Dave Senior

Updated Dec 2025

Dave specializes in the performance of popular melodies from, or associated with, New Orleans jazz, as well as songs from the roaring twenties. Also into the classic swing period, Dave likes to play in small groups as well as more modern Big Bands.
Dave is flexible and prefers to play for people who want to have live music at their party, convention, concert, afternoon tea-party, festival, wedding or barbeque. The all round easy listening jazz solution, Dave is also at home when doing formal concerts and Jazz Club recitals.
Email davidsenior48@gmail.com

A short Biography
Dave Senior started out during the 60's in home town Wolverhampton (UK) by co-forming the Canalside Jazz Band together with school pal reedman Roy Telling. Generally followed the British traditional jazz movement largely inspired by Chris Barber at first. Gave up day job to spend time in the States during 1973/4 including a sabbatical in New Orleans. Learned from Louis Nelson and Frog Joseph. During '60s and '70s Dave spent time with Dan Pawson's Artesian Hall Stompers in Birmingham, then Chris Burke's New Orleans Music from Nottingham and finally the Intercities Jazz Band (from everywhere) before permanently stopping off in Belgium in '77. Career in Belgium began with co-forming the Society Serenaders with Rudy Balliu. Later spent the '80s with the Jeggpap New Orleans Jazz Band and most of the '90s with the Superior Dance Band from west Belgium. Was responsible for developing and performing orchestral ragtime programme with this band. An interlude in Dave's career found him playing trumpet temporarily with his own band 'Sister Kate' which included daughter Laura on clarinet and Lia De Troyer on banjo. More recent excursions have been with the Phoenix JB and various other 'phone' bands in Flanders. Since living in Belgium, Dave has also played in several big bands including the Jos Moons Big Band, the Yellow City BB and the Eddy House Big band (photo below) including many national radio and TV broadcasts and recording sessions with Eddy House. During more recent years Dave has done long stints on lead trombone with the Westerschelde Big Band in the Netherlands and the Melody Makers Big Band based in Antwerp. Dave continues to perform occasionally with the Riverside Jazzmen from Ghent, the Rudy Balliu Society Serenaders and the Red Beans N.O. band based in Middelburg in the Netherlands besides guesting with various other bands performing at clubs, festivals and doing private work. Openings for jazz big band work are always welcome.
Dave has been lucky enough to hear (and meet in some cases) many great trombonists, starting with Chris Barber in 1956 (for the first time) closely followed by Kid Ory 1957 and Jim Robinson in 1959 (met Jim). Then there has been Dickie Wells, Frank Rosolino, Kai Winding (including clinic), Curtis Fuller, JJ Johnson, Trummy Young (met Trummy a couple of times. Unforgettable), Jimmy Knepper, Albert Mangelsdorf, Steve Turre, Roy Williams, Dan Barrett, Jiggs Whigham (heard and met Jiggs again recently... what a monumental figure in the trombone playing world!), master class with Bill Watrous in October 2015 and many more.

Some old and recent photos

Dave Senior