Phil Seamen

Philip William Seamen (28 August 1926 – 13 October 1972) was an English jazz drummer.

With a background in big band music, Seamen played and recorded in a wide range of musical contexts with virtually every key figure of 1950s and 1960s British jazz. Notable examples included Joe Harriott, Tubby Hayes, Stan Tracey, Ronnie Scott, Denny Termer, Dick Morrissey, Harold McNair, Don Rendell, Victor Feldman, Dizzy Reece, Tony Coe, Tony Lee, and George Chisholm, among others. Later in his career he worked with Alexis Korner and Georgie Fame, and had a spell with Ginger Baker's Air Force, the leader of the band being Seamen's foremost disciple. Addiction to alcohol and hard drugs, most particularly and notably intravenous heroin addictions, severely damaged his career.

Early career Seamen began playing drums at the age of six, turning professional at the age of 18 by joining Nat Gonella and his Georgians in 1944.

Seamen in the 1960s During the first half of the 1960s, he worked often with Tubby Hayes, and Joe Harriott.

1970s A photograph of Seamen is included in the collection at the National Portrait Gallery.

Death Phil Seaman died in October 1972 in his sleep at his home in Old Paradise Street Lambeth, South London, at the age of 46. His ashes were scattered at Golders Green Crematorium.

Discography As leader Now! ... Live! (Verve 1968) Phil Seamen (with Tony Lee - piano and Tony Archer - bass) Phil Seamen meets Eddie Gomez (Saga 1968) (with Tony Lee - piano, Eddie Gómez - bass Phil on Drums (Decibel 1971) (with Ray Crane - trumpet, Gerry Salisbury - cornet, Keith Christie, John Picard - trombones, Sandy Brown - clarinet, Tommy Whittle - tenor sax, Brian Lemon - piano, Lennie Bush - bass) The Phil Seamen Story (Decibel 1972) (Phil talks and plays)

As sideman With Victor Feldman with Kenny Graham's Afro-Cubists Experiment In Time (Esquire, 1955) With Victor Feldman Suite Sixteen (Contemporary, 1955 ) With Joe Harriott Free Form (Jazzland, 1960) Abstract (Capitol, 1962) With Alexis Korner's Blues Incorporated Alexis Korner's Blues Incorporated (Decca 1963, issued in 1965) With Dick Morrissey Storm Warning! (Fontana, 1965) With Georgie Fame Sound Venture (Columbia, 1966)

Posthumous releases The Late Great Phil Seamen (SWP Records 2009) (compilation of recordings from between 1953 and 1972, with bands led by Jack Parnell, Victor Feldman, Dizzy Reece, Ronnie Scott, Stan Tracey, Harold McNair, Jimmy Witherspoon, Joe Harriott, Kenny Graham, Tony Coe)