British Jazz in the 1950s; Ottilie Patterson; Chris Barber's Jazz Band; Graeme Bell; Lonnie Donegan

Ottilie Patterson sings with Chris Barber's Jazz Band, St Louis Blues , 1955 (YouTube) and Blues Knocking On My Door (from Momma Don't Allow). In the Evening, Lonnie Donegan with Chris Barber on mouth-harp.

Ottilie Patterson with Chris Barber's Jazz Band, Just a Closer Walk With Thee

Lonnie Donegan with Chris Barber's Jazz Band , 1954, Precious Lord, Take My Hand

In fact it all began in Britain with Graeme Bell (the Australian jazzman) in 1948.

I was never a great trad jazz revival fan. I liked Charlie Parker and New York bebop as much as early New Orleans jazz, but  this film makes you realise just how much fun the British musicians had, and how much passion they felt for the music. Skiffle was more to my taste than jazz back in the mid-1950s.

BBC programme notes:

Documentary telling the story of Britain's post-war infatuation with old New Orleans jazz. With rare 78rpm imports as their only guide, a generation of amateur jazz enthusiasts including Humphrey Lyttelton and Chris Barber created a traditional jazz scene that strove to recreate the essence and freedom of 1920s New Orleans in 1950s Britain.

While British youth jived in smoky dives, the music itself was beset by arguments of authenticity. Begging to differ with the source material, Ken Colyer embarked on a pilgrimage to New Orleans in search of the real deal while a larger ideological war raged between mouldy figs and dirty boppers- traditional and modern jazz fans. As its popularity grew, commercial forces descended and a 'trad' boom sent the purists running for cover at the turn of the decade - the first and last time New Orleans jazz became British pop.

Featuring Acker Bilk, Chris Barber and previously-unseen interviews with the late Humphrey Lyttelton and George Melly.