Mick Gilligan
Wild Irishman with the leprechaun smile.
A Tunstall boy, he worked his way at the Embassy Club from jacket holder to vocalist, guitarist and bassist with the Ceramic City Stompers and later the Excelsior Jazz Band.
He was playing with the Excelsior when Alan Elsdon spotted him.
Playing bass, he came back to form and sing with his old mate in the Mick Emery Folk Group.
Phil Rhodes
Trombonist and founder, with trumpeter Mel Hill, of the Ceramic City Stompers
Born in Penkhull, he went to Longton High School and Keele University.Ìý
He first met drummer Webb when they ran against each other in the 440 yards at the Stoke-on-Trent City Schools Sports.Ìý Both claim they won.Ìý (Neither did).
Phil left the Embassy Club for London, where he played with the bands of Mike Peters and Sonny Morris before joining Terry Lightfoot in 1958.
Mick Emery
Singer, guitarist and Potteries landmark.
He was a guest singer with the Stompers, and later featured at the Cameo and the Crown and Anchor at Longton.
Mick had fans in unlikely places.Ìý He was a great favourite with the old folks at Potteries pensioners’ concerts.Ìý Scoutmasters remember him as a Screamline star
Arthur Wood
Pianist and intellectual, was born within sound of the Embassy, at Cobridge.
One of the original members of the Ceramic City Stompers, Arthur played piano and bass with them.Ìý Later he formed the Excelsior Jazz Band.
A St. Joseph’s College boy, Arthur was a teacher in the Potteries before joining the Alan Elsdon.Ìý He taught for two years on the Italian Riviera, at a Trent Vale school, and then joined Radio Stoke as its Education Producer.
Mel Hill
Founder member of the Ceramic City Stompers, and stalwart of The Old Fashioned Love Band, Mel has been playing on the North Staffordshire jazz scene for over fifty years.Ìý
As well as playing trumpet, he has written, lectured and broadcast about jazz - for outlets from ³ÉÈËÂÛ̳ Radio 3 to the national newspapers. He also ran a hugely successful jazz show on ³ÉÈËÂÛ̳ Radio in The Midlands for nearly twenty years.
Keith Webb
Drummer Keith joined the Elsdon outfit at Christmas 1961.
He was born at Blythe Bridge and went to Hanley High School.Ìý In the late 50s he left his job at Wedgwood’s and went to Canada and America where he played professionally for three years.Ìý Over there, he worked in the band of Wingy Manone for some time and also part of a rhythm section that accompanied many famous American jazzmen touring as soloists.
On returning to England, he played with the Excelsior Jazz Band in Stoke.
