Membership Card
Bodega
1956

“alan, mine is dated 1957. roy.”

“My father has told many stories about the Bodega. He used to play there with his brother Paul Beattie and his band, the beats. Doe's anyone remember them?”

“PAUL BEATTIE WAS A SINGER OF SOME RENOWN, HE APPEARED ON A REGULAR BASIS ,ALMOST EVERY WEEK FOR A LONG TIME AND WAS AS FAR AS I RECALL THE RESIDENT ARTISTE AT THE BODEGA.
IT WAS THE TIME OF SKIFFLE, LONNIE DONNEGAN, ETC, BUT PAUL HAD HIS OWN FAMOUS SIGNATURE TUNE, HE ALWAYS SANG AT EVERY SESSION HIS FAVORITE VOCAL, I AND EVERYBODY RECOGNISED HIM FOR WHAT WAS HIS OWN INTERPRETATION OF THE SONG"WIMAWEH".
I AM NOT SURE IF I HAVE SPELT THE TITLE CORRECTLY, I CAN NEVER SAY THAT I SAW THE TITLE WRITTEN DOWN.
THE SONG AS I THEN RECALL WAS PECULIAR TO HIM, I CANNOT RECALL AT THAT TIME ANY OTHER ARTISTE SINGING THIS SONG.
OBVIOUSLY FOR THOSE THAT SINCE MAY HAVE HEARD THE SONG SUNG, THE LYRICS REPEAT THE TITLE "WIMAWEH" THE SONG WAS FANTASTIC WHEN PAUL SANG IT BECASE HE WAS ABLE TO YODEL THE LYRICS IN A VERY PROFFESSIONAL MANNER.
SOME EVENINGS AT THE INTERVAL HE WOULD WALK AROUND THE CORNER TO THE THATCHED HOUSE JAZZ CLUB, AND COME UPSTAIRS TO JOIN IN WITH DIZZY BURTON AND HIS JAZZ BAND.
I BELIEVE THAT PAUL IS DECEASED, BUT HIS LEGAND LIVES ON. IN LATER YEARS I CAN RECALL HEARING "WIMAWEH" BEING PLAYED ON THE LOCAL M/C. RADIO, HENCE I PRESUME THAT HE PREVIOUSLY HAD RECORDED THIS NUMBER.
I HAVE IN RECENT YEARS HEARD THIS NUMBER IN A LOCAL PUB KARIOKI, BUT NEVER HAVE I HEARD IT SUNG LIKE PAUL BEATTIE. ROY AND ANN, FROM THE OLD JAZZ SCHOOL.”

“Thank you for your comments about my uncle. It's lovely to know that someone remembers him and his music. My dad joined his group in 1961 as Bass player and Pauls signature tune at the time was 'Sixteen Tons'. Karl Denver, who my uncle Paul knew well had a hit with 'Wimaweh'. He is now deceased.
I am pleased to report that my uncle Paul is alive and well and still doing gigs!
If you want to see him though you'll have to travel to Canada where he lives with his wife Paula. He emigrated in 1965. My parents are going to see him in August and I will ask them to remember you and Ann and the old jazz school to him.”

“BOHAN,THANKS FOR YOUR SINCERE VALUED REPLY, ALSO PERHAPS FOR A POSSIBLE ACCURATE CORRECTION.
WIMAWEH WAS SUNG IN THE BODEGA EVERY W/E.I ATTRIBUTED THE SONG FULLY TO PAUL BEATTIE.
POSSIBLY WITH THE EXTREME PASSING OF TIME, I MIGHT HAVE INCORRECTLY ATTRIBUTED THE SONG FULLY TO PAUL, AS YOU STATE KARL DENVER WAS ALSO A PROMINENT MUSIC FIGURE AT THE BODEGA AT THE SAME TIME/PERIOD, AND AS YOU CORRECTLY REMIND ME IT WAS HIS SIGNATURE TUNE.
I AM SURE THAT I CAN ALSO RECALL PAUL SINGING THIS NUMBER.
WHEN YOU LIASE WITH HIM IN CANADA,PLEASE BE SURE TO INTRODUCE HIM TO THIS FORUM, AS I AM SURE HE COULD RECALL AND RELATE THE GOOD OLD DAYS OF THE BODEGA AND THE MANCHESTER JAZZ SCENE.
I KNOW THAT HE USED TO PAY US A VISIT TO THE JAZZ ACES VENUE IN THE THATCHED HOUSE, AND PERHAPS YOU WILL JOG HIS MEMORY AND ASK IF AT THE TIME PAUL HAD HIS OWN SKIFFLE GROUP.
REGARDS ROY.”

“Thanks Roy, I certainly will make sure my dad logs on to this site in Canada with Paul and they can add their own recollections. He definately had a skiffle group, Paul Beattie & The Beats.
Bye for now, Gaynor.”

“THANKS,WE GOT THEIR IN THE END,WHEN I CORRECTED LAST NIGHT I REALISED PAUL HAD THE SKIFFLE GROUP.”

“Hi Roy, just found a clip of Paul on youtube singing in a competition in Canada in 2009. He won! Check it out , see if you still recognise him. Someones also put on one of his records 'I'm coming home'.
I've put a picture on here of him under artefacts.
Cheers
Gaynor”

“So excited to read all above, I found this site by chance, and this is my connection>>

From 1960 going back so may years, but cant remember how long, I worked at The Bodega every Sat night. My brother Don Richards (Ricky) was the manager for many years.

During this time, I saw and spoke to Paul every Sat and remember him well, lovely guy. I also remember Karl Denver, and he gave me a guitar once as my brother used to help him out before his great fame.

Whenever I found a site, I always asked people about Paul, but today is the first time I have seen his photo.

I would love to hear from anyone who attended The Bodega during the years 56 - 64.

George frenchman96@gmail.com

3/1/2012”

“I'm nearly 80 now so I've seen and heard a lot of Jazz. I was "taken" aged 18 to the Bodega 1951, by a good friend. He introduced me to the sound. Before him I was empty headed. Continued going to the Bodega until 1956 when saving to be married took over the financial side of things. Humphrey Lyttleton - George Melly - Ottilie Patterson - Monty Sunshine - Terry Lightfoot and many more, all for 3/-d That's three bob or 15 pence. If you were unobtrusive and had a corner table then you were allowed to jive a little. Unusual for the time, there was the bar too inc. Draught Bass, when beer WAS beer. So many wonderful memories. George and Monty came back to our house a time or two and we talked the night away, with the bunch of lads sleeping on the floor. What the smell was like I can only wonder.”