Mumbles Community Radio: interview by Clive Saddington with Dave Cottle, former GPO/BT engineer and well-known Swansea jazz musician, he is a Mumbles boy who comes from a family of musicians and entertainers and runs the Swansea Jazzland Club, St. James Crescent, booking musicians weekly. He tells his story, interviewed in Oystermouth Library.

[00:00:14] Personal Details: Dave Cottle (DC), musician. Interview with Clive Suddington, Radio Mumbles, "Mumbles Memories". [00:00:40] Dave Cottle: Early life, family. [00:01:00] Showbiz Heritage: Father a comedian, mother a promoter. [00:01:14] Music Hall: "Happy Gang" of DC's Aunt Peggie, 1940s. [00:01:47] Dave Cottle: Initially comedy magician, from age 3. [00:02:12] Butlins: Talent competitions. [00:03:05] Elsie Cottle: Pianist, lessons for DC aged 6. [00:03:44] Music: Hemis[?] tutor piano guide, wrong fingerings. [00:04:03] Dave Cottle: Musical heritage - classical, jazz, swing. [00:05:05] Richard Cottle: Clarinet player, aged 8. [00:05:28] Lawrence Cottle: Trombonist, bass guitarist. [00:05:36] Richard Cottle: Drumming, effect on neighbours. [00:06:42] Dr Dan Jones: Evening habits. [00:07:28] Magic: Comedy magic act. [00:07:43] Jazz: Dixieland (clarinet, trombone DC on trumpet). [00:08:19] Concerts: Butlins, Grand Theatre; artists. [00:08:43] Jazz: Dixieland: 1960s trad revival (Ball, Bilk). [00:10:19] GPO: DC telephone engineer. [00:10:44] Jazz: Lawrence & Richard (DC's brothers): full time musicians, London. [00:11:44] Jazz: DC (inherited) ability to play by ear. [00:12:15] Jazz: DC's musical influences, diverse: early Oscar Peterson - "technical". [00:13:22] Jazz: Oscar Peterson UK TV appearances; arthritis. [00:13:53] Jazz: Oscar Peterson: interpreter of compositions. [00:15:00] Kenny Ball: At Langland, on beach, early '70s. [00:16:10] Music: Piano technique learning advice; Exam Grades, organist at St Peter's church - classical. [00:18:00] Music: Modern techniques on classical music. "Bach recorded on a Moog synthesiser… wonderful!" [presumably a reference to Walter Carlos, Switched on Bach]. [00:18:28] Music: Classical/Jazz fusions, particularly Bach. [00:19:23] Swansea Jazz: Wednesdays gigs, guests. [00:20:05] Swansea Jazz: Liberal Club: artists: Benny Carter. [00:20:40] Swansea Jazz: Restarts late '90s: Jim Mullen [Morrissey-Mullen Band, 1970s]. [00:21:23] Jazz: Trio: Paul Smith, drums, Alan Vaughan, bass. [00:22:16] Dave Cottle Band: 1980s Swansea music scene: Martin Webber, drums, Berry Ray, sax, c 1000 weddings. [00:23:27] Dave Cottle Band: Swimming pool mishap. [00:25:26] Mumbles: Decline in local venues - hotels, etc. [00:27:09] Recorded Music: Little of DC on digital, many old cassette tapes. [00:28:10] London Palladium: Impressions of venue, as 17 year old, orchestra. [00:29:59] Music: Versatility of piano. [00:30:47] Swansea Jazz: Open mike nights, monthly. [00:32:01] Jazz: Popularity, problems of compartmentalisation, genre. [00:33:10] Swansea Jazz: www.swanseajazzland.co.uk, c 50 gigs pa, Wednesdays, open mike night last Tuesdays of month, bar August & December. [00:33:42] Jazz: Welsh Arts Council funded programmes. [00:34:22] Jazz: Vincent Herring[?] & the Earth Jazz Agents, sax player. [00:34:56] Music: Vincent Herring, Professor at Berkeley, and Juilliard, lecture in Swansea. [00:35:45] Jazz: Billy Cobham, drummer, latin-american band. [00:36:03] Jazz: Musicians love talking music. [00:36:19] Swansea Jazz: Preferred methods. [00:37:52] Cardiff Jazz: Royal Welsh College, Jazz Course. [00:38:08] Cardiff Jazz: Large concerts, but poor regular scene. [00:38:31] Jazz: Peter King, alto sax, played at inaugural Ronnie Scott's club in 1959. [00:39:02] Jazz: John Dankworth & musicians, DC played with post-1995. [00:40:48] Richard Cottle: 1980s world tour with Bowie's band. [00:41:07] Rod Argent: Keyboard shop, Denmark St, Soho, RC worked there. [00:41:10] Richard Cottle: Synthesiser expertise, Top of the Pops appearances. [00:41:28] Lawrence Cottle: Music career - LA, sessions. [00:41:36] Rosemary Cottle: Singing, dancing. [00:41:59] Magic: DC recycles comedy magic act, with 3 sons. [00:43:15] Music: DC's sons musical ability. [00:44:06] Music: Mumbles Concert Band, Stuart[?] Price, City of Swansea Concert Band, free Singleton concerts, Sundays. [00:45:10] Swansea Jazz: Acoustics, intimate atmosphere. [00:46:00] Jazz: New York jazz clubs. [00:46:28] Swansea Jazz: Hamish Stewart, late of AWB, Swansea gigs. [00:46:54] Music: George Benson concert, Portugal. [00:47:40] Swansea Jazz: Plans, program (Weds, 2030-2300, 2 sets; monthly Tuesdays open mike nights)