Camden in Greater London, England, United Kingdom — Northwestern Europe (the British Isles)
Sidney Bechet
1897 - 1959
New Orleans Jazz Pioneer
Saxophonist &
Clarinetist
lived here
1922
Erected 2014 by Nubian Jak Community Trust, Admirers of His Music.
Topics. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: African Americans • Arts, Letters, Music. A significant historical year for this entry is 1922.
Location. 51° 31.408′ N, 0° 8.48′ W. Marker is in Camden, England, in Greater London. Marker is on Conway Street just south of Warren Street, on the right when traveling south. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 27 Conway Street, Camden, England W1T 6BE, United Kingdom. Touch for directions.
Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within walking distance of this marker. Robert Gascoyne Cecil (within shouting distance of this marker); Samuel Morse (within shouting distance of this marker); Benny Green (about 90 meters away, measured in a direct line); Captain Matthew Flinders, R.N. (about 90 meters away); A.W. Hofmann (about 90 meters away); George Bernard Shaw (about 120 meters away); Virginia Woolf (about 120 meters away); Sir Charles Eastlake (about 120 meters away). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Camden.
Also see . . .
1. Sidney Bechet (Wikipedia). "Sidney Bechet (May 14, 1897 – May 14, 1959) was an American jazz saxophonist, clarinetist, and composer. He was one of the first important soloists in jazz, beating trumpeter Louis Armstrong to the recording studio by several months. His erratic temperament hampered his career, and not until the late 1940s did he earn wide acclaim." (Submitted on March 23, 2018.)
2. Sidney Bechet awarded blue plaque (The Telegraph, November 25, 2014). " Bechet, who was born in 1897, lived there in 1922 (when it was called Southampton Street), during which time he was performing at the Rector’s Club in Tottenham Court Road. The plaque has been applied for by the Nubian Jak Community Trust....In 1922, Bechet was playing in clubs in London and teaching students. Among his pupils was Charles Henry Maxwell Knight, the future British spy who was the inspiration for the character M, head of the Secret Intelligence Service in Ian Fleming’s James Bond novels." (Submitted on March 23, 2018.)
3. Sidney Bechet - Petite fleur (Live in Paris, 1958) (YouTube, 4 mins.). (Submitted on March 23, 2018.)
Credits. This page was last revised on January 27, 2022. It was originally submitted on March 23, 2018, by Andrew Ruppenstein of Lamorinda, California. This page has been viewed 200 times since then and 12 times this year. Photos: 1, 2, 3. submitted on March 23, 2018, by Andrew Ruppenstein of Lamorinda, California.