Beryl Bryden
b. 11 May 1926, Norwich, Norfolk, England. In the mid-40s Bryden was active in local jazz circles, organizing concerts and club dates and singing with various bands. In London in the late '40s she sang and played washboard with many of the important bands of the British trad-jazz explosion, including those of George Webb, Freddy Randall, Alex Welsh, Humphrey Lyttelton and Chris Barber. Despite all this activity and a growing following, singing was only a part-time occupation for her, and it was not until the early '50s that she became a full-time performer. In the '50s and '60s her career was perhaps stronger in Europe than the UK and she waited until the early '70s before visiting the USA. In the '70s she toured extensively, sometimes as a solo artist, other times in company with jazz musicians such as Pete Allen. A robust performer of songs from the classic period of the blues and vaudeville, Bryden's popularity with audiences is matched by the fellow-feeling she induces in her musical companions (a quality singers often fail to achieve). Apart from performing, Bryden has also developed a second-string career as a good jazz photographer. Her retirement in the '80s was not taken too seriously, either by her fellow artists or by Bryden herself. In the early '90s she was still on the road and delighting her many fans and friends.