Kenneth Colyer, born on April 18, 1928, in Great Yarmouth, Norfolk, England, was an English jazz trumpeter and cornetist. He grew up in Soho, London, and his early exposure to jazz came from his brother's records. At 17, Colyer joined the Merchant Navy, traveling extensively and hearing famous jazz musicians in New Orleans, Louisiana. In the UK, he played with various bands before joining the Crane River Jazz Band in 1949, which performed at the Royal Festival Hall on July 14, 1951. Colyer later formed Ken Colyer's Jazzmen, including Chris Barber and Monty Sunshine, releasing their first recordings on Storyville in 1953. The band's lineup changed over the years. After battling stomach cancer in 1972, Colyer took a break from leading a band but continued with a solo career into the 1980s. He moved to the south of France in his later years and passed away on March 9, 1988.
