Vic Reynolds' Big Band
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The Big Band sound is one of very few styles of music to have stood the test of time. Forever associated with such legends as Glenn Miller, this type of music helped to define an era and perfectly encapsulated the post World War II mood of celebration, particularly in America. It was the sound, the spectacle and the sheer excitement of the music that made it so appealing. Nowadays, it is also about nostalgia and that too has endeared the music genre to the hearts of many.
The golden age of the Big Band is now experiencing somewhat of a resurgence right here on the Costa Blanca and we recently had the privilege of meeting Vic Reynolds who, with his band of talented musicians, is breathing new life into the music form.
Born in Battersea, England in 1921, Vic began performing at the young age of 10 with a tap dancing and violin act. He toured in variety shows throughout the UK, from theatres to working men's clubs. Not certain whether he wanted to be an actor or a musician, Vic also spent some time as a student with a repertory company. Performing is in Vic's blood and, as he humorously remarked "if a fridge door is opened and the light goes on, I will do 20 minutes". Touring in variety shows meant that Vic's schooling was somewhat disjointed. However, as his talents obviously lay elsewhere, this was not a major problem and Vic went on to join a juvenile band which had been formed by a Canadian band leader.
With the onset of the war, Vic joined the army and this saw him posted to North Africa, the Middle East, Italy and Austria. Towards the end of the war, Vic joined an army entertainment unit and played the saxophone in an accompanying band. That was to prove the perfect training ground and he recalled performing to troops in far from ideal conditions. Early morning performances in muddy fields at the side of the road were the order of the day but Vic looks back with fond memories as he "blacked-up" and did his 'By the light of the silvery moon' routine. While in Austria, Vic went on to lead a band of Austrian civilians. Also, it was there that he met the love of his life, Heidi. The war soon ended and Vic returned to the UK with the aim of starting a new life and then sending for Heidi. After a few weeks, it was definitely a case of 'absence makes the heart grow fonder' and Vic turned his thoughts to returning to Austria.
Vic is a wonderful story teller and he vividly recalled the details of his journey. There were many adventures en-route, not least his encounter with a French guard at one of the many control zones in Austria. It was only when he explained the amorous intentions of his journey that the guard allowed Vic to pass through. At times sounding more like the plot of a movie, Vic was eventually re-united with Heidi and they were to enjoy 50 years of happy married life.
Vic resumed his musical career in the UK and played with many bands throughout the 50's and early 60's. However, with the advent of the Beatles style of music, the big bands were no longer fashionable and Vic decided to join Equity. Following the Noel Coward rule of acting "learn the words and don't bump into the furniture", Vic went on to feature in such TV series as The Bill, Eastenders, The Sweeney and Minder (who will forget George Cole as the infamous Arthur Daley).
Vic returned to the big band scene in the 80's and as he remarked "over time the signposts were leading me in a certain direction". In fact, he was led to becoming a born again Christian and this marked a turning point in his life.
During the course of our long conversation, Vic recounted many amusing stories of his life 'on the road' and one humorous episode in particular remains firmly etched in his mind. It was when they were making their way home after a performance in Durham University and in blizzard conditions. At about 3am and badly in need of a break, a roadside café emerged from the snow storm and the band members decided to avail of its warmth. Vic went on to paint a vivid picture of the inside of the café, with its naked light bulbs, the debris of past meals littering almost every table and grease thick on the floor. The owner eventually emerged from some dim recess and if the sight of his grimy string vest and the dangling woodbine was not enough, he proceeded to clean their table with some deft swishes of a cloth that had obviously seen better times. He then asked the by now speechless band members what they would like to order. In a flash of sardonic wit, one of them uttered the immortal words "may we see your wine list". Just one of many hilarious asides to a bygone era.
While one would assume that at 87 years of age Vic Reynolds would now be enjoying happy retirement in Spain, nothing could be further from his mind. He is once again back doing what he does best and, together with his fellow musicians, he is re-kindling the Big Band sound. Vic's next ambition is to play in Benidorm Palace. With the drive and determination of a man half his age, we have no doubt that he will soon realise that goal.