Zoot Money - The Blues and Roots Club

About

Quite simply the biggest character on the British rhythm and blues scene since the early 1960s, Zoot Money was born George Bruno Money on 17 July 1942 in Bournemouth, Dorset, England. Part of a large and noisy family, both his parents were Italian immigrants, although his father's family (really called Money) were originally English. At school Zoot played the French horn and sang in the choir, but it wasn't long before he heard the call from the pied pipers of rock and roll (aka Jerry Lee Lewis and Ray Charles - what a combination!) and found himself transformed into a leading light on Bournemouth's vibrant music scene. In 1961 Zoot formed the first incarnation of the Big Roll band; over the next two years the line-up settled into Andy Summers (guitar), Nick Newall (saxophone)and Colin Allen (drums), with Zoot on piano and Hammond organ. This dramatis personae continued for a few years with various interruptions. The first was when Zoot, spotted by British Blues Godfather" Alexis Korner's then manager, was invited to play with Korner's seminal Blues Incorporated for a temporary spell. Zoot decided to stay in London, and the other Big Rollers soon joined him.