Who we are:-

Both the Red Rose Brass Band and the Silver Bell Band are well established. The Red Rose was formed in 1969 although many of the musicians had played with other New Orleans style Brass Bands for some years before that. The Silver Bell Band was formed even earlier, in 1963. Although there have been changes in personel over the years the style of the bands has remained "true to New Orleans", or as near as we can to those unique qualities.

It is the intention to complete this page with profiles of individual musicians as soon as possible.

Keith Taylor



Keith has been with both bands for a number of years now and his story is told in his own words: - "I first heard New Orleans Jazz on the radio back in 1950 when Ken Colyer came back from New Orleans and joined up with Chris Barber. Having heard "Ice Cream" played in this wonderful way I was hooked. I bought my first banjo in 1951 and joined a gang of keen beginners, some of who were efficient players. In 1954 I played with the Apex Jazz Band and later that year joined the newly formed Black Diamond Jazz Band in Sheffield. Having married in 1960 I moved to Manchester, met Ron Pratt and played around Manchester for four years before moving to Preston. I had a break from playing but shortly after becoming commissioned in the R.A.F. I was posted to the West Midlands in 1975 and took up the banjo again playing with the Dixieland Stompers of Walsall and the Eagle Jazz Band for a period of about three and a half years. I also played with Ray Foxley and the Saratoga Jazz Band, the Zenith Hot Stompers and made the aquaintance of Tommy Burton. In 1979 I was posted to London and joined to Gulf Stompers, a band comprised of officers who has served in the Gulf. A posting to Germany followed where I played with local musicians and sat in with Monty Sunshine and then on my return to England joined the Martinique Band and then Roy Norton's Band until I left the R.A.F. in 1987. I returned to Preston and joined the Silver Bell Band in January 1989 and the Red Rose in June 1989.

Click here to return to home page