Guitar Club

[shadowriter]

For Christmas, I was given a great cd called Those Hofner Players. One or two of the names
brought back memories of a programme broadcast on BBC radio probably late fifties
called 'Guitar Club' I was lucky enough to get audience tickets for one show although the memory has faded after all those years.
I was wondering if anyone else remembers it.

[Moderne]

Hi. I've got an old Guitar Club EP somewhere, featuring - if memory serves! - Ken Sykora and Ike Isaacs. Cover photo of Ken smoking a pipe! Quite primitive compared to Barney Kessel, Johnny Smith etc. from America - but rather nice, nonetheless.

[JimN]

The first time I ever encountered the name of Ken Sykora was about 55 years ago, as the sleeve note author for a Django Reinhardt LP.

I'd known of Ike Isaacs a few years longer than that. He used to have a Light Programme radio show with Val Doonican and he had written The Rumble for The Shadows. His little band even played The Rumble on that show.

[Iain Purdon]

I remember seeing Ken Sykora on TV playing jazz guitar. No recollection of the programme nor what he played. I was struck by the guitar and by his name, like Kia Ora but not. That was a very long time ago.

Years later when I lived in Glasgow he did a regular music and chat programme on Radio Clyde. He was rather good at it.

[shadowriter]

Thanks for all your posts. Brings back memories. I did attend a live recording of the broadcast. however, it being almost seventy years ago the memories are
somewhat faded. I did have the two recordings and as I remember the discs looked like 45rpm but played at a different speed. They were almost saucer-like in thickness and the catchy guitar club theme was included, I'm not sure now whether it was Ike or Ken that played it. It was indeed a wonderful experience for a young guitarist struggling with the chords on an acoustic guitar with dreadfully high action. ( My first guitar from Bell Music Surbiton Surrey, on the drip ) Inspired by the advert to play the guitar in a day. Wonder if that was the inspiration for Bert's book.
Thanks again for your interesting posts

Norman

[GoldenStreet]

Here's some detail of the three Ken Sykora Guitar Club EPs, issued in 1957 by Saga Records, from the 45cat site...

https://www.45cat.com/record/esag7001

https://www.45cat.com/record/esag7002

https://www.45cat.com/record/esag7003

Bill

[JimN]

Just found: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLNBdutoYm-VYvqlcrnHuyuHkp5XMwP6UE

[shadowriter]

brilliant, ta Jim