Sunday Lunch - Diz And The Doormen at Hideaway

Diz Watson was born in Port Elizabeth, South Africa in l948, and at the age of 12 the family moved back to Yorkshire, England. Diz formed a friendship with the legendary "Champion" Jack Dupree, who had settled in Halifax a town not far away - "Jack really inspired me to the more prehistoric rolling sound of the piano and also the way to phrase the blues poetry". After a spell in the Merchant Navy, Diz found himself playing in a variety of bands before forming his own combo - the "Commissionaires" (on account of the uniforms they wore "donated" by a head porter at a London hotel), soon to become 'Diz and the Doormen'. This line-up soon had a cult following packing rock-a-billies, punks, purists and ska-heads into their gigs across town. The release of 'Bluecoat Man' (featuring American giants Lee Allen and Walter Kimble) built on their fan base. And with critical acclaim for the album, the band toured with Chas 'n' Dave, opened for Madness and backed up Dr John on the Nighttripper Tour (culminating in the Glastonbury Festival). Further releases on ACE records followed with 'Rhumbalero' in 1984 and 'Tonky Honk' featuring special guest Big Jay McNeely in 2009....

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Diz Watson was born in Port Elizabeth, South Africa in l948, and at the age of 12 the family moved back to Yorkshire, England. Diz formed a friendship with the legendary "Champion" Jack Dupree, who had settled in Halifax a town not far away - "Jack really inspired me to the more prehistoric rolling sound of the piano and also the way to phrase the blues poetry". After a spell in the Merchant Navy, Diz found himself playing in a variety of bands before forming his own combo - the "Commissionaires" (on account of the uniforms they wore "donated" by a head porter at a London hotel), soon to become 'Diz and the Doormen'. This line-up soon had a cult following packing rock-a-billies, punks, purists and ska-heads into their gigs across town. The release of 'Bluecoat Man' (featuring American giants Lee Allen and Walter Kimble) built on their fan base. And with critical acclaim for the album, the band toured with Chas 'n' Dave, opened for Madness and backed up Dr John on the Nighttripper Tour (culminating in the Glastonbury Festival). Further releases on ACE records followed with 'Rhumbalero' in 1984 and 'Tonky Honk' featuring special guest Big Jay McNeely in 2009.

Time: 12:00 to 16:00

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