Silver Shine - ACE174.2

Jazz musicians rehearsing. Andy Hamilton talking about music being the most important thing in his life, and wanting to teach people with the same outlook. Black and white scenes of Birmingham from the 1950s intercut with shots of Birmingham today. The Blue Notes playing. Black and white footage of snowy streets. Hamilton says he came to England in 1949. The difficulty of finding rooms. VO continues over newspaper headlines about "colour bar", film of firemen dealing with arson attack, etc. Hamilton relates how he played at a jazz club in Handsworth but wasn’t allowed back the following week. The Blue Notes. Black and white footage of demolition of houses in Birmingham. Hamilton saying he worked as a labourer, tried for a job at BSA but didn’t have enough money to bribe his way in. Group of young musicians (The Blue Pearls) playing Satin Doll. VO of Blue Pearls member Tony Sykes, describing the group and how his enthusiasm for it helped get him off the dole. Birmingham streets. Building social housing in the 1950s; some of the buildings today. Sykes practising in such a block. Sykes in recording studio. Talking about the chance of making good money through pop music.