Vernon Varty

I was born in Pietermaritzburg, and we moved to Durban when I was four years old (1941). My first seven years of schooling entailed attending six different junior schools, all over the then province of Natal, finally stabilising from Grade 8 through to matric at Mansfield High School, Durban, a kind of tough grammar school. The most distinguishing aspects of my high school career were surprisingly good results in rifle marksmanship, a still-enduring love for cricket, and an even more enduring passion for anything relating to aviation. One of many dreams which have come true for me was achieving my night-rated pilot licence, which gave me eight years of unbelievable joy until the 1975 oil crisis.

My dad was, among other things, a marvellous jazz musician, and I still wish today that I had accepted his advice to take music lessons. I finally began, at the ripe old age of 20, to try and teach myself, and have often agonised over what might have been.

I started trying to play guitar just at the beginning of the rock & roll revolution, and four years later toured the Copperbelt with Dickie Loader and the Blue Jeans. After a few years playing with various rock groups my interest shifted towards jazz and popular show-type music, which has kept me involved ever since. I somehow managed to get work with some very good bands and superb artists over the years, working with top names of the time, and doing lots of transcription recording work for the SABC.

I moved to Cape Town at the end of 1988 for a marvellous motivational training job, which kept me enthralled right through to a somewhat forced retirement in 1998.

In 1992 I joined the very happy Riverboat Jazz Band, and a year later we were invited to play at a New Year jazz festival in Palm Springs, California. Marvellous experience – one band each from UK, Netherlands and South Africa, and 27 bands from all over the USA. Legendary British band leader Chris Barber was also there as an independent soloist, and he chose our band for 12 of his 18 performances.

Our Riverboat Jazz Band has enjoyed 11 consecutive Summer Sunday seasons down at Ferryman’s Tavern at the waterfront. I also play in a smooth sophisticated dance band called Casablanca, and a nostalgic-jazz group called Evergreen, as well as doing ad hoc work with other musicians. One of my most enjoyable recent activities has been my involvement with Fine Music Radio.

Vernon presents The Jazz Lounge on Wednesday evenings at 19:00.