide, Andrew, pointed out several interesting locations relevant to the First World War including Vimy Ridge, Arras and Cambrai. His knowledge of the subject was second-to-none and he told us stories about how the war started, Britain's involvement and the various battles.

As we passed Vimy Ridge we heard how, in April 1917, four divisions of the Canadian Corps in the 1st Army fought against three divisions of the German 6th Army with the objective of drawing the Germans away from the French forces who were preparing an offensive along the Aisne and the Chemin des Dames Ridge. It was part of the Battle of Arras.

The Battle Of Arras was a British offensive during April and May 1917 which saw them achieve the greatest advance since trench warfare had begun, although when the German defences recovered it resulted in a costly stalemate for both sides.

Continuing towards Saint Quentin we passed close to Cambrai, the site of a late-1917 British attack and the biggest German counter-attack since 1914. It has gone down in history as the first battle to use tanks and records show the use of over 350 armoured vehicles involved during the offensive.

Arriving at the hotel it was time for a refreshing pint and then a good nights sleep in preparation for the busy days ahead.

An early breakfast and then we set off to our first stop of the day, the Steam Railway of the Three Valleys in Belgium whose name derives from the three rivers the line follows, the River Eau Blanche, River Eau Noire and River Viroin. It is a non-profit society that operates the service which connects with the Belgian rail network at Mariembourg.

A specially arranged journey on a period steam train saw us travel the 14 kilometre journey from Mariembourg via Nismes, Olloy-sur-Viroin and Vierves to Treignes, the last station before the French border. The line does continue the 2.5 kilometres to the border but is not used anymore. An enjoyable journey with great views of the Belgium countryside from our carriage. The staff at the station and onboard the train were excellent and very helpful.

At the end of the journey there was time to look around the museum which was very interesting with its collection of various trains, both steam and electric, along with items of railway memorabilia.

Following a quick lunch, Croque Monsieur and a refreshing drink, in the cafe at the station in Treignes we headed out of Belgium and to our next stop in France.

At La Capelle we visited the memorial marking the spot where the German parliamentarians crossed the French lines seeking an Armistice on 7 November 1918.

The German government, under Prince Max of Baden, had contacted President Woodrow Wilson asking him to open the way for an armistice. Conditions were imposed on Germany and they were told to nominate a delegation to Western Front Commander in Chief, Marshal Ferdinand Foch. Once done the Germans were told where to approach the French lines where troops were told to expect the delegations arrival. 

Four cars with full headlights, displaying white flags and with a trumpeter sounding the cease fire approached the French lines near the hamlet of Haudroy. It was there a French bugler, Pierre Sellier, replaced the German trumpeter on the duckboard and would continue the journey to La Capelle and onto Compiegne where the armistice was signed on 11 November 1918, ending four years of conflict. 

On 14 August 1940, during the Second World War, the Armistice Memorial was destroyed by the Germans, who deemed it offensive, and it was reconstructed and inaugurated a few years later after the end of the war.

During the day and while we were on the coach travelling between the different points of interest we were told more about the war. In particular, the history of the 1st Division British Expeditionary Force (the first British formation to move to France and who took part in most of the actions throughout the war), the various battles and in particular The Battle of St. Quentin (also called the First Battle of Guise), the Battle of Le Cateau, the rear guard action at Etreux and the Retreat from Mons.

The Retreat from Mons was the withdrawal of the British Expeditionary Force and the French 5th Army following defeats at the Battle of Charleroi and the Battle of Mons, both in August 1914.

A counter-attack by the French at Guise on 29 and 30 August failed to end the German advance. Similar attempts by the British at Le Cateau and Etreux also failed.

At Chapeau Rouge, La Groise we stopped to view the BEF Memorial which bears the inscription, "To the Glory of God and to the abiding memory of the 1st Division British Expeditionary Force which from August 1914 to November 1918 served and suffered in France and left there close upon 16,000 dead." It also includes the final two lines of Rudyard Kipling's poem, For All We Have And Are, "Who Stands If Freedom Fall? Who Dies If England Live?"

Following the retreat from Mons in August 1914 many of the soldiers from the 2nd Battalion of the Royal Munster Fusiliers were buried in an orchard at Etreux. The family of Lieutenant Frederick Styles, who had been killed during the rearguard action, purchased the orchard and erected a large Celtic Cross in the centre of the cemetery. The cross listed the battle honours of The Munsters.

There are 99 identified graves at Etreux British Cemetery including Second Lieutenant Carol Edward Vere Awdry of the Royal Munsters, whose story was told to us. On 27th August Awdry, sword drawn, led his men in support of the attack that was underway and was killed by a shot through the lungs.

I recognised the surname and was reminded of where from, when we were told about his family. Carol Edward Vere Awdry's half-brother was Wilbert Vere Awdry, an Anglican cleric, railway enthusiast and children's author. More famously known as the Reverend W, Awdry, he was the creator of Thomas The Tank Engine and author of the series of children's books.

Our final visit of the day was to the Necropole Nationale - Flavigny Le Petit Cemetery in Guise. The cemetery was constructed by the Germans following the Battle of Guise in August 1914. It is unusual in that there are soldiers buried from three different nations, Germany, France and Britain. It was interesting walking around and seeing the different headstones/crosses used by the various nations.

The cemetery contains the graves of 2,332 German soldiers killed in World War One. The cemetery also includes other casualties from the war with 2,643 French graves and 48 British graves.

Back at the hotel, following an informative and enjoyable day, with temperatures during the day between 26 and 30 degrees it was good to relax and enjoy a couple of pints in the hotel bar.

Day two began at the Bagneux British Cemetery located close to the village of Gezaincourt near the town of Doullens. 

It was at this point of our trip that we learnt more about the Casualty Clearing Stations. Known originally as Clearing Hospitals they were part of the evacuation chain although they were located further back than the field hospitals. Manned by the Royal Army Medical Corps their job was to treat soldiers so they could return to the front line or, in the case of the seriously wounded, transferred to a base hospital. They were normally located near to railways to allow movement between the battlefield and hospitals. Throughout the war these Casualty Clearing Stations would relocate as the front line moved.

Bagneux Cemetery was our next stop during the tour and along with the Devonshire Cemetery, which was our last stop on the tour (more of which later), was very emotional. There are 1,374 soldiers of the First World War buried or commemorated there including three nurses who were killed in nearby Doullens.

On 30 May 1918 the Germans bombed the No. 3 Canadian Stationary Hospital based in an ancient citadel in Doullens. The nurses were assisting in surgery when the bombing took place and all three were killed and buried in Bagneux Cemetery approximately 2 kilometers from where they died.

The nurses were, Nursing Sister Agnes MacPherson (age 27), Nursing Sister Eden Lyal Pringle (age 24) and Nursing Sister Dorothy Mary Yardwood Baldwin (age 26). We were shown photos of the nurses while standing near the graves which was a very sad moment.

We had time to walk around the cemetery and read some of the inscriptions on the gravestones. What always strikes me whenever I visit a Commonwealth War Graves Cemetery is how peaceful and well-maintained they are and it is thanks to all those who work for the Commonwealth War Graves Commission (CWGC) for all their dedicated and hard work all over the world.

On our short walk back to the coach we discovered part of the railway line that ran past the cemetery and close to the Casualty Clearing Stations in the area.

A 30-minute drive found us at our next place of interest, Heilly Station Cemetery. In April 1916 the 36th Casualty Clearing Station was located in Heilly, to be joined in May and June by the 38th and 2/2nd London. However, by June 1917 all three had moved on.

It was in May 1916 that work began on the cemetery, a short distance from Heilly Station, and was used by the three Casualty Clearing Stations until April 1917. During 1918 it was used by Australian units then hospital burials when the 20th Casualty Clearing Station was based nearby.

There are 2,800 servicemen buried or commemorated with 12 of the graves unidentified. There were also casualties whose graves were not exactly located and special memorials were erected. The cemetery also includes 83 German graves.

Many of the burials were carried out under extreme pressure with many graves close together and not marked individually. Furthermore, some contained multiple burials and these did not include the regimental badges. However, along the cloister walls there are 117 badges carved into the wall.

Once again this is another cemetery that is well-tended and so peaceful. In fact, when we turned up there were volunteers working on cutting grass and undertaking general maintenance. They even stopped working so as not to disturb our visit.

For lunch we stopped at Corbie, a short distance from Heilly, where we found a nice cafe in the city square and enjoyed a meal and drink before returning to the coach.

On our way to our next stop, another train journey, we passed the site where Baron von Richthofen (The Red Baron) was shot down on 21 April 2018 over the Morlancourt Ridge close to Vaux-sur-Somme. There is a debate as to who actually shot him down. It has been said he was flying low over Australian positions and gunners shot him down although another claim is that Canadian pilot Roy Brown who was flying behind and above Richthofen was responsible. Maybe we will never know for sure.

Our next steam train journey would see us travel through the Somme Battlefield in open sided carriages, and was the most interesting of the three train journeys on the tour.

The 600mm narrow gauge railway was built in 1916 for the needs of the Battle of The Somme and used to supply the trenches and artillery with estimates of 1,500 tonnes moved every day. It was part of a larger military network built in preparation of the 1916 offensive. After the war it was operated by a sugar refinery in Dompierre to transport sugar beet. In the 1970s a group of enthusiasts bought the line and rolling stock from the refinery and hunted across the country for other locomotives. They opened the line which ran for 1.5 kilometres in 1971.

We all boarded our open-sided carriage for the journey and had already been advised not to wear anything white during the journey as the smoke and soot emanating from the train while we were in the tunnel might ruin our clothes. Fortunately it was all ok.

During the one-hour return journey, which runs alongside the Somme Canal and River Somme, there are superb views of the Somme Valley. There was also time after the journey to look around the museum, located at the departure point, which held a fascinating collection of narrow-gauge rolling stock and other items.

Another interesting and emotional day came to an end and it was back to the hotel for dinner and a good rest.

The next day found us heading to Le Crotoy and The Steam Railway at the Bay of the Somme for our final rail journey which would take us to St Valery-sur-Somme. It is another narrow-gauge railway that runs the entire length of the bay connecting Le Crotoy with Noyelles-sue-Mer and St Valery. During the summer season it runs on to Cayeux-sur-Mer.

During the almost 25 kilometre journey we passed brooks lined with willows, salt and freshwater marshes, fields, and the beautiful greenery of the Somme Bay.

Throughout the whole trip my love of steam trains and old railways was well catered for and at St Valery there was another highlight for those on the trip who had the same interest as me, and there were quite a few. We had the opportunity to watch as the train was uncoupled and with the use of a turntable moved onto another track and travel to the other end of the train to be coupled for the return home.

We had a couple of hours in St Valery and a group of us walked along the waterfront, grabbed a drink at a lovely little cafe and then a much needed ice cream before returning to the coach.

St Valery is a lovely seaport and resort on the south bank of the River Somme estuary and with its medieval character and long waterfront area has become a popular tourist destination. It is somewhere I would love to visit again and spend more time looking around.

It was back to Le Crotoy and the Communal Cemetery to find out more about those soldiers 'Shot at Dawn'. The actual cemetery only holds four World War One casualties, one of which is Lieutenant Edwin Leopold Arthur Dyett.

During World War One the British Army executed around 300 soldiers of which just three were officer, Edwin Dyett was one of those officers. A junior officer in the Nelson Battalion of the 63rd (Royal Naval) Division, in October 1916 he was with the rest of the Division on The Somme preparing for the attack on Beaucourt-sure-Ancre.

Feeling that he wasn't suitable, an impression the Company Commander shared, he had already applied to be transferred away from the front. Not considered as quality material he was left as a reserve officer and was only sent forward with the reserves. Unable to find anyone from his unit he chose to return to Brigade Headquarters with another officer. He took exception to being asked by a junior officer to accompany men who needed to be taken back to the front lines and he continued towards the rear.

He was reported by the junior officer for refusing to go forward and the following day was arrested and later charged with desertion. He did not give evidence at his trial and  on 2 January 1917 Field Marshal Haig confirmed the death sentence. Dyett was told on 4 January and the following day, at 07.30, he was shot at dawn by members of his own Battalion. His final words were, "For God's sake shoot straight."

Although China never sent any troops overseas during World War One more than 100,000 labourers served as part of the British Army for both the British and French forces during the war. As the Chinese Labour Corps, they cleared mines, built munitions depots, transported supplies and repaired roads and railways.

Noyelles-sur-Mer was the base depot of the Chinese Labour Corps, their biggest camp and also the site of the No.3 Labour General Hospital. Almost 2,000 lost their lives and 841 are buried at the Chinese Cemetery in Noyelles which was our next visit.

The inscriptions on the headstones are in Chinese and included four different inscriptions in English and Chinese with one reading, "A Noble Duty Bravely Done." There is an inscription carved on the entrance which in English translates roughly to, "This site commemorates the sacrifice paid by the 1,900 Chinese workers who lost their lives during the 1914-1918 war, these are my friends and colleagues whose merits are incomparable." The cemetery is adorned with trees native to China, creating a reminder of their homeland.

I had never heard of the Chinese Labour Corps and it was very interesting to find out more about their contribution to the war. 

The main entry point to the Somme battlefields in 1916 for most of the soldiers was Pont-Remy Station and it was there we headed to next. Now disused, although trains run by SNCF still travel between Amiens and Abbeville, the station and cobbles leading up to the station once echoed to the sound of the many thousand troops heading to the front lines.

I was surprised there is no information at the station on its history and maybe SNCF should consider a board detailing its World War One connection along with relevant images from the period.

Our final visit of the tour was to the Devonshire Cemetery near Mansell Copse (not included in the original itinerary but as our guide put it... 'A Brucie Bonus') and it was somewhere I am glad we had the opportunity to see.

Before entering the cemetery we had a chance to view where the British and German lines were on the 1st July, the first day of the Battle of The Somme. The two images below are taken from where the British trenches were located, south of Mametz, and show the view across to what would have been the German trenches.

Mametz was within the German lines and captured on the first day of the battle while the woods to the east were taken in the days that followed.

The cemetery just visible in the lower picture is the Gordon Cemetery which was made by the men of the 2nd Gordon Highlanders who buried their dead from the 1st July in what had been a support trench.

At the Devonshire Cemetery we heard about their part in the battle. The 8th and 9th Battalions of the Devonshire Regiment attacked the German lines on 1st July and suffered very heavy losses as they left their forward trench. Later that day the survivors buried their fallen comrades, over 160 men, in the same trench. Three days later a ceremony was held and a wooden cross was placed bearing the words "The Devonshires Held This Trench, The Devonshires Hold It Still."

Of the 163 graves, ten are unidentified burials and only two were not part of the Devonshire Regiment. Looking at the two rows of graves it was easy to see where the original trench had been and it was an emotional moment to look at the headstones and imagine what it must have been like back in 1916. Along with the Bagneux Cemetery discussed earlier, this visit was the saddest part of the whole trip.

The wooden cross disappeared, possibly stolen, and in the 1980s officers of the Devonshire Regiment, who were visiting the site, decided to do something about it. On their return a collection was made and a new stone was placed at the entrance to the cemetery bearing the same words as the wooden cross. Those words certainly got to me and will forever live in my memory.

It was the end of our tour and time to head back to the hotel for dinner, a final few pints and a last chance to sit and talk to the other people on the tour before packing and an early night. We had to leave early the next morning for our journey home and although it was sad to be going home there were so many memories to look back on. 

I met a great group of people on the tour and especially want to mention Jules whose company I enjoyed over dinner and a few pints.

There are still so many tours I would like to do and next year I will be going on the Operation Market Garden trip to Arnhem with my good friend John Chisholm, who I met on my previous trip to Dunkirk.

Last, but by no means least, thanks go to our knowledgeable tour guide Andrew Thornton and our excellent driver Michael (Mick) Page who besides doing an amazing job, certainly kept the rest of us in the coach amused with their banter and jokes each day.

KEEPING THE SHOW ON THE ROAD

I have followed The Jive Aces for many years and seen them in concert at the annual Big Jive All Dayer in my hometown of Worthing and at their major yearly event Summertime Swing. I also own all of their albums and really enjoy their mix of swing, jazz, rock 'n' roll and jive music.

The line-up consists of Ian Clarkson (vocals, trumpet & ukulele), Alex Douglas (trombone, washboard & blues harp), 'Big' John Fordham (tenor saxophone, clarinet & fiddle), Vince 'Professor' Hurley (piano), Ken Smith (double bass), Peter 'Bilky' Howell (drums) and Grazia Bevilacqua (accordion).

For over three decades they have been the Number One UK Jive and Swing band with a worldwide following, touring all across the United Kingdom, throughout Europe and America.

I have spent many hours backstage chatting to them and the other acts that have appeared on their shows and photographed their 'All Dayers' in Worthing, some of which have been published, alongside my show reviews, in various magazines including Vintage Rock and Vintage World. 

Photograph (c): The Jive Aces

They have recently released their latest CD, Keeping The Show On The Road, recorded at Mad Hatter Studios in Los Angeles, and in this latest article I take an in-depth look, song-by-song, at the album including the history of the songs.

The album opens in style with Rockin' Is Our Bizness, a song written by twins Cliff and Claude Trenier who, under the name The Treniers, had a hit with the song back in 1953. Like the original, the Jive Aces follow a similar sound with a solid, thumping beat and great saxophone solos. During the song each member of the band is given a mention.

Clementine dates back to 1884 and is a traditional American folk ballad often known as Oh, My Darling Clementine. Original lyrics were written by Percy Montrose and based on an earlier song, Down By The River Liv'd A Maiden. First recorded in English by Bing Crosby in 1941 it has also been recorded by Bobby Darin with lyrics by Woody Harris. Ian Clarkson provides a great vocal which is accompanied by excellent playing from the other band members.

In 1931 Duke Ellington and Irving Mills composed what has become a jazz standard, It Don't Mean A Thing (If It Ain't Got That Swing). Ellington, speaking about the song, said, "It was famous as the expression of a sentiment which prevailed among jazz musicians at the time," It is also one of the earliest uses in popular music of the word 'swing.' Opening with some great drumming by Peter 'Bilky' Howell and featuring excellent horn playing by Alex Douglas and 'Big' John Fordham it is given a joyful rendition. Mid-song Vince 'Professor' Hurley shows why he is one of the greatest keyboard players around today. Once again a great vocal from Clarkson.

Henry Mancini's Pink Panther Theme will always be associated with the 1963 comedy film The Pink Panther starring Peter Sellers in the role of Inspector Jacques Clouseau. The film, the first in a series, also starred David Niven, Robert Wagner, Capucine and Claudia Cardinale. The instrumental was nominated for an Academy Award (Best Original Score) but lost out to Mary Poppins. The original featured a saxophone solo played by Plas Johnson and here it is 'Big' John Fordham who takes all the plaudits for some excellent playing supported well by the rest of the band. With it's smoky nightclub feel and great rhythm it is one of the many highlights on the album.

La Vie En Rose follows and is my favourite track on the album. Written in 1945 it has become the signature song of French singer Edith Piaf who released her version in 1947. During the 1950s the song became popular in America with no less than seven versions making the Billboard charts, including covers by Tony Martin, Bing Crosby and Dean Martin. Edith Piaf is credited with writing the lyrics with music added by Luis Guglielmi while the English lyrics were written by Mack David. The literal translation of the title is "Life in pink."

Grazia Bevilacqua opens the song with her fantastic accordion playing before the rest of the band join in for a beautiful cover of this classic song. Released recently as a single it gave them a number one on the Heritage Chart and the accompanying video has received over seven thousand views on You Tube. Close your eyes and you will be taken back to a French nightclub in the 1940s.

The American blues and jazz standard, St. James Infirmary was made famous by Louis Armstrong's 1928 recording which was credited to Don Redman as composer although later versions listed Joe Primrose, the pseudonym of music promoter and publisher Irving Mills. Within two years more than twenty versions had been released including a recording by country music singer Jimmie Rodgers with the title Those Gambler Blues. Ian Clarkson opens this classic song with some muted-trumpet before performing a bluesy vocal that sends shivers down your spine. Great support from the rest of the band as always.

Written in the 1950s by Clyde Otis and Murray Stein Baby, You've Got What It Takes, originally titled You've Got What It Takes, was first recorded by Dorothy Pay, Brook Benton's sister, in 1958. The following year Benton would also record the song as a duet with Dinah Washington, reaching #5 on the Billboard Hot 100 and #1 on the Hot R&B Chart. On this fun version The Jive Aces are joined by Bill Haley's daughter, Gina Haley who I was fortunate to see at one of the Big Jive All Dayer events at which she gave an incredible performance. Clarkson's and Haley's voices work well together and it would be great to hear more duets by them.

Bim Bam was written by pianist and songwriter Ray Stanley and released in 1958 as a single by Sam Butera and The Witnesses. Stanley played piano on early sessions for Eddie Cochran and also recorded a number of his own songs including Let's Get Acquainted and the bluesy Common Sense. Another strong performance from the band with some excellent guitar work although it is not listed who played it on this track.

A major hit for Dean Martin, That's Amore is a classic and has become Martin's signature song. The song, written by Jack Brooks and Harry Warren, first appeared in the Dean Martin & Jerry Lewis film and soundtrack The Caddy in which Martin is the main singer but Lewis joins in. Nominated for an Academy Award (Best Original Song of the Year) it lost out to Secret Love from Calamity Jane. For the second time on the album it is Grazia Bevilacqua and her accordion who make this song a great performance. Following a slow and sexy start the song soon moves up a gear and everyone joins in for a wonderful up-tempo version that finds Ian Clarkson handling the lyrics perfectly. I just love the slowed down ending and interplay between the vocals and accordion.

Composed by New Jersey born Jack Fina, who started out playing piano in Clyde McCoy's band in the 1930s and later joined Freddy Martin's band where he became famous when he featured on Tonight We Love. In 1946 he turned to the classic Flight Of The Bumblebee, written by Rimsky-Korsakov for his opera The Tale Of Tsar Saltan, and composed a boogie-woogie version which he called Bumble Boogie. It became a hit and was featured in the 1946 musical It's Great To Be Young. This instrumental is a showcase for Vince 'Professor' Hurley whose pounding piano is really impressive. 

With original lyrics written in 1843 by Ukranian poet and writer Yevhen Hrebinka and featuring a melody based on Valse Hommage written by Florian Hermann, Dark Eyes would go through several lyrics changes over the following years. It has been covered, in various styles, by Maxine Sullivan, Danny Kaye, Spike Jones and Louis Armstrong among others. The song is often described as having an old gypsy melody and that is exactly what is created in the version featured on the album. Another strong instrumental that fits well with the other tracks on the album.

Night Train is a twelve-bar blues instrumental standard written by Oscar Washington and Jimmy Forrest and is another song that has gone through a number of lyrical changes with the earliest credited to Lewis P. Simpkins, co-owner of United Records, back in 1952. Clarkson's bluesy vocal is accompanied by excellent support, especially from the horn section. 

The only original on the album is the title track, Keeping The Show On The Road which fits perfectly among the other tracks. Written by Jive Aces frontman Ian Clarkson the song sums up the bands characteristics and credibility.

Big Noise From Winnetka was originally an instrumental written by Bob Haggart and Ray Baudec, bass player and drummer in the Bob Crosby Orchestra. Lyrics were added by Crosby and Gil Rodin and following it's early success it appeared in films including 1941's Let's Make Music and 1943's Reveille With Beverley. Over the years it has been recorded by Gene Krupa, Kenny Ball, Jack Teagarden and Eddy Mitchell, in French, Quand Une Fille Me Plait. Closing the album is a strong performance that once again shows the skills of everybody involved, especially Ken Smith who plays some great bass and Peter 'Bilky' Howell's drumming.

In the brief liner notes that accompany the album they write, "We have captured the sound and energy of these most requested songs from our live show on record for the first time. We hope you enjoy them as much as we do and that they inspire you to keep the show on the road."

The album certainly bought back many memories of the 2024 Big Jive All Dayer where I watched them perform several songs from the album including Keeping The Show On The Road,  St. James Infirmary, That's Amore and Le Vie En Rose. The latter two were memorable for the accordion playing by Grazia Bevilacqua and the chemistry between her and Ian which was a joy to watch.

I have loved the retro feel that is used on the covers of their previous albums and this latest release is no exception. Featuring an image of a tour bus on the road it sums up the contents of this latest release with its vintage design which was created by Michael Lombardi.

A great album full of wonderful music and one which, I am sure, will find a regular place in the CD player. Don't miss out, pick up a copy today. It can be purchased, along with their other releases and merchandise, from their on-line store - https://jiveaces.org/store

Thanks to Grazia Bevilacqua for providing a review copy of the CD for my collection.

JOHNNY CASH - SONGWRITER

By 1993 Johnny Cash was drifting. When his relationship with Columbia fell apart in the early 1980s he signed with Mercury Records hoping that he would get the support and promotion he felt he deserved.

Unfortunately this was not the case and his deal with them soon turned sour. In 1993, with a career that had been going for almost forty years, his prospects looked bleak. He hadn’t recorded for Mercury for close to three years.

Photography: Alan Messer

Under the terms of his 1986 contract with Mercury they were still owed one more album from Cash. However, neither party were in any particular rush–Cash in producing it or Mercury in releasing it. They both seemed keen to end the relationship and move on.

Struggling to be relevant again Johnny Cash found himself at LSI on 15 January 1993 to record some demos to present to prospective record labels. LSI Sound Studios was originally located on Freehill Road in Hendersonville and among the hits recorded there was Heaven’s Just A Sin Away by The Kendalls in the late seventies.

By 1979 the studio had relocated to 1006 17th Avenue South in Nashville. The studio was owned by Mike Daniel the ex-husband of Rosey Carter. Cash had worked there in March 1991, recording God’s Hands and a remake of Don’t Take Your Guns To Town and again in December 1992.

In fact the session just before Christmas 1992 was the last time he would record with W. S. Holland, Earl Ball and Dave Roe together. At this session they recorded three tracks – It Ain’t Me and remakes of Big River and I Walk The Line. None of these tracks have been issued.

Backing Cash on these 1993 demo sessions were Kerry Marx (guitar), Dave Roe (bass), Terry McMillan (harmonica) and House of Cash publicist Hugh Waddell (drums).

I interviewed Hugh Waddell for the Johnny Cash Fanzine and he explained why he was chosen to play drums, “W.S. Holland played on many such demos but for this particular session John invited me to play. Jackson, Tennessee was too far for Holland to have to drive for just some demo work.”

Over the previous few months Cash had been writing again and brought ten new songs to the sessions and an old track that he wanted to revisit.

Two sessions were held that day and at the first Cash recorded Drive On, Hey Alright, Like A Soldier, I Love You Tonite and She Sang Sweet Baby James. A further five tracks were recorded at the second session, Have You Ever Been To Little Rock, Soldier Boy, Hello Out There, Poor Valley Girl and Spotlight.  Cash also recorded a song from his early days, Sing It Pretty Sue, producing a version with just his acoustic guitar as accompaniment.

Thanks to Hugh Waddell four of the songs have since been released. The songs were found on some cassettes as he explains, “About ten years ago I found a box of unlabelled cassettes. I started to toss out the whole lot as I did not even own a cassette player anymore. However, as I didn’t know what was on these tapes, I borrowed a player and was blown away.

At the session I had asked Mike to make me a rough mix of some of the songs and these were on one of the tapes.” The Return To The Promised Land CD, released in 2000, included the complete audio from the video and this had a running time of only forty-five minutes. Waddell was looking for something to include on the soundtrack to bring the total running time up to an hour and when he found the cassette tapes, knew they would do the trick.

He explained why he chose those particular tracks. “Like A Soldier and Hello Out There were my personal favourites, both lyrically and the way the demos just sounded and felt. I also knew John would want the song he wrote about June, Poor Valley Girl, and John was at ease in singing Soldier Boy. These four songs just fit and more importantly they were the only four songs Mike had been able to mix quickly for me that night. It made the song selection quite easy!” He then contacted Cash about using the tracks who had no objections to them being released.

Waddell has fond memories of the sessions , “I do recall that John told me to just hear the song and play what I felt, as far as the beat. He knew that I was not W.S. Holland and could not and did not want to play like W.S., so it was relaxing to be able to just play what I felt, with no pressure.

Of course, John had that calming effect on musicians after he’d talk to them. He’d confront players with that ‘I’m playing with Johnny Cash’ syndrome and have players just play what they felt. He always seemed to get the best out of musicians who were backing him, whether in a studio or live.”

Recording the tracks was only part of the process and now Cash needed to gain some interest from a record company. After Columbia dropped him he had made the journey from Hendersonville to Nashville time and time again in the hope that the new generation of Nashville record executives would listen to his songs. Seven years had passed and he knew that it would be even harder this time.

Fortunately the bearded rap producer, Rick Rubin, was waiting around the corner and would take Cash in a totally new direction. In fact Cash would re-record two of the demo tracks, Drive On and Like A Soldier, for his first album produced by Rubin.

Most of the material recorded in 1993 has remained unissued for over thirty-one years but has finally been released on a new album, Songwriter, albeit not as originally recorded. As the title suggests every song is written by Johnny Cash and showcases his range of subjects including love, sorrow, beauty, salvation and humour, all in his unmistakable trademark voice. .

John Carter-Cash and producer David 'Fergie' Ferguson have taken the original recordings, stripped them back to just Johnny Cash's vocals and acoustic guitar and invited a group of musicians, many who had worked with Cash previously, to breathe new life into the recordings. For me the results are a mixed bag.

Both Marty Stuart and Dave Roe had previously worked with Cash and Roe's contributions to this new album were recorded just before his untimely death in September 2023.

Other musicians featured include Pete Abbot, Russ Pahl, Mark Howard, Mike Rojas, Kerry Marx and Wesley Orbison. Additional vocals are provided by Harry Stinson, a member of Marty Stuart's Fabulous Superlatives, and Vince Gill.

Songwriter opens with Hello Out There, one of the four songs that had previously been released in its original form on Return To The Promised Land. This message song is close to Cash's heart as he reflects on the fate of the planet with lyrics that include... "In this final fight for life and peace, We're failing, failing, failing." It is a song that definitely benefits from the additional work when compared to the original.

Featuring Black Keys guitarist Dan Auerbach who provides a great bluesy solo, Spotlight is a soul-drenched heartbreak song with Cash's distinctive baritone. Talking about the recording Auerbach said, "It was the thrill of a lifetime to be able to play guitar on a Johnny Cash song. Hearing his voice through the speakers in my studio sent chills down my spine."

Both Drive On and Like A Soldier are songs that Cash would go on to record with Rick Rubin for the album American Recordings. Drive On is my least favourite song on the album and the Rubin produced version is far superior. The lyrics need a less cluttered backing and the version here is spoilt with the additional backing and computer/studio trickery. Like A Soldier, which closes the album, is much better but once again the Rick Rubin version can't be beaten. It is also another song that was previously released in its original 'demo' form.

Waylon Jennings, who joined Cash at the sessions in 1993, provided backing vocals on Like A Soldier and I Love You Tonite. The latter is a beautiful love song to June Carter-Cash on which he marvels that they made it through the sixties, seventies and eighties and wondering if they would last through to the new millennium. The song is one of my favourites on the album. Unfortunately Jennings vocal is so far back in the mix and I feel the song would have benefitted if his vocal was bought forward in the mix slightly.

Have You Ever Been To Little Rock finds Cash expressing his love and pride for his homeland. The song features a beautiful melody and is a highlight on the album.

Over the years Cash recorded many, many songs with a comedic and humorous theme, too many to list here. However, who could forget, The One On The Right Is On The Left, Starkville City Jail, A Boy Named Sue, Everybody Loves A Nut, also the title of an album of comedy songs, Chattanooga City Limits Sign and Flushed From The Bathroom Of Your Heart. All fun to listen to although there is also Chicken In Black, which ranks as one of his worst recordings in his career, instantly forgettable and the least said about it the better.

However, that is not the case with Well Alright, the story of meeting and flirting with a woman at the laundromat. The tongue-in-cheek lyrics include, "I opened up the dryer, and I set it on soft and light. She said 'Be gentle with my silk and lace', and I said, 'Well alright.'" A fun song which, although not fitting in with the dark theme of several other songs on the album, is a nice addition to the track listing.

Cash was a fan of James Taylor who had appeared on his TV Show back in 1971 and the tender She Sang Sweet Baby James tells the story of a young single mother who, facing a life and all its challenges on her own, finds solace by singing Sweet Baby James to comfort her baby. The song features some great mandolin playing by Matt Combs.

Poor Valley Girl is an ode to June Carter and Mother Maybelle Carter and features Vince Gill on background vocals although I am not sure the song needed any additional vocals. Yet another song that had been released previously and is one that I enjoyed in its original demo form and also on this latest release.

Soldier Boy is the last of the four songs that had appeared in its original form on the Return To The Promised Land CD. With it's boom-chicka-boom rhythm provided with just guitar, bass and drums it tells of a boy leaving home to fulfil his dream, heading out on foot, plane and ship with a warning that war will take away his youthful innocence.

Cash returned to one of his early hits with a re-recording of Sing It Pretty Sue, a song he originally recorded in February 1962 and released on the 1962 album The Sound Of Johnny Cash. I always liked the original and this new version is among my favourites on Songwriter. It is taken at a slightly slower tempo and reminds me of the style used on the 1988 Mercury Classic Cash album of re-recorded Cash classics.

With the exception of the humorous Well Alright the songs Cash wrote and recorded as demos back in 1993 would not have been out of place on any of his Rick Rubin produced albums, as proved by the inclusion on American Recordings of Drive On and Like A Soldier.

Photography: Alan Messer

The cover features an image of Cash taken in 1988 by Alan Messer at what would become the Cash Cabin Studio. The sixteen-page booklet includes lyrics and credits but no other photographs.

Despite my comments about certain tracks and the production, which in no way are a reflection of the lyrics, Cash's vocal or the talent of the musicians, I did enjoy this album and pleased the tracks have finally been released. Hopefully we will be treated to more unreleased material in the future, preferably untouched and minus any unnecessary overdubs.

According to John L. Smith's excellent series of discographies there is still a wealth of unreleased material and I am fortunate to own several CDs of tracks that are yet to be released officially, including some great tracks from 1974. Of course, there is also a wealth of material that Cash recorded with Rick Rubin that remains unissued.

Songwriter is also available on vinyl and also as a deluxe CD set with a second disc featuring previously released material from Cash's time with Mercury Records that includes The Night Hank Williams Came To Town, Sixteen Tons, Cats In The Cradle, Wanted Man and Get Rhythm.

Every Johnny Cash fan will already own these additional tracks and I personally feel their inclusion is pointless and a missed opportunity to release the songs from Songwriter in their original form as recorded back in 1993.