Kenny Baker is renowned as one of the finest trumpet players to emerge from the British Jazz scene.

His introduction to music started when he joined the local brass band on cornet. In 1939 he left his Yorkshire home to try his luck in London. He joined the Lew Stone Orchestra and was soon in great demand among the star orchestras of that time. He worked with Ambrose, Jack Jackson, Jack Hylton, Sid Millward, Geraldo and many others. He was soon making his mark on the London Jazz scene with people like George Shearing, George Chisholm, Harry Parry and many others, playing on radio and recording dates.

The war put a halt to his growing reputation and he was drafted into the R.A.F. in 1942 where he spent 5 years of his life. Luckily still able to play, he was called on to make many forces programmes with occasional work with 'The Squadronaires' and programmes opposite the Glenn Miller Band. At the end of hostilities he was offered the lead trumpet chair with the new Ted Heath Band and, in 1946, he became a founder member as featured soloist and arranger. He wrote a great deal for the band with the best known composition, 'Bakerloo-Non-Stop', recorded on Decca.

After three years he left to form his own band which included Tubby Hayes and Stan Tracey. He worked a great deal in the film industry at this time with people like Tommy Farnon and Stanley Black and recorded the soundtrack for Kay Kendal to mime in 'Genevieve'. By now his reputation had reached such heights that he was booked as a solo artist and shared top billing with Morecambe and Wise, Ken Dodd, Jimmy James, Tommy Trinder and Benny Hill.

In 1951, BBC producer, Pat Dixon, asked him to front a group which was to be called 'Baker's Dozen'. This developed into a highly successful radio programme called 'Let's Settle For Music' which ran for eight years.

After another spell in variety and touring a great deal, he decided to stay in London and go back to studio work which brought him into contact with people like Michael Bentine (Square World), Spike Milligan (The Goons), Laurie Johnson (The Avengers), John Barry (James Bond Films) and The Beatles. He worked in every situation from symphony to 'Top of the Pops' and joined the Jack Parnell Orchestra at ATV studios, Elstree, where he did hundreds of shows with names such as Tom Jones, Englebert Humperdink, Barbra Streisand, Burt Bacharach and, of course, all the Muppet Shows. Others he has worked with include Bing Crosby, Frank Sinatra, Tony Bennett, Benny Goodman, Nelson Riddle and Billy May to name but a few.

His "Best of British Jazz" album has been recently issued featuring Jack Parnell and Don Lusher and his 1957 recording of the 'Dozen' was recently reissued on The Doormouse Label. The company are also releasing tracks from 'The Beiderbecke Affair' plus early recordings from the 1956 'Baker's Half Dozen'. He is still enjoying his music and works extensively with the young musicians of today.

Kenny says: I think the London Big Band is a great band. Laurie Johnson is a very fine writer, and is doing a great deal for Big Bands - and doing it better and better.