Will Gaines

These are Gaines’ tap-shoes and nearby you can see a portrait of him (somehow!) tap-dancing on Southend beach!

Born in Baltimore Maryland tap dancer Will Gaines (1928-2014) made his first solo US appearance at 16 with saxophonist Lucky Thompson’s band; performed with Duke Ellington, Lionel Hampton and Cab Calloway in the 1950s and danced in the UK at London’s Pigalle Club c. 1962 with singer Shani Wallis (who played ‘Nancy’ in the 1968 Oscar-winning musical ‘Oliver’). By 1974 he was working in a South Yorkshire filling-station where band leader Alex Welsh discovered him tap-dancing across the forecourt and invited him to guest on a Queen Elizabeth Hall concert with Welsh’s band, saxophonist Danny Moss, guitarist Diz Disley and cornettist Digby Fairweather. Thereafter Gaines danced at jazz festivals throughout Europe, appeared on TV shows (including ‘Playschool’) and was the first American jazz dancer to appear at the Royal Opera House. A later partnership with avant-garde guitarist Derek Bailey produced the album ‘Rappin’ and Tappin’ and in 2006 Gaines tapped for Stan Tracey’s arrangements of Duke Ellington’s Sacred Concerts at St.Paul’s Cathedral. In later years, with partner Chris Parry he settled in Leigh-on-Sea and only stopped dancing after a suspected heart-attack in 2013.

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