ArtistInfo

Harriott & Evans

Band, JM
Pop and R&B/Soul

Chester Harriott (1930-2013), a tall and handsome Jamaican, claims to have received his great talent from his mother who used to be a music teacher. His first big dream was to become a concert pianist and devote his life to interpreting the classics. After winning a Commonwealth Scholarship (piano) for the whole of the West Indies, he went to England and took up further studies at Trinity College, London for the following four years. He performed with great success with several orchestras, among them the Manchester Symphony Orchestra. However, he prefered solo-concerts, until he discovered that the concert-platform didn't allow him a living, and he had to turn to part-time popular entertainment to "augment the wages", as he puts it. It was then however, that he discovered to his own amazement, a natural feeling for the "beat" and a great liking for popular music. Vic Evans (1921-2016) real name Victor Brown, also of Jamaican descent went to England as a volunteer, to work in a munition factory. There he would attend the luncheon-concerts held every once in a while, and watch various people get up onto the platform and contribute a song or two. Chester Harriott played a number on the piano, and then Vic Evans joined in with a song, and they were getting on like a team of old friends, taking off one another, clowning and having a hilarious time. Winifred Atwell afterwards suggested quite emphatically that they should waste no time ion forming a twosome team as they were 'natural' for each other. Harriott & Evans was then formed with a host of TV performances, recordings way into the 1960's.

Members

	The Hastings Girls Choir With Vic Evans *1921 GB
	Chester Harriott voc, p 1933-2013 JM