Bobby Lamb (trombonist) facts for kids

Robert Valentine Lamb, born on February 11, 1931, is an Irish musician. He is famous for playing the trombone in jazz music. He also writes music and leads orchestras. Bobby, as he is often called, was born in Cork, Ireland. He lived in London for most of his life.

In the 1950s, he played trombone for famous bandleaders like Jack Parnell and Woody Herman. Later, in the 1960s, he played for the BBC Radio Orchestra. He even led his own orchestra and played with stars like Frank Sinatra. From the 1980s, Bobby Lamb taught music at the Trinity College of Music. He also led big orchestras, including the European Community Youth Orchestra.

Bobby Lamb's Early Life

Bobby Lamb was born in 1931 in Cork, Ireland. When he was a teenager, he started playing the euphonium. Later, he decided to focus on the trombone. In 1951, Bobby moved to Dublin. There, he played music with Neil Kearn's band. He also played with Johnny Devlin's Downbeaters group.

Bobby Lamb's Music Career

Moving to London and the U.S.

In 1952, Bobby Lamb moved to London, England. He started playing with a musician named Teddy Foster. From 1953 to 1955, Bobby was a member of Jack Parnell's band. After that, he moved to the United States.

In the U.S., he played with famous jazz leaders like Charlie Barnet and Stan Kenton. He also played with Woody Herman for three years. During this time, Bobby went on a tour where Woody Herman's band played with Louis Armstrong's All Stars.

Returning to London and BBC Work

In 1958, Bobby Lamb came back to London. He joined the BBC Show Band with Cyril Stapleton. From 1958 to 1959, he was part of Geraldo's orchestra. This orchestra often performed at the Hippodrome. After that, he worked as a freelance musician for different theatre orchestras. From 1960 to 1968, Bobby played for the BBC Radio Orchestra.

Leading Orchestras and Composing

In the late 1960s, Bobby Lamb started leading an orchestra with Ray Premru. They worked with famous drummers like Buddy Rich and Louie Bellson. In 1970, Bobby made his first recording as a composer. It was called The Children Of Lir. He won an Ivor Novello Award for this music. During the 1970s, Bobby also played in the Top of the Pops orchestra.

Tours with Music Legends

Bobby Lamb toured with Frank Sinatra in Europe during the 1970s and 1980s. He also played with Sinatra in the Middle East in 1975. Bobby toured Europe with other famous singers like Ella Fitzgerald and Peggy Lee. In the late 1970s, he toured Scandinavia with Buddy Rich.

Other Musical Works

Besides jazz, Bobby Lamb wrote music for full orchestras. He also worked a lot on music for films and television shows across Europe. Bobby also led many orchestras. These included the European Community Youth Orchestra and the National Symphony Orchestra of Ireland. During his career, Bobby performed in over 6,000 live radio shows. He also played on 200 film soundtracks and many TV shows.

Teaching Music

In 1982, Bobby Lamb became the director of jazz studies. This was at the Trinity College of Music in London. In 1994, he became a professor in Germany. He taught contemporary music studies at Hochschule für Musik Detmold. Bobby Lamb retired from his job at Trinity College in 2007.

Bobby Lamb's Music Recordings

Bobby Lamb has released his own music and played on many other artists' albums.

• Trinity Fair (Hep, 1995)

As a sideman (playing for others)

• 1957 Live Featuring Bill Harris, Vol. 1, Woody Herman
• 1970 Louie in London, Louie Bellson
• 1973 Song for Someone, Kenny Wheeler
• 1986 Eurojazz, European Community Jazz Orchestra
• 1996 My Huckleberry Friend, Johnny Mercer
• 2007 The Little Giant, Tubby Hayes