TRIBUTES have been paid to founder of Abbey Jazz in Malvern, Len Thwaites, who has died at 89.
Len moved up to Hereford from Forest Gate, East Ham as the bombs began to drop at the start of Second World War.
His family went first to Clee Hill and then eventually settled in Belmont Avenue.
After building his first bass from an old tea chest, he then built a shiny chrome Dustbin with a broomstick handle to play his first gig at the very posh Green Dragon Hotel, Hereford.
Len travelled to Birmingham to buy his first real double bass, and as he carried it through the streets so many people were looking at him that he thought he should actually learn to play it properly, and so began 18 months of tuition with his fellow Jazzman Sam Cairns. And the rest is history.
He was a founding member of The Easy Rider Jazz Band, along side his older brother Pete on drums.
He traveled the world with some of the top jazz performers, such as Bob Wallis, Monty Sunshine, Alex Welsh, Pete Allen and Bev Pegg.
Abbey Jazz was founded on June 4 1995 by Len and Betty with Neil Lens’ son as treasurer and also on drums, at The Railway Inn, Malvern Wells.
Abbey Jazz ran for twenty two and a half years at The Railway Inn, before moving to The Rugby Club and finally to The Cube in the heart of Malvern.
During these years Len’s ‘little black book of names’ would be used to draw the best jazz musicians in the country up to Malvern to appear along side Len.
A highlight of his career was being asked to put together a jazz band for a special Gala in Hay on Wye, to be attended by the American President Bill Clinton.
With only seven days’ notice and under the name Len Thwaites’ Dixieland Jazz Band they played for an hour in front of 500 guests.
Len later said how proud he was when the President asked to play in his band, not many people have stood side by side with The President of the USA as he played his saxophone.
Len still continued running the jazz club along side his wife Betty and playing with bands, but his eyesight began to fade and so Len retired from playing.
His funeral is to take place at Hereford Crematorium on Wednesday June 3 at 12.15pm. The service broadcast live streamed online, for those who can’t make it in person.
The family wish to honour Len’s memory by raising funds to thank the Minster Grange Nursing Home for their incredible care, and several charities close to their hearts.
There will be a collection box at the service but the family have also set up a Gofundme page.
Visit gofundme.com/leonard-thwaites to donate.
