Ken Moule

Kenneth John Moule (26 June 1925 – 27 January 1986) was an English jazz pianist, best known as a composer and arranger.

Ken Moule
Birth nameKenneth John Moule
Born(1925-06-26)26 June 1925
Barking, England
Died(1986-01-27)27 January 1986
Marbella, Spain
Occupation(s)Musician
Instrument(s)Piano

Biography

Moule was born in Barking, Essex, the only child of Frederick and Ethal Moule. Early childhood illness, which he barely survived, left him with a cadaverous look which went well with his ridiculous sense of humour.[1]

1940s

Moule played piano with the Johnny Dankworth Quartet, leaving to join Oscar Rabin in October 1945. He played with Remo Cavalotti (1946) for a summer season and Joe Daniels (1947) before working on the Queen Mary in Bobby Kevin's Band, with Ronnie Scott and Johnny Dankworth. Moule worked with several bands including; Jiver Hutchinson, Bert Ambrose, Frank Weir and Ken Mackintosh (1948–50).

1950s

During the early 1950s Moule worked with Raymonde's Orchestra (1952), again with Bert Ambrose (1953) and with Frank Weir on several occasions. In 1954 Moule formed his own septet the 'Ken Moule Seven' which was a two-tenor, baritone, trumpet and three rhythm group.[2] He resigned from the septet in 1955 (they continued to work as the 'Ken Moule Seven').[3] In 1956–1959 he arranged for Ted Heath's orchestra, and during this time composed the suite Jazz at Toad Hall, based on Kenneth Grahame's 1908 children's book The Wind in the Willows, which was released on Decca Records in 1958. Jazz at Toad Hall received significant critical acclaim on its initial release. He worked in Sweden (1959) and toured Europe with Kurt Weill's Band until March 1960.

1960s

In the 1960s, Moule returned to England and worked freelance as an arranger, especially with Lionel Bart. He was the musical director for the shows Fings Ain't Wot They Used T'Be (1960–62) and Twang!! (1965–66). From 1962 he broadcast regularly with his 15 piece orchestra, entitled Ken Moule and his music. He later broadcast (and recorded) with a larger band called 'The Full Score'. His Adam's Rib Suite was recorded by the London Jazz Chamber Group in 1970; Kenny Wheeler was involved in the recording, which was issued on Ember Records. He scored Cole Porter songs for the musical Cole! performed at the Mermaid Theatre in 1974, and worked with Dankworth again around that time with his London Symphony Orchestra collaborations. He worked out of Germany for part of the 1970s,[4] before ill health caused him to move to the warmer climate of Spain. He died in Marbella in 1986, aged 60.

TV appearances

As well as working as the music arranger, Ken Moule appeared as Paul, the restaurant pianist, in several episodes during series 3 of the BBC's Secret Army.

Secret Army Episodes Appeared in –

  • Episode 2 – Invasions (29 September 1979) – Paul (uncredited)
  • Episode 3 – Revenge (6 October 1979) – Paul (uncredited)
  • Episode 4 – A Safe Place (13 October 1979) – Paul (uncredited)
  • Episode 5 – Ring of Rosies (20 October 1979) – Paul (uncredited)
  • Episode 6 – Prisoner (27 October 1979) – Paul (uncredited)
  • Episode 7 – Ambush (3 November 1979) – Paul (uncredited)
  • Episode 8 – Just Light the Blue Touch Paper (10 November 1979) – Paul (uncredited)
  • Episode 13 – The Execution (15 December 1979) – Paul (uncredited)[5]

Discography
YearGroup TitleAlbumFeaturingLabel
Sept 1954Ken Moule Seven–Dave Usden, Keith Barr, Roy Sidwell, Don Cooper, Arthur Watts, Lennie Breslaw, Cab KayeEsquire
Oct 1954Ken Moule SixModern Jazz at the Royal Festival HallDave Usden, Keith Barr, Roy Sidwell, Arthur Watts, Lennie BreslawDecca
Feb 1955Ken Moule Seven–Dave Usden, Keith Barr, Roy Sidwell, Arthur Watts, Lennie BreslawDecca
Feb 1955Ken Moule Seven–Dave Usden, Keith Barr, Roy Sidwell, Arthur Watts, Lennie Breslaw, Don Cooper, Cab KayeDecca
Nov 1956Jazz Today UnitThird Festival of British JazzGeorge Chisholm, Keith Christie, Geoff Taylor, Jimmy Walker, Joe Temperley, Dave Shephard, Jimmy McKenzie, Ken Sykora, Lennie Bush, Allan GanleyDecca
Nov 1956George Chisholm-Keith Christie QuartetThird Festival of British JazzGeorge Chisholm, Keith Christie Lennie Bush, Allan GanleyDecca
Nov 1956Ken Moule Arranges For:Jazz at Toad Hall/Ken Moule Arranges ForLeon Calvert, George Chisholm, Dougie Robinson, Don Rendell, Ronnie Ross, Arthur Watts, Allan GanleyDecca
Dec 1956Ken Moule Arranges For:Jazz at Toad Hall/Ken Moule Arranges ForLeon Calvert, George Chisholm, Dougie Robinson, Don Rendell, Ronnie Ross, Arthur Watts, Allan GanleyDecca
Jan 1957Don Rendell's Jazz SixDon Rendell presents The Jazz SixKenny Wheeler, Bert Courtley, Don Rendell, Ronnie Ross, Arthur Watts, Don LawsonDecca
Jan 1958Ken Moule's MusicJazz at Toad Hall/Ken Moule Arranges ForLeon Calvert, George Chisholm, Dickie Hawdon, Johnny Scott, Roy Willox, Dougie Robinson, Bob Efford, Ronnie Ross, Bob Edwards, Arthur Watts, Allan GanleyDecca
1967The Cast of La StradaLa Strada (the Road) Studio Cast RecordingLionel Bart, composerBayview Records
June 1970The London Jazz Chamber GroupKen Moule's 'Adam's Rib Suite'The Patrick Halling String Quartet, Kenny Wheeler, Roy Willox, Louis Stewart, Lennie Bush, Ronnie StephensonEmber
1975Ken Moule SextetAs Time Goes ByJim Lawless, Len Walker, Johnny Dean, Lennie Bush, Harold FisherBBC Records
1981Angela Richards and Ken MouleAu Café CandideAngela Richards, Allan Ganley, Lennie BushBBC Records

References
  1. "Sir John Dankworth Memories". oldmonovians.com. Archived from the original on 14 July 2011. Retrieved 26 October 2017.
  2. "Ken Moule discography". Archived from the original on 27 May 2010. Retrieved 29 May 2010.
  3. Chilton, John (21 June 2004). Who's Who of British Jazz: 2nd Edition. Bloomsbury Academic. ISBN 9780826472342. Retrieved 26 October 2017 – via Google Books.
  4. Clarrie Henry, "Ken Moule". Grove Jazz online
  5. "Ken Moule". IMDb. Retrieved 26 October 2017.
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