Peter Charles Strange (19 December 1938 – 14 August 2004) was an English

jazz Jazz is a music genre that originated in the African-American communities of New Orleans, Louisiana in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, with its roots in blues and ragtime. Since the 1920s Jazz Age, it has been recognized as a major ...

trombonist, arranger and composer.

Biography

Born in

Plaistow, Newham Plaistow ( or ) is a suburban town in East London, England, within the London Borough of Newham. It adjoins Upton Park to the north, East Ham to the east, Beckton to the south, Canning Town to the south-west and West Ham to the west. I ...

, London, England, Strange played violin as a child before switching to trombone as a teenager. His first major gig was with Eric Silk and his Southern Jazz Band when he was just 18 years old. In 1957, Silk's clarinetist Teddy Layton split off and formed his own band, and Strange went with him. He was called up for

National Service National service is the system of voluntary government service, usually military service. Conscription is mandatory national service. The term ''national service'' comes from the United Kingdom's National Service (Armed Forces) Act 1939. The l ...

in 1958 and became a bandsman in the

Lancashire Fusiliers The Lancashire Fusiliers was a line infantry regiment of the British Army that saw distinguished service through many years and wars, including the Second Boer War, the First and Second World Wars, and had many different titles throughout its 28 ...

, whilst serving in Cyprus. Following this Strange played with Sonny Morris, Charlie Gall, and Ken Sims, then joined

Bruce Turner Malcom Bruce Turner (5 July 1922 – 28 November 1993) was an English jazz saxophonist, clarinetist, and bandleader. Biography Born in Saltburn-by-the-Sea, North Yorkshire, England, and educated at Dulwich College, he learned to play the clarine ...

from 1961 to 1964. After 1964, Turner went into partial retirement for about 10 years, playing off and on with Freddy Randall, Joe Daniels, and

Ron Russell Ronald Stanley Thornton Russell (22 July 1926 – 7 March 2019) was a Canadian politician and pilot who lived in Nova Scotia. Early life and education Russell was born in Ngongotahā, New Zealand. He was a pilot for the Royal New Zealand Air Fo ...

, but not carrying any full-time associations. He returned to play with Turner again permanently in 1974, and in 1978 co-founded the

Midnite Follies Orchestra Midnite Follies Orchestra was formed in Britain in 1978, by jazz musicians Keith Nichols and Alan Cohen, dedicated to recreating standards by some of early jazz musicians. The orchestra more or less disbanded in the 1990s. The Midnite Follies Orc ...

with

Alan Elsdon Alan Elsdon (15 October 1934 – 2 May 2016) was an English jazz trumpeter and flugelhornist. Biography Elsdon was born in London on 15 October 1934. He studied trumpet under Tommy McQuater. His early professional work included time with Cy La ...

. In 1980, he founded the five-trombone ensemble, Five-A-Slide, which featured Roy Williams and

Campbell Burnap Campbell Crichton Mackinnon Burnap (10 September 1939 – 30 May 2008) was an English jazz trombonist, vocalist and broadcaster. Early life Born in Derby, England, Burnap became interested in New Orleans jazz while attending school in Belper. H ...

.Pete Strange Biography
''

AllMusic AllMusic (previously known as All Music Guide and AMG) is an American online music database. It catalogs more than three million album entries and 30 million tracks, as well as information on musicians and bands. Initiated in 1991, the databas ...

'' Retrieved 21 May 2020. Strange joined Humphrey Lyttelton's band in 1983, and remained with the ensemble until he died. With the other members of the Lyttelton band, he performed on the 2001

Radiohead Radiohead are an English rock band formed in Abingdon, Oxfordshire, in 1985. The band consists of Thom Yorke (vocals, guitar, piano, keyboards); brothers Jonny Greenwood (lead guitar, keyboards, other instruments) and Colin Greenwood (bass) ...

album ''

Amnesiac Amnesia is a deficit in memory caused by brain damage or disease,Gazzaniga, M., Ivry, R., & Mangun, G. (2009) Cognitive Neuroscience: The biology of the mind. New York: W.W. Norton & Company. but it can also be caused temporarily by the use o ...

''. He also played with his own side group, the Great British Jazz Band. Pete Strange died of cancer in Banstead,

Surrey Surrey () is a ceremonial and non-metropolitan county in South East England, bordering Greater London to the south west. Surrey has a large rural area, and several significant urban areas which form part of the Greater London Built-up Area. ...

, in August 2004, aged 65.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Strange, Pete 1938 births 2004 deaths English jazz trombonists Male trombonists 20th-century trombonists 20th-century British male musicians British male jazz musicians