Humphrey Lyttelton's Bad Penny Blues

20 April 1956: Number 23 in our series of the 50 key events in the history of dance musicWhen the saxophonist didn't make it to the studio, it took a rookie Parlophone producer by the name of Joe Meek to save the day. He foregrounded the boogie woogie piano, turned up the bass and simplified Humphrey Lyttleton's trumpet solo. Not only did it become the first jazz single to make the UK top 20, but its peculiarly English take on New Orleans would be cited by the likes of Pete Townshend, Keith Rich...

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