Vic Ash

Victor "Vic" Ash (9 March 1930 – 24 October 2014) was an English jazz saxophonist and clarinettist.^[1]

Biography

Ash was born in East London in 1930, and was of

He led his own group and was a favourite in the Melody Maker fan polls of the 1950s; concurrently he had a radio program called Sunday Break, which discussed jazz and religion. In 1954, the Vic Ash Quartet recorded with US singer Maxine Sullivan in London. Ash toured the U.S. in 1957 and returned to play with Lewis in 1959. His ensemble was the only one representing British jazz at the Newport Jazz Festival that year.

Ash remained a mainstay of the British jazz scene for decades, playing in small and large ensembles including the BBC Big Band and Harry Stoneham's Band. He accompanied Frank Sinatra on tours in Europe and the Middle East (such as the Aryamehr concert) from 1970 until Sinatra's death, and also accompanied Peggy Lee, Lena Horne and Tony Bennett.^[3]

Ash released many albums for Pye, Nixa and MGM, mostly in the mainstream jazz tradition. Vic Ash's co-authored autobiography I Blew It My Way (Northway Publications) was published in 2006.

Personal life and death

Ash was the cousin of guitarist Maurice Ash. He died on 24 October 2014. He was survived by his wife, Helen, who he married in 1982.^[5]

References