THE JOYMAKERS

When asked about his love for classic jazz, Colin Hancock replied that it was practically hereditary. He is the third-generation Bix Beiderbecke fan in his family. His grandfather, born and raised in the United Kingdom, was introduced to Beiderbecke’s music by American GIs during World War II. Especially taken with Beiderbecke’s Gennett recording of “Copenhagen,” he purchased the English Brunswick 78 when he returned home, and eventually played the recording for his son. That boy became Hancock’s father, and although he knew the song’s melody, over the years he had forgotten the title. When he heard it years later on the radio, he bought a new copy on compact disc. One day, while Dad was busy organizing his CDs, 8-year-old Colin Hancock saw the disc on the table (along with discs by Louis Armstrong and Sidney Bechet) and decided to listen. After hearing Beiderbecke and the Wolverines tear through “Fidgety Feet,” the read more...