Nigel Cretney
Nigel’s drum feeling has brought to the band technical skill whilst maintaining essential swing and rhythm. Nigel first learned the violin at the age of 10. He became attracted to jazz in his very early teens and originally had yearnings to become a bassist. This idea was dispelled by his Mother saying “The instrument will be too big for the house!” Nigel heard Chico Hamilton with The Gerry Mulligan Quartet and drums were “cool”. So he practised with brushes on an old inverted tray and formed various groups with friends and various school chums. At the age of 19 Nigel enlisted with the Royal Air Force, trained as an aircraft technician and played with squadron bands. On leaving the RAF at 25 he played with local modern and mainstream outfits, worked gigs with Tony Coe, Joe Temperley, Bob Wallis, Danny Moss and a short tour with Jimmy Witherspoon. Nigel is influenced drum wise by Max Roach, Kenny Clarke and the great Phil Seaman!! In more recent years Nigel has taken the drum chair (stool) with The Frank Brooker Quartet, and accompanied Tommy Whittle, Roy Williams, Alan Barnes, Enrico Tomasso, Spike Robinson, Stacey Kent, Scott Hamilton, Bruce Adams, Mark Nightingale, Bobby Wellins, Warren Vache and Harry Allen. Nigels other interests are Distance Running (when time permits which isn’t very often), reading Philosophy and Mythology. Considers Duke Ellington to be the greatest jazz musician. Inside leg measurement 32” Favourite Desert Course Jelly! Lucky number 0.