Community Keyboards

Today's Lockdown Listen first of all brings back many memories of a great organist and musician TONY BACK.  I little realised at the time that my conversation with the artiste at the old Bolton & District Organ Society in 2005, that this must have been extremely difficult for his to do.  It's only listening back after 15 years that there are certain words where he is quite emotional.  Had I known...

Welcome to another edition of "Community Keyboards" produced and presented by Ian Wolstenholme and also broadcast available on Oldham Community Radio 99.7FM - www.oldhamcommunityradio.com. Featuring all that's best from the King of Instruments in all its guises - from the mighty classical and theatre organ pipe organs to the latest in digital home keyboards and beyond.  Music old and new from...

A first on today's Lockdown Listen as I'm joined from lockdown by one of the country's most popular organ stars - HOWARD BEAUMONT - our conversation being recorded only last week.  Howard has appeared on the programmes I've presented during the past four decades many many times.  His LP (if memory serves me right) on Wurlitzer electronic, was the very first track I ever played on the fir...

My special guest on today's Lockdown Listen  tells me that, by all accounts, it's been more than 30 years since he made an appearance on the BBC Northwest radio programme Pedal, Percussion and Pipes presented by our good friend Alan Ashton.  Nonetheless, Norman Scott has maintained a hugely popular profile in the region, playing theatres, halls and electronic organ clubs. Well we met aft...

Today's Lockdown Listen - not one but two guests.  The first is Ukranian accordion supremo ALEXANDER KORBAKOV whom I met at Stockport Accordion Club in 2005 - quite possibly the shortest interview I ever conducted! He plays an arrangement of "Tiko Tiko" (sic) like you've never heard before and an equally dazzling "Fiddle Faddle" from the pen of Leroy Anderson.  Even if you are not a fan of the acc...

Today's Lockdown Listen features a tribute programme from my old "Sounds Organised" programme on Radio Cavell, Oldham Hospital Radio.  In July 1985 (can you believe almost 35 years ago) the organ world lost one of its most popular performers JERRY ALLEN.  This special edition first aired on 26th July 1985.

Today's Lockdown Listen continues my conversation with "father for the festivals" ROY NEAL plus a chance to hear MIKE HALL on Elka at the 1984 National Home Electronic Organ Festival in Morecambe (or Mor-i-cam-bay as Mike used to say!  Who can forget the permed hair and platforms!). This is an episode from the old “Sounds Organised” programme on Radio Cavell hospital radio from 1984.

Today's Lockdown Listen is another half hour trip down memory lane to October 1984 Morecambe National Home Electronic Organ Festival.  On this edition I chatted with HOWARD BEAUMONT on the occasion of the 50th Anniversary of the Hammond Organ Company, with an chance to hear the "new" model 144K2, and also caught up with well-known organ teacher DOREEN SHEARD (there's a lovely video of Doreen'...

Today's Lockdown Listen goes back to the old hospital radio days and an edition of "Sounds Organised" from October 1984.  The then biggest organ and keyboard festival in the UK had moved to its home for the next few years to the Middleton Towers Holiday Village in Morecambe (who can forget the unsinkable SS Berengaria?!).  On the programme, I managed to sit down for a few minutes with pr...

Today's Lockdown Listen features NICHOLAS MARTIN at the Stockport Town Hall Wurlitzer when he played a lunchtime concert there in 2017.  The current pandemic restrictions have had a dramatic effect on most of the theatre organ installations, with concerts and special events postponed.  This year the Wurlitzer at Stockport is 21 years old - hopefully there will be an opportunity for some...

Today's "bumper" Lockdown Listen is a snapshot of the electronic organ in the 1980's as I visited the Slough HQ of Panasonic Technics for a "fly-on-the-wall" mini documentary for "Sounds Organised".  The first voice you will hear is that of KEITH EVANS, followed by PHIL LEADER, TONY PEGLER and ANDY SMITH - all popular names and together forming the EMID (Electronic Musical Instrument Division...

Today's Lockdown Listen could arguably be described as one of those "family album" editions - since it tracks the musical career of JOHN BOWDLER, one of the longstanding resident organists at the Tower Ballroom in Blackpool.  In 1987, then 16 year old John made a debut appearance at my local organ society and I spoke to him for the old hospital radio "Sounds Organised" programme.   ...

Welcome to another edition of "Community Keyboards" produced and presented by Ian Wolstenholme and also broadcast available on Oldham Community Radio 99.7FM - www.oldhamcommunityradio.com. Featuring all that's best from the King of Instruments in all its guises - from the mighty classical and theatre organ pipe organs to the latest in digital home keyboards and beyond.  Music old and new from...

Today's Lockdown Listen is a fairly recent "Community Keyboards" extract from March last year when we sent our microphones down to the Troxy in the Limehouse district of London for a special concert featuring American supremo Walt Strony.  It was a bit of a gamble this one!  I had been unable to pre-arrange a meeting with the artist, was completely unfamiliar with the venue or organ (apa...

Today's Lockdown Listen features organist ROD POOLEY on a rare visit to the North West.  There are certain conversations that you can remember exactly when and where they were done.  This recording was made at the Stockport Organ and Keyboard Club in August 2018 when it was "cracking the flags" and as a result, Rod and I decided to sit down on a bench at the side of the immaculate bowlin...

Today's Lockdown Listen features organist RUSSELL HOLMES.  I cannot for the life of me think of the reason or circumstances as to why I asked Russell the opening question in this 1999 telephone interview/conversation.  At the time he had just released a recording on the 3/18 ex Ritz Luton Wyton House Wurlitzer with an interesting background story.  What I do remember is the level of...

Today's Lockdown Listen features music and conversation with JOHN MANN and SARAH BRYANT.  Even though "His Eminents" John has retired recently and published his memoirs, you will no doubt have seen his spontaneous performances at the piano for "Clapping for Carers" - Mr Showman as ever!  Similarly, at these times of being somewhat housebound, it's been great to see the hugely talented Sa...

If, like me, you've accepted the 10 albums in 10 days challenge, you'll know that you're not allowed to say anything - just to post the picture of the album cover.   Well, I couldn't resist explanations - not on Facebook - but via this special edition of Community Keyboards which I hope you'll enjoy!

Today's Lockdown Listen features PETE SHAW - multi keyboard performer extraordinaire.  Pete first made a lasting impression at one of the early Morecambe organ festivals presented by his old company Dawson’s (who thankfully have just avoided going into administration recently). Pete decided to go it alone and has made a tremendous success of entertaining over four decades these days presenting Kor...

Blackpool Tower’s Ballroom is home to what must be the most famous and most played Wurlitzer in the world and Phil Kelsall has amazingly now completed more than 40 years at the Tower, having been appointed in 1975, initially as organist in the Tower Circus band with occasional appearances in the Ballroom. In 1977 Ernest Broadbent the then Tower organist, retired through ill-health and Phil was the...

On a previous "from the archives" programme, I have included my conversation with Lowrey USA star JIM VOGELMAN, in the immediate aftermath of 9/11.  This earlier conversation took place in May of 2001,  just four months before those tragic events in New York.  Here, Jim chats to me about the popularity of Lowrey organs and there's music from the Lowrey Majesty captured by our microp...

One of the most un-nerving interviews I ever did was with one of the nicest guys in the business - the late Graeme Wright.  Listening back to this conversation in 1984, you can tell that I inadvertently caused offence when talking about Farfisa and Bontempi organs.  I don't think he ever forgave me!  Graeme sadly passed away in 2015 and my broadcasting colleague Alan Ashton recorded...

Community Keyboards is a programme featuring all that's best from "the King of Instruments" in all its guises - from the mighty classical and theatre organs to the latest digital home keyboard and virtual technology - plus music and conversation with its local, national and international music-makers.  In this edition, Ian Wolstenholme chats with the legendary jazz star Alan Haven, ITV "Brita...

Today's Lockdown Listen guest Peter Hayward continues to be one of the most popular organists particularly on You Tube where he regularly performs on a variety of instruments including Oral Ringway and Technics digital piano.  He has been a demonstrator/presenter for many well-known companies across the years.  A professional musician for over forty years in the UK, before emigrating (and semi-ret...

Today's Lockdown Listen features a 1986 conversation I had with Devon-based organist Trevor Bolshaw.  Trevor has lived for over thirty years in Devon where he is involved in teaching, recording and playing concerts, either as a soloist or in an accompaniment capacity. He has visited the U.S.A. many times as a soloist performing concerts in Los Angeles, Phoenix and Atlanta, Georgia where he ha...