Eddie Pratt

1st Alto with Joe Loss and his Ace Tempo Band 

The days when music was "Music!"

Thanks go to Beryl Pratt for the information and for photocopying Eddies scrapbook, this is where I got the information from.

Eddie was born on the 26th May 1910 in New Cross in south London. He went to the nearby Asks Aberdashers Public School and left at the age of 16. His father was the owner of a shirt factory and he wanted his son to follow in his foot steps. The young Eddie was having none of this, he had decided that a musicians life was for him and at the age of 16 Eddie decided to take up the saxophone. "All he wanted to do was to play," quotes Beryl.

Eddies main instrument was the alto sax, he also played the tenor, baritone and the clarinet.

In 1927 Eddie started as a pro at the Lewisham Dance Lounge, he then went on to the Clapham Palais before coming under the musical supervision of Billy Mayerl. He also played at this time with Jay Whidden, the Coney Islanders and George Scott-Wood. In the1920's and 30's Eddie had made for himself a reputation as one of this countries leading saxophonists. Then along came an opportunity in the form of Joe loss.

Eddie met Joe {who was Jewish} and they became great friends. Beryl remembers "Joe would frequently be asking Eddie to loan him a tenner in those early days." Next are some extracts from "Rhythm" magazine of June 1939 written by Jack Butterworth.

Joe Loss and our "Ace Tempo Band."

Directing what is universally regarded as the finest ballroom band in the country, Joe Loss has attained his present enviable position by talent backed by enormous patience and an infinite capacity for hard work. He was intended to be a musician by his parents and he started his studies on the violin as a child, later completing them at the Trinity College of Music and the London School of Music.

At the age of seventeen he used to give lessons for a shilling, and he made his first professional appearance at the Coliseum in Ilford. He then had a spell at the Rialto Cinema in Coventry street, after which he made some appearances in vaudeville at the Blackpool Tower Ballroom.

Coming back to London, Joe played in bands directed by Al Lever and Joe Arbiter at the Wimbledon Palais de Danse, after which he went to the Silver Slipper Club, where he formed the basis of his present band.

Then in 1930, Joe took a seven piece band into the Astoria Ballroom in Charring Cross Road, playing opposite to the Romany Band, and this fine little outfit speedily caught the ears of discerning critics. After twelve months at the Astoria, Joe took this outfit over to the Kit-Kat Restaurant to play opposite Ray Fox, and both Joe and his boys pay eloquent tribute to the benefit they derived from this experience.

Then Joe got his long awaited-chance. He was invited to augment and take his band into the Astoria Ballroom as the No.1 outfit and he entered into residence at this famous ballroom with an eleven piece band in 1934. He has been there ever since, steadily gaining prestige all the time and only leaving the place for a few weeks in the summer, when he takes his band out on a lightning tour of the provinces.

He is, of course, nowadays a real stalwart of broadcasting, and through the high standard of his air shows that he invariably scores such enormous success on these brief tours. But all these triumphs have left Joe completely unspoiled, and his smile is just as ready and friendly and his manner is just as courteous as it was in the days of the old Harlem Band which set him on the road to fame.

Band members at this time where;  Joe Loss-Band Leader,  Chick Henderson-Vocalist [pic center],  Clem Stevens-Trumpet,  Harry Letham-Trumpet [pic right],  Bill Burton-Trumpet, Bill Boland-Trombone [pic left],  Eddie Pratt-Alto Saxophone,  Danny Miller- Alto Saxophone and accordion,  Mickey Stewart-Clarinet and extra Sax,  Harry Kahn-Piano and Reg Richman-Bass. 

The Joe loss Big Band used "In The Mood" as their theme tune in the 1930's and 40's, then along came and American band leader named Glen Miller who through out the war years made the tune his own. Glen Miller, as is commonly known was killed in mysterious circumstances shortly after the war.

During his time with Joe's band ,Eddie was being noticed for his "wonderful tone" on the alto sax. This led to Eddie being chosen to promote "Conn Saxophones" and also "Buffet Clarinets." The prices at the time for saxes where, Altos from  8-7 , Tenors from 10-9 and Baritones from 12-10 weekly.

In 1940 Eddie parted company with  Joe and his band. He then went to work in an aircraft factory in the Midlands.

News clip

1)  Joe Loss and Thousands of his fans, will be interested to have news of Eddie Pratt, who led for Joe on the first alto from 1933 to 1940, when he left to give a hand in an aircraft factory in the Midlands, where he has been ever since.  But Eddie has found time to form his own outfit, The Modernaires, and has been doing extremely well with it at all kinds of R.A.F. factory and similar functions. Himself one of the finest players of his instrument in the country, he is hopeful of getting his band on the air from one of these places.

2)  Recent flying visit to Coventry, where he spent five war-working years, paid by ex-Joe Loss, present Carroll Gibbons altoist Eddie Pratt. Occasion was Jazz Jamboree at the Drill Hall, organised by Coventry promoter Macdonald, including Billy Monk, Casinans, other local name-bands and special very popular appearance of Harry Gold's "Pieces of Eight." Coventry recalled Eddies fine war time musical efforts when his "Modernaires" took stand for the final feature......                            

Adverts of the Day

1949 Eddie was playing at the Zeros Club in London, it was Wednesday March the 16th. Eddie walked through their front door to find his wife Beryl only 10 minutes away from giving birth to their first child. At ten past four in the morning arrived Robin Pratt. Eddie didn't even have time to take off his coat. They have another son, Nicholas.

Around this time Eddie was asked to stand in for a French band. Their twelve weeks run at the Ciro's Club in London's Orange Street, was in doubt when their own second alto sax was taken seriously ill and had to be flown home. The band leader was Bernard Hilda, he contacted his friend Len Conley who was himself unavailable. He in turn recommended Eddie who was asked to stand in for the rest of their stay in England.

Melody Maker and Rhythm News Clip.

Five Ciro's Broadcasts For Nat Allen.

Important news from the Nat Allen camp is that the band is scheduled for a series of five late broadcasts on Saturday nights from London's Orange Street, where it opens on Monday August 18.  Featured vocalists on these airings (the first of which will be heard on 23rd0 will be noted star Alan Kane and Eva Benyon.  The full lineup is now fixed and Alan Kane will play drums and vocalise, Eddie Pratt and Freddy Williams alto's, Billy Amstel and Norman Fantham tenors, Benny Bromick baritone, Billy Shakespeare, Johnny Hamilton and Monty Montgomery trumpets,  Les Carew and Frank Osborne trombones, Eric Gross piano, and bassist Teddy Wadmore.  With this interesting lineup of tried and trusted West End musicians of the calibre of Billy Amstell, Les Carew and Eddie Pratt etc. the band includes at least one up and coming youngster who came to London and asked Bill Elliott -Nat's manager for an audition.  He is Scots-born Johnny Hamilton, Whose trumpet playing is likely to create  a sensation in this, his first West End berth.

Eddie also spent six months playing as tenor saxophonist aboard the Queen Mary.  Here is an article written by Eddie for Melody Maker and Rhythm.

The U.S. Critics Say: 

Heath's Are The Boys To Watch!

By Eddie Pratt.  (Tenorist aboard R.M.S. Queen "Mary")

It was on July 23rd that I first left these shores to fulfill an ambition that I had nursed ever since I knew what dance music stood for-to find out just what it was they had on the other side of the Atlantic.  During the crossing I was on tenterhooks to discover just what there was in store for me on the other side.  Was I to be disappointed, or swept off my feet.....or what? 

My first visit was to Harlem to hear the famous Jimmy Lunceford Band, directed by Eddie Wilcox, and I soon had my first answer.  

I was very disappointed indeed.  The band offers nothing whatsoever except some nice tenor work by Joe Thomas.  In short, the band sounded like an unrehearsed palais band, and much below the standard of the Jimmy Lunceford we once knew.  But the second band visited was a different proposition altogether: the Count Basie outfit.  Here was something much better, although the Count has gone a lot more commercial than what we hear of his work in England would lead us to expect.  And then, during my recent visit a week or two ago. I went to listen to the new Gene Krupa Band at the Capitol Theatre on Broadway, and here was something that was really worth listening to.

Great New Krupa

Krupa's efforts are just as good as ever and a delight to every musician. I liked especially their rendition of Rimsky Korsakov's "Scheherezade" - a charming piece and excellently played.  I should imagine that the band of Krupa's is one of the best in the States. But, after hearing all of this, I am convinced that our own Geraldo or Ted Heath could certainly give most of the U.S. bands a  run for their money.  To bear out this statement, here is a short from an American "disc" of Ted Heaths "London Suite":

"Watch out America!  Yes, watch out, for here is an English band that has assimilated much of the old Miller and Lunceford bands, along with a touch of Ellington and Raeburn, and then went one better and out did us at our own game.  This band is so precise and  well rehearsed, yet relaxed , that it over shadows all but a few of our top bands.  In Short, here is a wonderful band  that will back-seat none."

Shearing and Ella

I was happy to call in at the Three Dudes on 52nd Street to see my old friend George Shearing.  It was rather fortunate to do so on that particular night, because he was playing for Ella Fitzgerald on her farewell party before she sailed for England to appear at the London Palladium.  He is playing better than ever, and believe me, he goes down very well with the American folk.  Before I left he asked me to remember him to all his friends in England, and tell them, he hopes to make a trip in the near future to met them once again.

Well I guess that is all for now.  In our next visit I hope to meet our own Denny Dennis, who is appearing  with Tommy Dorsey in New York, and, with the kind co-operation of the "M.M" I will let you have more of my impressions of New York from a musical point of view.

After his 6 month stint aboard the Queen Mary he returned to the UK where he took several jobs to include; Blackpool Ballroom, playing with Billy Cotton and at the Coconut Grove to mention but a few.  Eddie also ran a music shop in partnership with Arthur Cooke in Norwich which specialized in selling orchestral supplies and instruments to schools.  The shop was at 2 St. Benedicts Road.  After the war he and his wife Beryl moved to Blackpool where Eddie played his saxophone and Beryl bought and ran a guest house, eventually though all good things come to an end. The next article, again from "M,M" shows.

EDDIE PRATT GIVES UP MUSIC BUSINESS FOR HOTEL-KEEPING

After a very long and successful run in the musical business, noted alto saxophonist Eddie Pratt leaves London on November the 3rd to take up a hotel business in Blackpool.  During his many years as a musician, Eddie has played with most of the famous bands , including  Geraldo, Carroll Gibbons, Bernard Hilda, Nat Allen, Joe Loss and several more.  Eddie told the Melody Maker:  "I shall be very sorry to leave London with all the friends that I have made after twenty two years in the musical business.  However, there are a great many up- and-coming youngsters in the profession, and I feel  that it is up to us older ones to make way for them ."  Eddie embarks on his new venture with the best wishes not only of Melody Maker but of the whole profession.

So, as you can see from the articles written by others that Eddie was a true master of the saxophone and other reed instruments.  He was a gentleman and an inspiration to all of us. I once stayed in the "Pratt" Guest house in Blackpool, it was on the occasion of Eddie and Beryl's son Robin's wedding.  That was in the early 70's and I was a very young lad at the time.  To his credit Eddie taught the saxophone and music until he was eighty three. He sadly passed away in 1999 at the ripe old age of 89.  He was looked after in his later life by his loving wife Beryl, who, I'm proud to say is my mothers sister.  It is thanks to her that this article can be passed on to you as she has given me the material for my research.

Link to Eddies poem entitled - What is Music?

Eddie Pratt 1910 - 1999

Compiled by Chris Spelman - 12th march 2001