Terry
Lightfoot made his, professional debut as a bandleader in 1956, and since that
time has established an international reputation as a clarinetist, saxophonist
and vocalist of the highest calibre. He was prominent in the traditional jazz
revival in Britain in the 1950's and reached a much wider audience during the
"Trad" boom of the early 1960's. During this period, and in subsequent years,
he has broadcast prolifically, both on radio and TV, recorded many albums, and
appeared in the only movie to feature British jazz bands, "It's Trad Dad!".In 1964, Terry made his first visit to the U.S.A. and played in New York at the legendary Eddie Condon club, and the following year toured Britain with the great Louis "Satchmo" Armstrong. He had previously met "Satch" in London in 1956, when he had the privilege of "jamming" with the man whose recordings first introduced him to jazz music as a teenager. During the course of his career, he has worked with many other jazz greats, including Yank Lawson, Vic Dickenson, Billy Butterfield and George Lewis, and his is the only British band to have toured with the legendary Edward "Kid" Ory Band, which included the wonderful trumpeter Henry "Red" Allen. Terry has also toured with some of the blues greats, among them Sonny Terry & Brownie McGhee, Memphis Slim and "Champion" Jack Dupree.