Newport Jazz Club's Bill's 90th birthday on Isle of Wight

The event kept it all in the family when Bill's grandson, Jonathan Wills, took over on percussion. 

The 41-year-old musician admitted he was a bit nervous performing while Grandad Bill was sat in the front row, but says he was honoured to join the line-up for Bill’s Big Birthday Bash at the Apollo Theatre.  

“I taught Jonathan everything I knew. Then, after he graduated from music school, he started to teach me. I’m thrilled he still plays some jazz and hopefully one of his children will carry on the tradition,” said Bill. 

Bill Wills on drums and grandson, Jonathan. (Image: Wightlink.)

An explosion of blue notes, binary forms and brass instruments helped get the party going.

Dave Newton, 16-time British Jazz Award winner, was behind the piano while bassist, Islander Jon Thorne, from electronic duo, Lamb, stood in for Cass Casswell, who was unable to appear due to illness. 

Saxophonist Tony Woods and vocalist Nette Robinson performed three jazz standards before trumpet extraordinaire Andy Urquhart, guitarist Nick Page and Island favourite Alan Barnes stepped into the limelight.

Jazz has been a lifelong passion for Bill.

He said: "My dad was a drummer and there were always drums around the house.

"During the war, there weren’t many toys around so, when I was five or six, I started to play them. I grew up listening to a lot of good jazz musicians, but Buddy Rich was the greatest drummer ever."  

During the evening, the audience donated £348 to Bill’s charities, Marie Curie nurses and Blind Veterans UK Meanwhile, a raffle in support of Newport Jazz Club raised £153 and prizes included chocolate, wine and a £50 Wightlink voucher.

In the second half, Island musician Gary Plumley joined the line-up.

The Dizzy Gillespie classic A Night in Tunisia proved to be a highlight - with each band member handed solos. 

Bill came to the Isle of Wight in 1951 to do national service and while he was here he met his future wife, Pauline.

Later, with friends, Peter Trueman and Mike Whitehead, he took over Newport Jazz Club and he has been running it for about 12 years.

The afternoon wrapped up with an all-join-in rendition of Happy Birthday to Bill, who had clearly never not been expecting the concert to end that way.

On July 2, Newport Jazz Club hosts Chris Ingham, performing the music of Hoagy Carmichael.