Noel Norris (trumpet)

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BANDS:

• Marriage [1970-?]
• The Foundations [1973-1974]
• Hershey & The Twelve Bars [1988]
• Ray Minhinnett Band [1989]
• John Slaughter Blues Band

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BIOGRAPHY:

Very interesting trumpet player, I must reckon that it´s very difficult to find information about him, so this page is shorter than usual. So any additional information about him would be very welcomed.

I´m sure he must have played in many more bands, but can´t find that info.

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MARRIAGE

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In October 1970, this was the lineup for Marriage:

MARRIAGE #?				1970-?
Ernie Hayes guitar	Chas Cronk bass	Jim Johnson keyboards	Noel Norris trumpet	Jan Diakow sax	Bill Walley drums

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THE FOUNDATIONS

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Around 1973-74, Seopardie toured with The Foundations, but don´t know the exact lineup(s), just incomplete info:

THE FOUNDATIONS #?						?
Derrick ? guitar	Jeremy Havard bass	Noel Norris trumpet	Geoff Peach sax	Eric Allandale † trombone	Jimmy Fitzroy percussion	Jeff Seopardie drums	+ maybe others, unknown to me

If someone can provide more info, it would be very welcomed.

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HERSHEY & THE TWELVE BARS

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This was the lineup for Hershey & The Twelve Bars around 1988:

HERSHEY & THE TWELVE BARS #?									1988
Richard ´Hershey´ Shirman vocals, harmonica	Al MacLean bass	Dave Lennox keyboards	Noel Norris trumpet	Andy Hamilton sax	John Bennett trombone	Steve Dixon drums	+	Jim Roche guitar	OR	Brendan Hoban guitar, sometimes

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RAY MINHINNETT BAND

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In August 1989, Chris Parren also played with the great Ray Minhinnet in his band UK Busters:

RAY MINHINNETT BAND #?										1989
Ray Minhinnet guitar, vocals	John Gordon bass	Chris Parren keyboards	Bruce Boardman keyboards	Tony Hepworth trumpet	Noel Norris trumpet	Nick Payn sax	Stuart Blandamer sax	Andy Beer sax	Steve Farr sax	Tony Ingram sax	Graham Walker drums

We can find one track (´Never had the blues like this before´), in the collective album UnAmerican Blues Activities Vol.1, assembled by mythical blues producer Mike Vernon. Other artists featured there: Mick Clarke Band, Chris Farlowe & The Thunderbirds, Blues'n'Trouble, Balham Alligators, The Mick Pini Band, Juice on the Loose, etc.

This track gave Ray the chance of winning the Award for Best British Blues Songwriter that year. He was also nominated for the Best British Blues Guitarist award, alongside Eric Clapton, Gary Moore and Rory Gallagher.

Later, Chris Parren left.

Don Airey is the new keyboardist for the great Ray Minhinnet in his band UK Busters, replacing Chris Parren:

RAY MINHINNETT BAND #?										?
Ray Minhinnet guitar, vocals	John Gordon bass	Don Airey keyboards	Bruce Boardman keyboards	Tony Hepworth trumpet	Noel Norris trumpet	Nick Payn sax	Stuart Blandamer sax	Andy Beer sax	Steve Farr sax	Tony Ingram sax	Graham Walker drums

But, this band was approached by Gary Moore, who took them with him, renaming the band as The Midnight Blues Band.

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JOHN SLAUGHTER BLUES BAND

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Noel Norris has also been a member of John Slaughter Blues Band, appearing in one of his albums, but don´t know the lineups.

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DISCOGRAPHY: (21 albums known to me - Status: In progress)

ALBUMS AS A BAND MEMBER (2 credits)

• Square one - John Bennett Band ( - )


• Members: John Bennett, Noel Norris
• Guests: Stuart Brooks, Nick Payn, Chris Taylor, Alan Tomlinson, Annie Whitehead
• Comments: Recorded in November 1998.
• All that stuff ain´t real - The John Slaughter Band (1994)


• Members: John Beecham, Paul Cox, Steve Dixon, Martin Drover, Andy Hamilton, Al MacLean, Noel Norris, Nick Payn, Jim Rodford, Richard Simmons, John Slaughter
• Guests: Mike Cotton
• Technical: John Verity

COLLECTIVE ALBUMS (2 credits)

• Un-American blues activities volume 1 - VVAA (1989)


• Guests: Andy Beer, Stuart Blandamer, Bruce Boardman, Mick Clarke, John Edwards, Chris Farlowe, Tony Hepworth, Ruby James, Ray Minhinnet, Noel Norris, Chris Parren, Nick Payn, Alan Scott, Graham Walker, Geraint Watkins
• Producer: Mike Vernon
• Comments: It contains tracks by: Chris Farlowe & The Thunderbirds, Blues´n´Trouble, The Balham Alligators, Roma Pierre & Her Backdoormen, Mick Pini band, Juice On The Loose, Mick Clarke Band, The Red Hot Pokers and Ray Minhinnet´s UK Busters.
• Blues T-Bone style - VVAA (07/1997)


• Guests: Myron Dove, Ronnie Earl, Buddy Guy, Steve Howard, Mark ´Kaz´ Kazanoff, George Lewis, David Maxwell, Noel Norris, Larry Taylor, Doug Williams (RIP: Clarence Gatemouth Brown, Porky Cohen, Johnny Copeland, Sam Furnace, Phil Guy, Dave Rowberry, Alvin ´Red´ Tyler, Phillip Walker)

SESSIONS (16 credits)

• Feel the fire - Earl Green ( - )


• Members: Earl Green, David Hadley, Frank Mead, Peter Miles, Jon Plotel, Richard Simmons
• Guests: Andy Cooper, Noel Norris, Nick Payn, Todd Sharpville
• Technical: Gary Campbell
• And a cast of thousands - Leigh Stephens (06/1970)


• Members: Leigh Stephens
• Guests: Bob Andrews, Aliki Ashman, Dave Caswell, Glenn Cornick, Roy Dyke, David Jackson, Lyle Jenkins, Noel Norris, Geoff Peach, Dave Quincy, Peter Ross, Pete Sears (RIP: Tony Ashton, Kim Gardner, Dick Morrissey, Micky Waller, Kevin Westlake)
• Buzzard - Tucky Buzzard (11/1973)


• Members: Terry Taylor
• Guests: Noel Norris (RIP: Tony Ashton, Ricky Dodd, Jon Lee)
• Producer: Bill Wyman
• Say it ain´t so - Murray Head (1975)


• Members: Bob Weston
• Guests: John Altman, Brian Brocklehurst, Chilli Charles, Gerry Conway, Jim Cregan, Alun Davies, Mickey Finn, Brother James, Chaz Jankel, Brian Johnston, Tony Kaye, Glen LeFleur, Bruce Lynch, Sue Lynch, Noel Norris, Ann Odell, Simon Phillips, Graham Preskett, Nick South, Liza Strike, Pete Thompson (RIP: Vicki Brown, Morris Pert)
• Producer: Paul Samwell-Smith
• Technical: Robin Black
• Comments: A very fine singer, he sang lead in one of the roles for Jesus Christ Superstar. He has featured a quiet career, being his biggest hit the fantastic song ´Say it ain't so, Joe´, featured in this album. The musicians appearing here are: Jim Cregan (guitar), Alun Davies (guitar), Mickey Finn (guitar), Bob Weston (guitar), Graham Preskett (mandolin), Bruce Lynch (bass), Nick South (bass), Arthur Watts (bass), Ann Odell (keyboards), Billy Day (keyboards), Chas Jankel (keyboards), Brian Johnston (keyboards), Tony Kaye (keyboards), Anthony Healey (trombone), Noel Norris (trumpet), Morris Pert (percussion), Chilli Charles (percussion), Brother James (conductor), Simon Phillips (drums), Gerry Conway (drums), Glen LeFleur (drums), Pete Thompson (drums), and backing vocals by Vicki Brown, Liza Strike, Suzy Lynch. The album was produced by Paul Samwell-Smith.
• Cross cuts - The Bishops (1979)


• Members: Paul Balbi, Pat McMullen, Dave Tice (RIP: Zenon De Fleur, Johnny Guitar)
• Guests: Jools Holland, Noel Norris (RIP: Ruan O´Lochlainn)
• Secret in the cupboard - Flasher (1979)


• Guests: Noel Norris (RIP: Dino Dines)
• Love in exile - Eddy Grant (1980)


• Guests: Kofi Ayivor, Ruby James, Gaspar Lawal, Sylvia Mason-James, Pete Nelson, Noel Norris, Liza Strike, Bill Summers, Ron Telemacque
• My turn to love you - Eddy Grant (1980)


• Guests: Kofi Ayivor, Ruby James, Gaspar Lawal, Sylvia Mason-James, Noel Norris, Liza Strike, Bill Summers, Ron Telemacque (RIP: Peter Nelson)
• Apparently... (SINGLE) - The Farmer´s Boys (1984)


• Guests: John Beecham, Andy Hamilton, Noel Norris
• A Word to the wise guy - The Mighty Wah! (1984)


• Guests: Jeff Allen, John Beecham, Noel Norris, Nick Payn
• Big blues from Texas - Phillip Walker and Otis Grand (1994)


• Members: (RIP: Phillip Walker)
• Guests: Noel Norris
• Hot from the smoke - McCalla (1995)


• Members: Mick Dyche, Alan Fealdman, Andy Hamilton, Noel McCalla, Kevin Powell, Luigi Salvoni
• Guests: Ian Maidman, Noel Norris, Tony Smith
• The Blues sessions 1990-1994 - Otis Grand (11/1997)


• Guests: Noel Norris, Mick Weaver (RIP: Tony Ashton, Dave Rowberry, Guitar Shorty, Phillip Walker)
• The Bop Brothers ... and sisters (LP) - Bop Brothers (2000)


• Members: Earl Green, Dave Moore, Nick Payn, Rob Statham, Jon T-Bone Taylor (RIP: Louis Borenius, Dick Heckstall-Smith)
• Guests: Dana Gillespie, Noel Norris, Ruby Turner
• Producer: Pete Brown
• Holloway boulevard - The Popes (03/2000)


• Guests: Ed Deane, Noel Norris
• Technical: Tom Newman
• Pick´n´tell - Thunderclap featuring GoodMoney (01/2006)


• Members: Tex Makins, Zoot Money, Nick Payn
• Guests: Michael Bailey, Richard Bailey, Pete Brown, David Hadley, Dave Moore, Noel Norris (RIP: Dick Heckstall-Smith)

COMPILATIONS (SESSIONS) (1 credit)

• The Best of The Count Bishops - The Count Bishops (10/1995)


• Members: Paul Balbi, Steve Lewins, Pat McMullen, Dave Tice
• Guests: Noel Norris (RIP: Ruan O´Lochlainn)
• Technical: (RIP: Vic Maile)

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QUESTIONS:

01. Has been Noel Norris a member of John Bennett Band?

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THANKS:

Very Special Thanks to:

Jeff Seopardie: for info on The Foundations lineup.

Special Thanks to:

Christer Fridhammar: for info on the Hershey & The 12 Bars lineups.

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RELATED MUSICIANS:

Noel Norris mostly worked with these musicians: (name + number of credits)
Nick Payn (7)
Tony Ashton (3)
Peter Beck (3)
John Beecham (3)
Steve Diamond (3)
Otis Grand (3)
Andy Hamilton (3)
Mike Hobart (3)
Ruby James (3)
Alan Premier (3)

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Page created by Miguel Terol on: 15/July/2010 - Last modified on: 23/July/2010. If you want to contribute with info, please write to: molympus1@gmail.com

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Please, note than you can check the indexes (musicians, bands, obituaries) at the top of this page.