(c’ late-50s/early-60s) Bill Leru (double bass), ? (drums), Peter Cauldwell (baritone sax), John Renshaw (tenor sax) and ? (piano).

Modern Jazz quintet from Woking that played mostly Miles and Mulligon material. Prior to forming BLQ, Leru and Cauldwell had been playing rock n’ roll with the Tony Hoadley Band once a week at the Butaca Club, Old Woking. The origin of the bands name is lost to time, but its likely they got some bookings and following the convention of the time choose The Bill Leru Quintet.

BLQ Double Bass player and namesake, Bill Leru. Picture courtesy of Inga Leru-Kelly

Cauldwell recalls BLQ being the warm up band for Tubby Hayes in Farnborough (possibly Farnborough Tech), but not in Woking. Apparently Tubby was getting rather drunk back stage, with a bottle in hand, and there was concern about how he’d manage the gig; but when he got on stage he played like a god. In the late 50’s/early 60’s, Tuesday was Jazz night at the Labour Hall, on Clarence Avenue, Woking and this featured The Bill Leru Quintet supported by the Colin Beeson Quartet.

Tuesday was Jazz night at the Labour Hall, Woking, featuring The Bill Leru Quintet and the Colin Beeson Quartet. Picture courtesy of Inga Leru-Kelly

We find Leru, along with John Nuttall, playing with Iain Ballamy in the early ’80s at the Bisley Pavilion.

Gallery:

Another flyer for The Bill Leru Quintet supported by the Colin Beeson Quartet at Labour Hall, Woking. Picture courtesy of Ben’s Collectors Records
BLQ at Labour Hall, Woking. Picture courtesy of Inga Leru-Kelly
BLQ Sax player Peter Cauldwell at the Labour Hall, Woking.