THE Peter Sykes’ Big Band delighted audiences in the 1960s, but it was never their intention to play in public.

It was formed as a rehearsal band, for members to play jazz for their own enjoyment and amusement.

Leader Peter Sykes, who wrote weekly pop music and jazz columns in the Oxford Mail, said in January 1966: “This band isn’t going to play in public – at least, we haven’t at present got any ideas in that direction.”

However, two months later he announced that the band had been “talked into” playing at the Perdido Jazz Club at the Bridge Hotel, Wheatley.

The change of heart came after pressure from Vic Good, who ran the jazz club and played first tenor sax in the band.

And so on Sunday, April 17 the band made its first public appearance. It was so successful that it wasn’t long before further bookings came in.

Now more than 20-strong, it was invited back to the Perdido in the autumn, performed at the Pressed Steel ballroom at Cowley and entertained members of the Oxford University Jazz Club.

It also played at 10 charity concerts in the area.

But keeping a band of that size together proved difficult and they disbanded in late 1968, to be replaced by the 10-piece, more manageable Peter Sykes Concert Jazz Band.

Its first performance was at the Minchery Farm Country Club at Littlemore – and further bookings were soon on the way.

Later the ‘big band’ became even smaller, performing as a jazz quartet called Edge and a sextet named Route Six.

Peter Sykes was an accomplished musician, playing the piano, flute and clarinet. He also composed and arranged much of the music the groups performed.

One of the places where he got most inspiration was on the bus going to work!

He also wrote songs – Cleo Laine recorded at least two of his numbers, Night Thoughts and It Will Soon Be Spring.

Another song, Leaving Here, was performed by the National Youth Jazz Orchestra on BBC1 in 1980 before they left for a tour of Australia.

A graduate of Merton College, Oxford, Peter Sykes spent nearly 40 years as a journalist with the Oxford Mail and Times, ending his career as editor of The Oxford Times.

Music remained a big part of his life. He once said: “There’s nothing like the excitement of playing in a big band.”

As his wife of 57 years, Irene, said after his death in 2011 aged 81, the family “enjoyed many good holidays” on the back of royalties earned from It Will Soon Be Spring.