Clarinettist acker bilk biography

Born Bernard Stanley Bilk on January 28, 1929, in Pensford, England; children: Jenny.

Clarinettist acker bilk biography

Addresses: Management--53 Cambridge Mansions, Cambridge Rd.co.uk.

Initially associated with the British traditional or "trad" jazz movement, Acker Bilk rose to prominence in Britain and the United States as the bandleader responsible for the hit instrumental "Stranger on the Shore," which became the theme song of a popular British television series.

As a trad jazz musician, Bilk rejected the use of amplified instruments and was also against the use of saxophones--most commonly associated at the time with bop and hard bop jazz--preferring instead the instrumentation most commonly associated with jazz music prior to World War II.

As a result, his early recordings featured Bilk on clarinet, with accompaniment on banjo, trumpet, trombone, drums, and piano. As the years progressed, Bilk alienated some of his trad audience by integrating saxophones, string orchestras, and synthesizers into his band li