The Bull's Head, Barnes

The Bull's Head, also known as "The Bull", is a pub in Barnes situated within the London Borough of Richmond upon Thames, England. It hosts live music in an attached music room that has a capacity for 80 people.[1][2][3]

The Bull's Head
LocationBarnes
London, SW13
England, United Kingdom
Public transitNational Rail Barnes Bridge
OwnerGeronimo Inns
TypeMusic and food
Genre(s)Rock, blues, soul, jazz
Capacity80
Opened1959 (1959)
Website
www.thebullsheadbarnes.com
Bull's Head interior, 2014

Overlooking the river Thames in the south west London suburb of Barnes, it was one of the first and most important jazz venues in Britain. The Bull's original music room was opened at the same time as Ronnie Scott's Jazz Club[4] and became known as the "suburban Ronnie Scott's".[5]

History

The pub itself dates from at least the 17th century and the present building was constructed in 1846, the pub having been purchased in 1831 by what became Young's Brewery.[6]

1959–2012

The Bull opened as a jazz venue in 1959 and, under the management of Albert Tolley,[7] became an important venue for major UK and visiting international jazz musicians during the 1960s. The first gig was in November that year.[8]

In 1982, Dan Fleming took over the premises and the venue continued to flourish with its jazz roster. Fleming added blues and rock acts to its listings, a policy which continues to this day.[9]

The venue featured in Martin Scorsese's History of the Blues (2003).[1]

The music room was refurbished with sponsorship from Yamaha in 2006[7] and was renamed "The Yamaha Room".[1] In 2009 the Bull celebrated fifty years as a venue.[7]

2013 change of ownership

On 1 July 2013 Fleming retired and the Bull's Head lease was sold to Geronimo Inns, a wholly owned subsidiary of Young & Co.[9] Although the new lease agreement was said to protect the continuation of live music,[9] a petition to preserve the music room was launched in June 2013.[10] The Yamaha Room became 'The Bolan Room' for pub dining and the Thai kitchen across the courtyard named 'The Stables' was closed and converted into 'The Jazz Room'. In much need of acoustic improvement, it was opened at the beginning of 2014.[11]

2021 new management

After waning success of the relocated jazz room and having taken a hard hit from the Covid-19 pandemic Young's contracted Angus McCabe in 2021 as a dedicated venue manager and sound engineer. The venue received a full equipment upgrade and dedicated staff team from McCabe Events Group who worked alongside the long-standing house promoter Larry Pryce to bring the venue back from the edge of closure. Having gained momentum, McCabe left the venue in 2022 handing over to Will Smith, the current head engineer, and Nina Jackson the current venue manager of The Bull's head and sister venue The Half Moon in Putney.

Musicians who have performed at the Bulls Head in Barnes
Bull's Head, 2014
Alphabetical listing

P.P. Arnold, Harry Allen, Vic Ash, Guy Barker, Jeff Beck, Mark Buckingham, Richard Busiakiewicz,[12] Maggie Bell,[13] Conte Candoli, Roger Chapman,[13] Al Cohn, George Coleman, The Quentin Collins Quartet[14] Jim Cregan, Jamie Cullum,[3] Blossom Dearie, Digby Fairweather, Johnny Dankworth, Willie Garnett, Herb Geller, Papa George, [15] Coleman Hawkins, Tubby Hayes, Frank Holder, Chris Jagger, Mick Jagger,[14] Connor Jillions, Sheila Jordan, Peter King, Harold Land, Cleo Lane,Tony Lee, Bill Le Sage, Linda Lewis, Arthur Louis, Humphrey Lyttelton, who performed monthly at the Bull's Head for 42 years, Thomas Mallitte, [16] Rik Mayall,[1] Billy Mitchell, Zoot Money, Gary Moore,[17] Lanny Morgan, Dick Morrissey, Never the Bride, John O'Leary & Alan Glenn Allstars,[18] Gerard Presencer,[12] Alan Price,[3] Protect the Beat, Spike Robinson, Shorty Rogers, Charlie Rouse, Ronnie Scott,[19] Sax Appeal,[20] Phil Seamen, Bud Shank, Terry Smith,[19] Harry South, Kathy Stobart, Stan Sulzmann, Bobby Tench, The Barnes Blues Band,[13] Art Themen, Stan Tracey, Charlie Watts, Ben Webster, Don Weller, Bobby Wellins, Harvey Weston,[21] Jimmy Witherspoon,[7] Ronnie Wood.[14]

Live recordings

References
  1. "The Bull's Head Barnes, The Yamaha Room". lemonrock.com. Retrieved 3 July 2013.
  2. "The Bulls Head, Barnes". www.offwestend.com. Retrieved 3 July 2013.
  3. "Bulls Head at Barnes 50th birthday". londonjazznews.com. Retrieved 3 July 2013.
  4. "London area of Barnes guide". londontown.com. 6 July 2013.
  5. "Barnes". statemaster.com. 9 July 2013. Archived from the original on 16 May 2008. Retrieved 9 July 2013.
  6. "Bevvied-up in Barnes". Evening Standard. 1 August 2000. Retrieved 5 April 2021.
  7. "Jimmy Witherspoon album Spoon Sings 'N' Swings (1966). Recorded at The Bull's Head, Barnes". discogs.com. Retrieved 7 January 2016.
  8. "Bulls Head, Barnes: Happy 50th Birthday". London Jazz News. 12 November 2009. Retrieved 7 November 2022.
  9. "NEWS: The Bull at Barnes to change hands from July 1st – with update". London Jazz News. 20 May 2013. Retrieved 5 April 2021.
  10. "Iconic Music Room at the Bull's Head, Barnes, SW14". change.org. Archived from the original on 21 April 2014. Retrieved 3 November 2014.
  11. "The Bull's Head website". The Bull's Head. Retrieved 6 January 2014.
  12. Carr, Ian and Digby Fairweather, Brian Priestley (2004) The Rough Guide to Jazz, p. 116. Rough Guides, 2004 At Google Books. Retrieved 6 July 2013.
  13. Leslie, Fran (October 2009). Interview with Bobby Tench. Blues In Britain. p. 20 Vol 1 issue 94.
  14. Buchanan, Clare (27 February 2014). "Jazz nights at Bulls Head a musical success". theargus.co.uk. Retrieved 7 January 2016.
  15. Jack, Gordon (2004) Fifties Jazz Talk: An Oral Retrospective, p. 88. Scarecrow Press At Google Books. Retrieved 6 July 2013.
  16. "Tributes to Humphrey Lyttelton". BBC News. 26 April 2008. Retrieved 31 December 2013.
  17. Newey, Jon (5 July 2013). "Jazz breaking news: Save the Bull's Head Jazz Club". Jazzwise. Retrieved 20 November 2019.
  18. "Back to the Flamingo at Bulls Head Barnes Mon 28th January 2013". skiddle.com. Archived from the original on 4 October 2013. Retrieved 28 January 2013.
  19. Chilton, John (2004) Who's Who of British Jazz: 2nd Edition, p. 338. Continuum At Google Books. Retrieved 6 July 2013.
  20. Scotney, Sebastian (18 December 2013). "Sax Appeal at Bull's Head". jazznews.com. Retrieved 7 January 2016.
  21. Chilton, John (2004) Who's Who of British Jazz: 2nd Edition, p. 384. Continuum At Google Books. Retrieved 6 July 2013.

51.4737°N 0.2511°W / 51.4737; -0.2511

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