14 Aug Tone deaf council set to erase sounds and memories of the greatest musos

One of the saddest outcomes of both of Lane Cove Council’s preferred options for the redevelopment of Lane Golf Course is the demise, in fact the physical destruction, of the music and dance venue at the Lane Cove Country Club.

With the whole building inevitably to be mowed down by bulldozers, the best this artless council and its atonal executives can come up with as a substitute is a vague low-key concept for a hall for sporting events with a stage at one end — something more like a primary school multi-purpose space than the beautifully balanced acoustic room that is currently used at the Country Club.

Band leader Billy Burton used to record with the best of them. As well as his own band recordings on Australia’s famous Festival Records he has played with the many of the real ‘greats’ of the international music industry including Dusty Springfield, Tony Bennett, Tom Jones and Shirley Bassey. Maybe some of the Council staff have heard of them.

Although renowned for his ‘Big Band’ arrangements and performances, Billy’s virtuosic trumpet and flugelhorn performances are beautifully showcased in the smaller combos he plays with these days. At Lane Cove Country Club Billy usually plays (and sings) accompanied by Ron Lemke on drums, Ray Forster on keyboard, and bass player, Craig Scott.

All these guys are some of the best players you’ll want to see, listen or dance to and if they’re not playing with Billy on a Friday night, they’re playing with their own bands or other similar dedicated jazz outfits around NSW.  Guest vocalists and instrumentalists appear every week with one of the most popular the towering talent of Gregg Arthur – the tallest velvet voice in Australian jazz.

The legendary George Golla has been a regular player at this great Lane Cove venue. One of the world’s great guitarists, the always modest Golla — another Festival Records/Cherry Pie star — is also one of the great jazz and instrumental teachers of our time, partnering in performance and education with other greats like Don Burrow and James Morrison, nurturing legions of musicians and singers along the way. As well as playing at the oh-so-famous international Newport Jazz Festival and Montreux Jazz Festival, George, like Billy Burton has played for decades at our humble little club at Lane Cove.

Thanks George, thanks Billy — so so much. But no bloody thanks to you, Lane Cove Council. The rude chap from our Council in charge of this cultural massacre is David Stevens. His plan of action of action must be halted, redirected by his superiors, and maybe Mr Stevens himself be introduced to fine music, the joys of live performance, the thrill of dancing on a Friday night and ultimately made to listen to those he works for – our Lane Cove, Northwood and Greenwich communities.

Coming soon in this publication we’ll tell you about some of the historic rock and pop highlights from the very fine auditorium of the Lane Cove Country Club.