Zoot Money

George Bruno "Zoot" Money (born 17 July 1942 in Bournemouth, Hampshire) is an English vocalist, keyboardist and bandleader. He is best known for his playing of the Hammond organ and association with his Big Roll Band. Inspired by Jerry Lee Lewis and Ray Charles, he was drawn to rock and roll music and became a leading light in the vibrant music scene of Bournemouth and Soho during the 1960s. He took his stage name 'Zoot' from Zoot Sims after seeing him in concert.
Money has been associated with The Animals, Eric Burdon, Steve Marriott, Kevin Coyne, Kevin Ayers, Humble Pie, Rocket 88, Snowy White, Mick Taylor, Spencer Davis, Vivian Stanshall, Geno Washington, Joseph Friel, the Hard Travelers, Widowmaker and Alan Price. He is also known as a bit part and character actor.

Big Roll Band and Dantalion's Chariot

In early autumn 1961 Money formed the Big Roll Band with himself as vocalist, Roger Collis on lead guitar, pianist Al Kirtley (later of Trendsetters Limited), bassist Mike "Monty" Montgomery and drummer Johnny Hammond. Their first public performance was at Bournemouth's Downstairs Club. In 1962 drummer Pete Brookes replaced Hammond at the same time as bassist Johnny King and tenor sax player Kevin Drake joined the band. Kirtley left shortly afterwards, Money taking over on organ.

The Big Roll Band played soul, jazz and R&B, moving with musical trends as the now established R&B movement moved into the Swinging Sixties and became associated with the burgeoning "Soho scene". Money's antics as a flamboyant frontman were a feature of the band's act. During 1964 the Big Roll Band started playing regularly at the Flamingo Club in Soho, London until Money joined Alexis Korner's Blues Incorporated. During the mid-1960s the lead guitarist in the Big Roll Band was Andy Summers, who later became a member of The Police. On 17 September 1966 Money with the band reached #25 in the U.K singles charts, with "Big Time Operator".

In July 1967 the Big Roll Band became Dantalian's Chariot and in spite of a lack of chart success as such, the band found itself at the heart of a new counter culture, sharing concert line-ups with Pink Floyd, Soft Machine and the Crazy World of Arthur Brown. A single, "Madman Running Through the Fields", was released in 1967 and in April 1968 Dantalian's Chariot was disbanded.

The album Chariot Rising was released in 1996, comprising both sides of the 1967 single together with eight other unreleased studio recordings. It is available on CD.

1968-1978

During 1968, Money moved to U.S.A. as a member of Eric Burdon & the New Animals. In June 1970 and having returned to the U.K., Money contributed piano to the improvised studio session led by former Fleetwood Mac guitarist Peter Green, which led to Green's release of the experimental The End of the Game. During the 1970s he played and recorded with the poetry and rock band Grimms, Ellis, Centipede, Kevin Ayers and Kevin Coyne.

Solo album and Majik Mijits

Money signed to Paul McCartney's record label MPL Communications in 1980 and recorded Mr. Money produced by Jim Diamond. During 1981 Steve Marriott and Ronnie Lane formed a band with Money, bass player Jim Leverton, drummer Dave Hynes and saxophone player Mel Collins to record the album The Majic Mijits. The album features songs by Lane and Marriott but due to Lane's multiple sclerosis, they were unable to tour to promote it. It was eventually released nineteen years later.

1994-1997

In 1994 Money recorded with Alan Price and the Electric Blues Company alongside vocalist and guitarist Bobby Tench, bassist Peter Grant and drummer Martin Wild, on A Gigster's Life for Me. He continued to appear with Price at live appearances in the UK. The Dantalian's Chariot album Chariot Rising was released in 1997, thirty years after it was recorded. In 1998 Money produced Ruby Turner's album Call Me by My Name,

2002-2005

Money produced the Woodstock Taylor album Road Movie (2002), also contributing keyboards. In 2002 he recorded tracks with Humble Pie for their album Back on Track released by Sanctuary Records. In 2003 Money featured on the British Legends of Rhythm and Blues UK tour, alongside Long John Baldry, Ray Dorset and Paul Williams. Money joined Pete Goodall to re-record the Thunderclap Newman UK hit single Something in the Air (2004) written by John "Speedy" Keene, which featured the last recorded performance by saxophonist Dick Heckstall-Smith. In 2005 Money joined Goodall to record a CD of new songs by Goodall and Pete Brown. They went on to tour the UK under the name of Good Money. In early 2006 Money and drummer Colin Allen joined vocalist Maggie Bell, bassist Colin Hodgkinson and guitarist Miller Anderson, in the British Blues Quintet.

2008-present

He appeared with the RD Crusaders for the Teenage Cancer Trust at the 'London International Music Show', on 15 June 2008. In 2009 he appeared with Maggie Bell, Bobby Tench, Chris Farlowe and Alan Price, in the 'Maximum Rhythm and Blues Tour' of thirty two British theatres. Money Joined the British Blues All Stars in 2014 and regularly performs at The Bull's Head music venue in Barnes, London.

He began attracting acting roles in the 1970s and started a parallel acting career with character appearances in film and TV dramas.He appeared in English tv show Londons Burning for one episode in 1989

Film appearances

As a promotions man in the 1980 UK film Breaking Glass
As a music-publishing executive in the 1981 Madness film Take It or Leave It
Alongside Eddie Kidd in the 1981 film Riding High.
As one of Leonard Rossiter's fellow commuters in the short film The Waterloo Bridge Handicap (1978). As Lotterby in Porridge 1979

TV appearances

Sometimes credited as G.B. Money or G.B, he has appeared in a number of other small roles in British television programmes including Bergerac, The Professionals, The Bill and Coronation Street. In 1979, Money played a small role as the dim-witted Lotterby in the film version of the BBC TV series Porridge. In 1992 and 1993 he appeared in the BBC sitcom Get Back as a dim but well meaning family friend 'Bungalow Bill' alongside Ray Winstone, Larry Lamb and Kate Winslet. In 2000 he starred in a film based on guitarist Syd Barrett, as a fanatical fan stalking the rock star Roger Bannerman in the underground cult film Remember a Day.

See Zoot Money's Big Roll Band

• It should have been me. Columbia (1966)
• Transition. Columbia (1968)
• Welcome to My Head Capitol (1969),
• Zoot Money Polydor (1970)
• Mr. Money. MPL (1980)
• Were you there live. Indigo (1999)
• Full Clothed & Naked. Indigo (2000)
• As & Bs Scrapbook. Repertoire (2003)
• A Big Time Operator. Castle (2005)
• Full circle. Universal distribution (2007)
• The Book Of Life... I've Read It. Treasure Island (2016)

• "Zoot Money solo releases". Discogs.com. Retrieved 28 April 2015. 
• "Zoot Money book of life". Discovery-Records.com. Retrieved 16 November 2016. 

Albums

• The Uncle Willie. Decca (1964)
• I Really Learnt How To Cry. Columbia (1967)
• No One But You. Polydor. (1970)
• Your Feets Too Big. Magic Moon Records (1980)

• "Zoot Money. Singles". Discogs.com. Retrieved 2 May 2015. 

Inclusion on Various Artist compilations

• Rattlesnake Guitar: The Music of Peter Green. Viceroy (1996)
• The Blues Scene. Decca (1996)
• Mod Scene Vol2. Polygram (1996)
• Peter Green Songbook. Seagull (2000)
• Confessin' the Blues. Indigo (1997)
• Fresh Blues Vol2. In-Akustik (1998)
• The R&B Scene. Deram (1998)
• Indigo All-Star Swing & Dance Party. Indigo (1999)
• Indigo Blues Collection Vol6. Indigo (2001)
• Story of Transatlantic Records. Metro Doubles (2003)
• Instro Hipsters a Go-Go Vol2. Psychic Circle (2003)
• Hammond Heroes: 60s R&B Organ Grooves. Ace (2005)
• This Is Mod. Castle (2006)
• Goodbye Nashville, Hello Camden Town: A Pub Rock Anthology. Castle (2007)
• The In Crowd: Original Mod Classics. Castle Pulse (2007)
• This Is the Blues Vol2. Eagle (2010)
• Electric Psychedelic Sitar Headswirlers Vol11. Particles (2012)

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