Donald ‘Chick’ Murray

Became interested in the drums when at Edinburgh’s George Heriots School although did not join pipe band. About this time acquired his nickname of ‘Chick’ after well known Scottish comedian Chick Murray. Formed a dance band in 1959 and played 4 gigs before ‘we were found out’! Discovered Gene Krupa and Benny Goodman and was captivated, going to see ‘The Gene Krupa Story’ 5 times in one week! Attended Keating’s School of Music in 1960/61 and became friendly with fellow Heriot’s pupils Graham Blamire and Gerard Dott, who were also interested in jazz. Joined ‘Jack St Clair Quartet’ which had St Clair (clt), John Yule (bjo), Graham Blamire (bs). ‘St Clair Quartet’ expanded to 6-piece with the addition of Bill Munro (tbn) and Alec Flemming (tpt) who was later replaced by Mervyn Morrison (tpt). Later, disagreements about musical policy led to band breaking up and, the other five musicians leaving St Clair and, bringing in Gerard Dott (clt), reformed themsleves into the ‘New Savoy Jazz Band’. This band was sometimes joined by Hamish McGregor (then playing trombone) who was then attending an Edinburgh boarding school. Munro and Yule left to be replaced by Dave Margaroni (tbn) and Johnnie Harper (bjo). This band was relatively successful around 1963/64 doing a lot of student work and other gigs about town. In September 1964, Murray and Blamire joined the ‘Old Bailey and his Jazz Advocates’ replacing Charlie Welch (drms) and Forbes Laing (bs) and were later joined in the OB Band by Johnnie Harper who replaced Mike Hart and then by Gerard Dott who replaced Jack Graham (clt). In turn, Dott was replaced by Hamish McGregor who was now playing clarinet. McGregor then left to form his own band and Jack Graham returned to the fold. The band then remained stable for a while until the death in a road accident of the leader, Archie Sinclair (tbn) in 1969. Dave Margaroni came in on trombone before the band broke up in 1970.

Chick Murray then played with the ‘Kenny Ramage Quartet’ in the White Cockade on Saturdays then played in the same but augmented to 6-piece band until Ramage went off touring. Then on to a 6-piece band, ‘Seven Up’ put together by Hamish MacGregor, similar to the Advocates but augmented by solo guitar player Johnnie Fitzsimons and bass guitar, Colin Archbold. After this he joined Edwin Holland in the Old Smiddy Inn, Pencautland, doing dinner/dance work which got him into dance work. In 1974, he joined ‘Charlie McNair’s Jazz Band’ with McNair (tpt), Jack Graham or Gerard Dott (clt), Ian McCauley (tbn), Johnnie Harper (bjo/mouthorgan), Colin Archbold (bs gtr) and Johnnie Phillips (gtr) plus for a while, Aly Dawson (gtr). In 1975, ‘Old Bailey’s Jazz Advocates’ were reformed by Hamish MacGregor with Andrew Lauder (tpt), Hamish MacGregor (rds), Sam Smith (tbn), Johnnie Harper (gtr/bjo), Graham Blamire (bs) and Chick on drums. They held a residency at the Fountain Inn, Barnton drawing in very large crowds. This led to a two-day trip to London when the band played at the Prince of Orange’, a pub associated with Alex Welsh band and the famous ‘100 Club’ in Oxford Street. The band then started recording commercial LPs. Johnnie Harper went off to France to play full time and Sam Smith stayed on in the USA, after one of the trips to the Sacramento Jazz Festival. This brought back founder member Mike Hart on banjo, Johnny McGuff on trombone and Jack Graham on reeds. The band was thus now 8-piece and held a twice weekly residency in the Caledonian Hotel on Princes Street, a prestigious venue, and remained there for several years. The band made many radio and TV appearances and toured in the USA and in Europe. Unfortunately, because of their day jobs, neither Chick Murray nor Graham Blamire were able to make these trips. The band was wound up in 1984 when Hamish MacGregor left to form a new band, ‘Fat Sam’s Band’ which continued until about 2010. In the late 1980s, Chick played with a 5-piece band, ‘The Jazz Masters’ with Andrew Lauder (tpt), Jimmy Shortreed (rds), Jack Finlay (pno), Graham Blamire (bs) and Chick Murray (drms). This band was frequently augmented by Gordon Crukshank (ten sax), Brian Keddie (tbn) and John Bancroft (vbs), at their residency in Basin Street, a pub at Haymarket. Chick retired from playing in 1992 apart from occasional ‘Old Bailey/Scottish Jazz Advovates’ reunions.