Phil Seamen - Film Clip

[stuarthants]

match grip

[consul1957]

I would love an Ajax kit like that, probably blue in colour in the vid.., sounds great not too big sounding but nicely focused..nice!

[knibscratch]

The little guy with the big sax ... Would he be Graham Bond?

[pycroft]

@knibscratch no, ronnie ross .

[MilubydoEy]

haha... seaman.

[jasonpp1973]

Looks just like Ginger Baker, complete w/ ciggie!

[SteveLewis3015]

Thanks god bless Philnner is served

[SteveLewis3015]

Thanks god bless ohil.. Dinner is served

[talbotvanman]

I lost the drum chair to Phil when I was with the Cyril Stapleton Band but he was on

a downward spiral by then and didnt last long sorry to say that would be about 1963/4

[exjazzbassbaz]

phil use to come to leeds a lot late 50s early 60s played with him a couple of times he did agig with the great trumpet player freddy hubberd also in leeds they had a barney on the stand over the time but phil didnt give a shit he just stuck a finger up an kept on swinging what a character///////////

[sumthingi8]

We got to play with Phil whenever he visited his mum & dad in Burton-on-Trent. He would drop into our local jazz club - The Eight Bar Rest and sit in with us. It was Phil who first encouraged me with my early songwriting efforts and told me to go London! I went on to write successfully for one or two recording artistes. I travelled down to London on the train with Phil about 6 months before he died. He was a lovely man with a truly formidable musical talent. Not just a great drummer but a total

[oldblueeyesuk]

i remember seeing phil with georgie fames band blue flames at flamingo in 60s he blew my mind great drummer

[Rash11m]

Ginger Baker was one of Seamen's students. You can really tell where Baker gets some of his influences for Toad from, especially from 0:17-0:32.

[sidjames1976]

The late, great Phil Seamen. Family friend and several members of my family played alongside him. More should be made of his outstanding talents. THE best drummer in Europe of his generation, RIP Phil.

[ZackPomerleau]

Are there any albums I can find him on?

[BerlinerStadtschloss]

Thank you for showing us this film. There is so little footage featuring Phil Seamen and he was the greatest drummer in Europe.

[speakorsqueak]

keep checking in - keying in Phil Seaman - still only 2 clips on u-tube. This one's my "favourite" - lucky enough to see/hear/be there many times in my growing up years when he was playing locally and have never forgotten him.

[CMBaird]

@speakorsqueak The third film clip of Phil Seamen is Sound Pt. 1 with Roland Kirk.

[LumpyAK47]

hehehe...seamen...

[CMBaird]

A fanatastic cd has been released by SWP Records called 'The Late Great Phil Seamen' - a compilation of highlights of Phil's playing with beautifully remastered recordings from between 1953 and '72. Ladies and Gentlemen, dinner is finally being served!

[JamesGawthrop]

Thanks! I was aware of Phil Seaman because of his influence on Ginger Baker. Ginger Baker heard Phil Seaman play in London clubs as a kid, and it was Phil who later introduced Baker to African rhythms, with which Ginger has been busy ever since Cream broke up. Baker said this was like a door opening to a whole new universe. Ginger Baker thought the world of Phil Seaman. Like Chick Webb he's a guy you don't hear of much, but was a great influence.

[superjules]

He holds that cigarette the way he holds them sticks.

[littlefish63]

I hope they hit the record button on that one....

[Dogdrum]

Funny that the conductor is counting in a faster tempo than what Phil Seamen started with..

[jdukulele]

True fact: Dave Tough could not play a roll.

And English drumming IS different than American drumming. If Phil wasn't a heroin addict he must likely could have been much better than he was.

[CaptBubble]

Brill, thanks for posting, I had no idea any film of him existed. When I was about 14 he did a superb trio gig at my school, but died just 3 weeks later. I think he used a gold Hayman kit

[mjulio71]

I know other drummers were using it sometimes before, but certainly not all the time; those late60s English Rock drummers changed the way the instrument was approached forever, beginning with hitting HARD!... and using matched grip primarily.

[mjulio71]

I have a loose theory: Seaman was England's most recognized drummer and had an influence on almost every English drummer of that era in one way or another, from Ringo to Ginger to Bonham; he might be THE main responsible for popularizing matched grip on the drumset!

[mikethesax]

OK no time! That really sucked.

[bobjazz11]

Thank you for sharing that with us

[gmtdiato]

Thanks,saw Phil @ a pub in Tooley St.c.1968[?]

[madchops82]

he kinda looks like dave tough

[BunburyMagic]

Phil was my mother's first husband! They got married in 1956 just after my mother's 21st birthday and although the marriage only lasted about five years, even to this day, mother has nothing but kind words about Phil. I wish she had a computer so she could see this clip!

[recordguy4321]

I always remember Ginger Baker in his interviews talking about Phil and what an influence he was on him. Well, pictures or shall I say film doesn't lie.From the way he holds his sticks to the ciggy dangling out of his mouth, Ginger has got phil written all over him. Thanks for this post.

[drummer78]

Don't forget the smack habit that he picked up from Phil.

[lordritchie]

Good Point, drummer78

[Fnarge]

What a pity Phil's solo is cut short, but great to hear and see him in action. I interviewed Phil for Melody Maker and he was always funny, courteous and enthusiastic,and his playing seemed to get better with the passing years,especially when inspired by Dick Morrissey and Roland Kirk of course.

I never knew his Trixon kit was 'thrown away,' after his passing. How did that happen?

Unbelievable...

[CMBaird]

The composition is 'Rush Job' by Eddie Harvey, the group the Don Rendell Jazz Six (with Kenny Napper on bass?) - in the film credits the composition is called 'Lower Deck', the group is listed as 'The Phil Seamon Jazz Group'. The drumset is Phil's famous Trixon set, which after his death was put out on the street with the rubbish.

[16oldbrook]

Lok closer; this is an Ajax kit!!

[avril2]

I used to dep on an Ajax kit occasionally.

Really good sound, nice and focused.

[hankmobley]

Check The phil Seamen Story LP on Decibel records if you can find it! Phil talks and plays and is Outf******rageous !!

[avril2]

Yes, I have it.

It's for sale if anyone here is interested.

[speakorsqueak]

@avril2 I'd be interested - how do I order a copy?

[hankmobley]

Go to Al Cohn Zoot Sims Cool Of The Evening on Youtube and hear Phil in a more open setting !

[bobjazz11]

Everybody shoud do that!

Bob

[speakorsqueak]

@hankmobley I've got that on my favourites too but this clip really looks like the Phil Seaman I love and remember

[michaelwb]

Wonderful to see and hear Phil Seamen. Does anyone know who the other musicians are? Thank you for posting this clip, Bobjazz.

[hankmobley]

Bert Courtley, Don Rendell,Ronnie Ross.......is the bass Pete Blannin?

These guys made some nice records for NIxa

[loclannogrady]

To set the record straight ...

Credit needs to be given to Eddie Harvey (on trombone in this clip) for composing the music featured here.

He never got the credit and never received a penny for his efforts.

Now you know.