Black Music White Britain

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It has often been quoted that if you can remember the 1960’s then you weren’t there. Sure enough the 60’s was a time packed full of exciting cultural, political and musical change. This in turn impacted on the youth of the day, a youth that was really still finding its steps having found itself breaking away from its post war teenager cocoon into something which at that time was unrecognisable. But then some might say so were the 50’s. Gradually youth was finding a voice…and it was backing it up with a sense of style and new sounds. Jazz music was always going to be cool. But for many teenagers jazz was also ‘dug’ by their older brother and parents. The 1950’s teenager was ready to embrace something new. That was when the first Modernists appeared on the streets of Soho and it wouldn’t be long before the black artists, many who had been previously, to the larger part, ignored, would be embraced and welcomed in Britain and every note and drum beat lapped up. Nolan ‘Considering I saw my first R&B television review produced in Britain, in approximately 1958, I realised that Britain's love affair with black music and black musicians was there way before I came on the scene. England has kept alive so much of the old R&B and their love for the artists has given hope and gratitude to many of the performers who are still around today, myself included. It's hard for me to measure the impact that it has had on the UK. But I can measure the profound effect it has had on my life. I feel that my music found a home in the UK and we have become musical friends forever. When I perform in the UK I feel I've come to my musical home. My heart beats faster there!’