Bob Wallis & His Storyville Jazzmen

b. 3 June 1934, Bridlington, Yorkshire, England, d. 10 January 1991. Wallis started his first band in Bridlington in 1950, which lasted right through to 1957. Later he joined Papa Bue’s Viking Jazz Band (1956), Diz Disley’s Jazz Band (1957) and, briefly, Acker Bilk’s Band (1958). From 1958 he had his own Storyville Jazzmen who were very popular throughout the ‘trad’ boom of the late 50s. His own trumpet playing and singing forcefully reflected the influence of Henry ‘Red’ Allen. He had two minor UK hits with ‘I’m Shy Mary Ellen I’m Shy’ (1961, number 44) and ‘Come Along Please’ (1962, number 33). Change in popular taste brought the demise of the Storyville Jazzmen but Wallis played with a variety of bands including Monty Sunshine’s. He then moved to Switzerland, where he played throughout the 80s.
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