Eric Allendale
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Eric Allendale
Eric Allendale in the studio in the late 1960s
Background information
Birth name	Eric Allandale Dubuisson
Also known as	Eric Allandale
Born	March 4, 1936(1936-03-04)
Origin	Dominica, West Indies
Died	August 23, 2001 (aged 65)
Genre(s)	Pop Soul Trad Jazz
Occupation(s)	Musician
Years active	1958 - 1981
Label(s)	Columbia
Associated acts	Clem Curtis , The Foundations , Terry Lightfoot , New Orleans Knights , Teddy Layton , Sonny Morris , Edmundo Ros , Alex Walsh , Alan Warner

Eric Allendale (aka Eric Allendale Dubussion) (4 March 1936 Dominica, West Indies — 23 August 2001) was a trombonist, songwriter and former bandleader, as well as being a member of various jazz groups in England.

Early life

Originally from Dominica, in 1954 while in his late teens he came to Britain to complete his education. He joined the Hammersmith Borough Brass Band as a trumpet player while working as its council surveyor. He later switched to trombone and formed an amateur band playing jazz. ¹

Early musical career

1958 saw him securing a residency at the Cellar Club in Soho, he then joined bands that were led by Teddy Layton and Sonny Morris.

In the early 1960s Allendale fronted his own group called The New Orleans Knights, possibly also referred to as The Jazz Knights who were regulars on the Trad circut. Two singles, were released as the Landsdowne Jazz Series on the Columbia Records label in the UK in 1962. One of the singles, "Little Hans" had Allendale credited as the new music arranger.

Also, during the 1960s, he was a member of a couple of jazz groups, namely the Terry Lightfoot and Alex Welsh bands and Edmundo Ros.

The Foundations

In 1967 he became a member of the English soul group, The Foundations. Some of The Foundations' songs were written by Allendale, including the minor hit "Born To Live, Born To Die" which Allendale served as musical director. Other songs he wrote include "(We Are) Happy People" and "I Can Feel It".²

Another composition by Allendale, "Solomon Grundy", which appeared on the album, Digging The Foundations, was covered by Pye labelmates Pickettywitch³, and a Hong Kong based beat group, Danny Diaz & The Checkmates.

Later years

Some time after The Foundations broke up he went to Zambia with a soul band to play for it's independence celebrations. ⁴ He also joined other musicians in a band that played African Jazz and the band became very popular there locally. He also taught music to students in Zambia and learnt some carving crafts and later moved to Kenya.

After spending four years in Africa he returned to England. In 1977 he and a former band mate from his early Jazz years, Laurie Chescoe played traditional Jazz. He also attempted to reunite with Tim Harris the former drummer for The Foundations and a Gospel choir. Both were fruitless. With his partner Olive, in Peckham, south London he opened a Junk shop.

In 1981 he went to Paris and worked with Sam Woodyard, former drummer with The Duke Ellington band. ⁵ He later moved to a commune near the Pyrenees and was a founding member of The St Andre Blues Band. In 1983 he returned to England and started a relationship with an artist called Simone and took up painting. He took music to schools with and an Afro-Caribbean group and later moved to Paris. He had a brain haemorrhage in 1989 and recovered enough to play keyboard etc. He suffered a stroke in 1999. He died on 23 August 2001, at the age of 65.

Early discography

• 1962: "Little Hans" / "Dominican Carnival" (Columbia 45-DB 4773)
• 1962: "Enjoy Yourself (It's Later Than You Think)" / "In A Little Spanish Town" (Columbia 45-DB 4844)

References