Stanley Robert Butcher (26 January 1920, London – 1987) was a British pianist, composer, arranger and bandleader in the fields of jazz and easy-listening.

Life and work

Butcher served during the Second World War in an infantry division and played in a military band. After the war, he led a band with trombonist Don Lusher in Pembroke Bay; he then worked in the orchestras of Joe Daniels (1947–48),

Freddy Randall Frederick James 'Freddy' Randall (6 May 1921 – 18 May 1999) was an English jazz trumpeter and bandleader born in Clapton, East London. Biography Born in Clapton, East London at the age of just 18 Randall led the St. Louis Four in 1939, ...

(1951), Bernie Stanton(1951), Geoff Sowden (1953), Jack Newman (1954) and in the 1970s with

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. In 1949-50 and again in 1952 he led his own groups and wrote arrangements for Dixieland bands. With songwriter Syd Cordell he composed the song "Sing, Little Birdie" for the 1959

Eurovision Song Contest The Eurovision Song Contest (), sometimes abbreviated to ESC and often known simply as Eurovision, is an international songwriting competition organised annually by the European Broadcasting Union (EBU), featuring participants representing pr ...

A recording by duo

Pearl Carr & Teddy Johnson Pearl Lavinia Carr (2 November 1921 – 16 February 2020) and Edward Victor "Teddy" Johnson (4 September 1919 – 6 June 2018) were English husband-and-wife entertainers who gained their highest profile during the 1950s and early 1960s. Early d ...

reached number 2 in the charts. In 1962 he composed, again with Cordell, for Ronnie Carroll, the British Eurovision entry "Ring-A-Ding Girl", which came fourth. In the 1960s he led the big band His Birds and Brass and recorded easy-listening albums for

Columbia Columbia may refer to: * Columbia (personification), the historical female national personification of the United States, and a poetic name for America Places North America Natural features * Columbia Plateau, a geologic and geographic region in ...

and

Fontana Fontana may refer to: Places Italy *Fontana Liri, comune in the Province of Frosinone *Fontanafredda, comune in the Province of Pordenone *Fontanarosa, comune in the Province of Avellino *Francavilla Fontana, comune in the Province of Brindisi * ...

. In 1979 he issued the fusion album ''Magician'', on the Hobo label, in which Barbara Thompson and Ray Russell participated. His instrumental version of The Seekers' "

Morningtown Ride "Morningtown Ride" is a lullaby, written and performed by Malvina Reynolds. It was covered by The Seekers and their recording reached No. 2 on the UK Singles Chart. The song tells the comforting story of the journey through nighttime made by all ...

", from his 1966 album ''His Birds and Brass'', was used as the theme tune for the weekly Saturday morning BBC Radio 1 programme '' Junior Choice'' presented by Leslie Crowther and Ed Stewart.

Discography

*''At Home With ..'',

Bridie Gallagher Bridget "Bridie" Gallagher (7 September 1924 – 9 January 2012) was an Irish singer, affectionately known as "The Girl from Donegal". She has been described as "Ireland's first international pop star". Gallagher shot to fame in 1956 with her re ...

and Stan Butcher'' ( Parlophone, 1962) *''Stan Butcher - His Birds & Brass'', (

, 1966) *'' Sayin 'Somethin' Stupid and Other Things'', Stan Butcher & His Birds and Brass (Columbia, 1967) *''Big Band Blowout'', Stan Butcher Orchestra (

, 1970), with Don Lusher, Bill Le Sage *''Chaplin'', The Hot Strings of Stan Butcher (Fontana, 1970) *'' A Garland for Judy'', The Hot Strings, arranged and conducted by Stan Butcher (Fontana, 1970) *''Wrappin It Up'', Stan Butcher and His Orchestra (Columbia, 1971) *''Magician'' (1978)

Other sources

* John Chilton: ''Who's Who of British jazz'', Continuum International Publishing Group, 2004,

References

External links

*
Stan Butcher
at AllMusic
Stan Butcher
at Discogs {{DEFAULTSORT:Butcher, Stan 1920 births 1987 deaths British jazz pianists Big band bandleaders Musicians from London 20th-century British pianists Male jazz composers 20th-century British male musicians 20th-century jazz composers