Brian Towers, tailgate trombonist and vocalist for Toronto’s Hot Five Jazzmakers died this summer. He left England in 1969, emigrating to Canada for work. In 1982 he joined Cliff “Kid” Bastien’s Magnolia Marching Band, and upon Kid’s death in 2003 took it over as the Kid Bastien Remembered Band. The group made several appearances in New Orleans.
Towers has led Toronto’s Hot Five Jazzmakers for over 25 years from their home base at the jazz club C’est What? The band frequently traveled, performing hot jazz in New Orleans, on tour in Germany and France, and at the Edinburgh Jazz Festival. They also appeared at Whitley Bay, the Maribo Jazz festival in Denmark, the Silkeborg Riverboat Jazz Festival in Denmark, and the Kirkcudbright Festival in Scotland. They appeared at too many North American festivals to list, as well as several jazz cruises. The group also produced several albums and was very well regarded in the Toronto community.
Towers was instrumental in founding the Classic Jazz Society of Toronto in 1994. He was the Canadian correspondent for The Mississippi Rag.
