Obituary: Leading figure of British jazz (From Richmond and Twickenham Times)

Obituary: Leading figure of British jazz

2:55pm Thursday 4th November 2004 in

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Bill Eyden, Whitton resident and jazz musician who was well known for his drum part on Procul Harum's 1967 hit, A Whiter Shade of Pale, died on October 15 aged 74.

William James Eyden was born in Hounslow on May 4, 1930.

He began his musical life in the local Army Cadet Corps band and after playing local semi-professional dance bands, he turned fully professional in 1952.

He first joined the band led by the father and son team of Ivor and Basil Kirchin, known for their jazz talent.

Bill Eyden's name would often be seen alongside those such as Jimmy Skidmore, Ronnie Scott and Tubby Hayes in the 1950s.

The formation of the Jazz Couriers in April 1957, of which Bill Eyden was drummer, marked a distinct advance in British jazz.

They folded in July 1959 and Scott opened his Soho jazz club shortly afterwards when Eyden went on to play with other leading bands, including the Vic Ash-Harry Klein Quintet, which shared the bill on Miles Davis' first British tour in 1960.

He appeared with the R & B bands of Alexis Korner and Long John Baldry, and made a three month tour of South America with rocker Wee Willie Harris.

In 1965 Eyden toured Europe as the leader of the world's most swinging big band.

He later joined Stan Tracey's trio, resident at Ronnie Scott's club.

Following the A Whiter Shade of Pale hit, from the late 1960s Eyden worked purely as a freelance, combining jazz with playing for West End musicals such as Bubbling Brown Sugar, The Mitford Girls and Promises, Promises.

He also played regularly throughout the late 1970s and 1980s with a quintet of his contemporaries, including pianist Bill Le Sage and trumpeter Hank Shaw.

In 1985-86 Eyden was one of three percussionists in the Charlie Watts Big Big Band which toured Britain and America and continued to play until he became ill earlier this year.

From the early 1970s he also taught privately and in London schools.

Bill Eyden was married twice. By his first marriage he had a son, who predeceased him, and a daughter.