Charles ‘Dizzy’ Jackson

Father was a church organist. Member of RHS Gang. Given name ‘Dizzy’ because he could wiggle his ears like a character in a ‘B’ class movie series of the time. A little younger than Sandy Brown, Al Fairweather et al, and can remember their band playing in the school playground for mock elections. Began going to hear jazz at the West End Cafe. Tipped of by Jimmy Gavin that the Brown band was looking for a bass player as Will Redpath had left, Dizzy decided to give it a try and bought a bass from Gordon Simpson’s music shop for £20. Self taught and had help from Stan Greig about chords etc, he became a member of the Brown band. Played with the band at West End Cafe, Oddfellows Hall, Edinburgh Art College, went with band to London in 1953 to play at a concert in the Royal Festival Hall and other gigs in mini-tour organised by Stu Crockett (who acted as band manager) and appeared on radio on ‘In Town Tonight’. Nat Service in 1954/55. Returned to Edinburgh and joined band of Charlie McNair. Later played with many local jazz bands and dance music. In 2000s played with ‘Dave Keir’s Hot Five’ and then with the ‘Spirits of Rhythm’. Became President of the Sandy Brown Society after the death of Stan Greig in 2012.