In Memory of Doug Sides

Douglas Joseph Sides, born Los Angeles CA, October 10, 1942—died Ramsgate, Kent, UK, October 10, 2024.

Doug spent many years in the seaside towns of Margate and Ramsgate in the Thanet area of Kent, United Kingdom. He was a well known and much loved drummer in the region and beyond.. He was supposed to be retired. However, he did not stop playing locally and occasionally in London. He continued to teach and mentor drummers. He was a stalwart of the Lifeboat micro pub jazz jam which meets on Monday evenings.

Douglas Sides, known simply as Doug to his friends and music colleagues, died on his birthday 10th October 2024. He was 82. His wife Mary-Ann told me that he had enjoyed "the best weekend of his life." On 4th October 2024, he was the headline act at the inaugural Broadstairs Jazz Festival where he led his quartet . The quartet included Mick Bishop, keyboard and keytar player. Doug invited some young musicians from the Birmingham Conservatoire to join him as part of the quartet which included, RJ Gilbert (alto & tenor sax) and Ollie Canham (guitar). During the weekend (4th-6th October 2024), The Birmingham Conservatoire Quartet (including Dom Johnson, drums) invited Doug to join them for drum solos in their gigs across the festival. When he was not performing during the weekend he dropped in on several acts to watch and listen to the sets.

Doug Sides was a brilliant storyteller who had many a tale to tell about the jazz world and the musicians who lived in it. I was privileged to be able to record three conversations with him during the summer and autumn of 2023. Doug loved touring. The list of musicians he played with during his life time is too long to include them all here. However, they include, Abbey Lincoln, Johnny Griffin, Jon Hendricks, Herbie Hancock, Hank Jones, Benny Golson and Monty Alexander. He spoke fondly of Johnny Griffin and Benny Golson who he described as good friends. His last London gig was at Ronnie Scott's in 2021 when he performed with a trio.

During the Broadstairs Jazz Festival, Doug seemed to be smiling all the time. He enjoyed himself both off and on the stage. His last words towards the end of the weekend, shared with his wife, were that he was happy to have found some extremely talented and gifted young musicians to whom he could pass on the jazz baton and that they would keep jazz alive.

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