Ken
Beaumont was one of those
radio 'names' who had
many hundreds of
broadcasts to his credit
and yet is so poorly
documented that I doubt
if many of those who
remember him even knew
what instrument he
played, let alone
anything about his
career! Indeed, his fame
as a bandleader
represented only the last
20-odd years of a very
diverse career.
Ken
Beaumont was born in
Blackpool on 24th October
1915. His musical
education was at the
Royal Manchester College
of Music, and even whilst
still a student he gave
recitals of Lieder and
ballads. During his
career he was a singer,
disc jockey and actor,
taking part in many North
Region Revue programmes
prior to moving to London
in 1936. Whilst living in
the North he had played
and sung with Larry
Brennan's Winter Garden
Dance Band in Blackpool,
with which he broadcast
and recorded.
He
was one of the first
radio artists to become a
disc jockey, and he
presented a programme
entitled 'With Vocal
Chorus' between 1937 and
1945. He also broadcast
on television and radio
from Hollywood, as well
as performing on
commercial radio. Ken was
with several leading
dance bands, including
those of Henry Hall,
Oscar Rabin and, notably,
Billy
Ternent
and the BBC Dance
Orchestra, being one of
their featured vocalists
for much of the war when
he was with the BBC's
Variety Department,
which, at that time, was
based in Bangor.
It
was in 1946 that Ken
Beaumont formed his
sextet for broadcasting.
Initially billed as Ken
Beaumont's Music, this
ensemble was clearly a
favourite with radio
listeners, becoming
particularly associated
with 'Music
While You Work'
and playing no less than
289 editions. The sextet
performed in other shows
as well, and I have clear
memories of setting my
alarm clock for 6.30 a.m.
in order to hear their
regular 'Bright
and Early'
broadcasts. By the early
sixties they were also
frequent contributors to
'Morning
Music'.
Ken Beaumonts
ensemble was essentially
a dance band but often
included light music
novelties in its
programme for contrast.
Listeners may recall that
they liked to commence
and conclude their
broadcasts with medleys
of traditional folk tunes
which Ken arranged for
the group.
Ken
Beaumont and his Sextet
comprised the following
instruments:
violin,
saxophone/clarinet,
piano, bass, drums and
two guitars, one of which
was played by Ken
himself. Curiously, he
adopted a rather low
profile within the group,
playing the rhythm guitar
rather than the lead. The
band's violinist was
Danny Levan, who also had
his own sextet.
In
the 1950s, in between
'bashing out Music While
You Works', as Ken put
it, it would appear that
he was doing a stage act
with Margaret Heath
(soprano and violinist).
Around this time he
occasionally broadcast in
variety shows and had his
own series Tuneful
Twenties.
By
the sixties, Ken was
broadcasting exclusively
as a bandleader and,
around 1963, possibly
with a view to updating
his style, he dispensed
with the violin,
substituting an
electronic keyboard
(probably an electronic
accordion). In my opinion
this lost the band a lot
of tone colour.
The
BBC was very particular
about bands being in the
studio in time for the
MWYW rehearsals at 7.30
a.m., and so was Ken
Beaumont, who, on New
Year's Eve 1962, insisted
that the sextet sleep in
the studio overnight as
there was snow on the
ground and he didn't want
to risk a delay. The fact
that the musicians might
'over-celebrate' the New
Year might just have
occurred to him as well!
Following
the demise of MWYW in
1967, Ken Beaumont's
broadcasts became
infrequent, with just the
occasional session for
'Breakfast Special' in
the late sixties. When
'Music While You Work'
was revived in the early
eighties, Ken rang the
Producer to advise that,
as he had retired, he did
not want to participate.
Given the reluctance on
the part of the
production team to use
'old names' at that time,
it is unlikely that he
would have been invited
anyway.
Ken
Beaumont who, I am told
was a delightful man,
died on 11th March 1996,
aged 80.
Listen
to 'Music While You Work'
played by Ken Beaumont
and his Sextet
as broadcast on an
uinknown date (circa.
1960)
Listen
to 'Music While You Work'
played by Ken Beaumont
and his Music
as broadcast on 15th
March 1967
Listen
to 'Music While You Work'
played by Ken Beaumont
and his Music
as broadcast on an
uinknown date (circa.
1964)
Listen
to 'Music While You Work'
played by Ken Beaumont
and his Sextet
as broadcast on an
unknown date (circa 1966)
Listen
to 'Music While You Work'
played by Ken Beaumont
and his Music
as broadcast on an
uinknown date (thought to
be early 1964)
Listen
to 'Music While You Work'
played by Ken Beaumont
and his Music
as broadcast on 22nd
September 1967
MUSIC
WHILE YOU WORK
Played by Ken Beaumont
and his Music
BBC Light Programme at
10.31am on 22nd September
1967
Calling
All Workers (Sig)
The Trek Song
Marching through Georgia
Bright and Early
Sunny
I wanna hold your hand
Bend it
I bring a song
Give me my ranch
Cuppa Char cha cha
I may be wrong
My Gal Sal
San Francisco
Marta
Mexican Hat Dance
When I'm sixty four
Too close for comfort
Going to town
Island in the sun
Ja Da
Ye Banks and Braes
Bonny Mary O'Argyle
Calling All Workers (Sig) |
Coates
Trad. arr.Beaumont
Trad. arr.Beaumont
Rhodes/Dowler
Hebb
Lennon/McCartney
Blaikley
Barnes
Costello/Urgano
Young
Sullivan/Ruskin
Dresser
Phillips
Simons/Gilbert
Trad. arr.Beaumont
Lennon/McCartney
Styne/Gilbert
Heath
Belafonte/Burgess
Carlton
Trad.arr.Beaumont
Trad.arr.Beaumont
Coates |
Listen
to 'Music While You Work'
played by Ken Beaumont
and his Sextet
as broadcast on 24th
October 1963
MUSIC
WHILE YOU WORK
played by Ken Beaumont
and his Sextet
BBC Light Programme at
10.31am on 24th October
1963
Calling
All Workers (Sig)
Traditional
Medley No. 19
. My Love is
Like a Red, Red Rose
. My Love is but a Lassie
Yet
. Sospen Bach
. The Rakes of Mallow
In Summer
I'm Telling You Now
It's My Party
Things are Swinging
Hey Neighbour
Bad to Me
It's All in the Game
Applejack
Frimley Green
I'm Sitting on Top of the
World
Porta Rossa
Charmaine
This Can't Be Love
Bacciar
Shindig
The Cruel Sea
Traditional Medley Nos 43
And 44
. La Golondrina
. Shortnin' Bread
. Tom Dooley
. The Caviare Song
. The Girl I Left Behind
Me
Calling All
Workers (Sig) |
Coates
arr. Beaumont
Adams
Murray
Gold
Lee
Parker
Lennon
Dawes
Vandyke
Baynes
Young
Bennet
Rapee
Rodgers
Brandez
Welch
arr. Maxfield
arr. Beaumont
Coates |
|