Born Isador Simon, Sid Phillips grew up in London’s East End with his three brothers and four sisters. While still at school he and his elder brothers Harry (trumpet) and Ralph (banjo), all self-taught musicians, used to practise their instruments at the end of their garden because their mother chased them out of the house when they made "all that noise". However, their neighbours loved ‘that noise’ and dozens of them stood in the street outside listening, tapping their feet and clapping.
Such was the start of ‘The Riviera Five’. It was with this group, augmented in 1923 by Sid Kreeger (piano) and Joe Badis (drums), that Sid first toured on the continent and by 1927, now renamed ‘The Melodians’ they were favourites in most fashionable European cities.
He composed numerous titles including Clarinet Cadenza which became his signature tune, but it was his recording of David Comer’s ‘Hors d’Oeuvres’ that became the first post war 78rpm to be awarded a Golden Record for selling a million. World famous for the clarinet Sid also loved the piano and enjoyed playing (for example) Kitten on the Keys as a ‘special’ during a concert. He was an accomplished boxer and spoke several European languages fluently.
After the second world war, which he spent in the RAF Intelligence Corps, Sid Phillips formed his Dixieland Jazz band which became a great favourite with Princess Margaret and, at her request, played the annual Windsor Castle Christmas Ball on several occasions in the 1950s. Bandleaders such as Kenny Ball, successful in their own right, were originally trained by Sid while playing in his band.
Sid suffered a heart attack in 1973 while playing his beloved cricket, was rushed to the local Chertsey hospital and died a few days later just three weeks before his 66th birthday.
This information is featured in the CD booklet.
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