John Bowdler At The Mighty Wurlitzer In The Tower Ballroom Blackpool.

[@pamelakuhlman8481]

I love the way Mr. Bowdler plays. He seems to be having as much joy playing the Wurlizter as I have listening and watching him. Thank you!

[@donbehrendt2871]

The wife of 64 years and I skated to organ music and did ballroom dancing also and it was so relaxing,wish she was with us now. What wonderful selection of tunes THANK YOU

[@bombasticbushkin4985]

This is so beautiful. Memories of days gone by and even ball games. Came to hear the sound of one that was installed in the old Toronto's Shea Hippodrome, Canada (demolished for new City Hall). The $55,000 Wurlitzer of 1914 now resides in Toronto's famous Casa Loma. My dad lived this era downtown and would love this. Wonderful, happy, upbeat and gorgeous. Thank you Mr. Bowdler.

[@postwar46]

Great show. Thanks John Bowdler ....... much enjoyed. Fabulous delivery

[@prof.hectorholbrook4692]

John - you're a mighty player on that beautiful mighty instrument!! And your footwork is SPOT ON too lad! A sincere salute from me.

[@susaniddon6436]

Beautiful music John both to listen to at Blackpool and to dance to at Orrell. Thank you so much as it's given me a lot of pleasure. I wish you and yours much happiness x

[@russ7151]

Fantastic sound lovely organ john is great

[@waynecrothers9441]

Absolutely stunningly beautiful music, you really make the wurlitzer talk, gorgeous relaxing melodies, thoroughly enjoyed listening, wish I could play 10% as good as you, superb!

[@donbehrendt2871]

What a beautiful melody John plays that is so for dancing even just to listen too.GREAT

[@beachormond]

Loved this concert, thank you for the performance

[@donbehrendt2871]

Wonderful music nice and sharp and clear tunes to dance to or just enjoy listening to his playing

[@laurencecade5574]

Absolutely lovely!

[@arthurpalmer8725]

A fine player who makes full use of the Tower Ballroom Wurlitzer theatre organ!

[@cycleSCUBA]

Pure genius. You can't teach skill and flair like that.

[@susaniddon6436]

Wonderful john xx

[@stepheneggert7388]

Mr.al melgard..played the big barton pipe organ in the chicago stadium..until 1974..like this. During hockey warm ups. Chicago black hawks on the 6m 64r barton ..u could hear the organ up to2 blocks away on west madison st..outside the stadium. He would play the organ like this guy could ..keep playing..

[@wifedivine9927]

I remember John as a kid coming to the hospital to play for the patients. Doesn't seem long ago.

[@laurencegresty1909]

🤗🤗FANTASTIC ♥️♥️♥️♥️🔊🔊

[@michelpointeau6396]

Super John !! Bravo c'est très beau ! Le Wurlitzer de la Tour de Blackpool un instrument de légende !!

[@johndean958]

Loved it ........Fantastic.

[@deirdreharness2701]

Thank you for sharing, we had a wonderful time at the ballroom

[@TheLeonhamm]

The wife and I - in our late 20s - went with our parents (50s) and my Grandparents (80s) .. and we had the time of our lives. Sadly my Great Grandmama and Great Great Aunt (100 plusers) weren't able to go. Worst of all, we knew so many of the tunes .. we danced our few baby steps and sang along ;o).

[@donaldstanfield8862]

@@TheLeonhamm Awesome. 60s here...lol

[@deirdreharness2701]

@@coryhudd4092 Sorry that we cannot share home videos on You Tube

[@joebusch3108]

Wow, nothing sounds like the well loved Blackpool Wurlitzer, Is it a new one? Great playing John Bowdler.

[@jacobwoods8738]

Joe Busch The newly installed one is at the Empress Ballroom. Blackpool originally had 7 and has 3 today. This instrument dates from 1934/5, replacing a smaller instrument which was enlarged and transferred to the Empress Ballroom, the one recently reinstalled with some parts from other organs. The 3rd is at the opera house, and it looks quite similar to this one in terms of the console. It was the last to come to England before WWII.

[@mjotd8670]

@Joe Busch, I agree, it has an awesome sound to it, but I also stumbled across this guy from Holland playing the organ, which sounds so rich > kzbin.info/www/bejne/ioXZkmiBl7SSd6s

[@Roscoe.P.Coldchain]

@@jacobwoods8738are they worth a lot of money, you would imagine something like that would value with age..?

[@jacobwoods8738]

@@Roscoe.P.Coldchain In some regards yes. Today they go for around $25,000-$100,000 depending on the instrument and what pipe ranks are included. Wurlitzer brass ranks and reeds, as well as certain strings are incredibly sought after. The Tower organ being so famous and in its original home is an incredible gem. I hope we never find out what it would sell for. However even new in the 1920s and 1930s fine Wurlitzer instruments of 15 or so ranks, might cost $30,000-50,000. The local instrument of 11 ranks and not overly remarkable other than the onstage piano was around $40,000 in 1924 currency.

[@JohnDoe-gc1pm]

The second song is "I cant smile without you"

[@Mike-kc8rl]

I cant look at John Bowdler, without thinking of the actor Donald Pleasance! But both great at what they do best! Are we looking at the next resident organist here, when organist Phil Kelsall retires??

[@gordoncrook7507]

WE know the playing is great but just got a super picture as well on my new TV which has among other things KZbin Gordon Exmouth

[@gordoncrook7507]

PS Am in.the Ballroom at this moment John both looks & sounds great as I.said above the ballroom has the builders in including the ballroom sliding room is under repair so all is not lost Gordon Exmouth

[@vaslav030547]

All melody with the right hand.

[@wrandcgreen]

Super picture quality for Super organist

[@paulkersey7564]

Number1 at the Tower for my money

[@АнитаБестужева]

очень красивая музыка , звучит как большой оркестр

[@indianasteammusic]

What is the last song he plays before the video cuts off? It sounds like he says the Mayfair Quickstep in Summertime, is Summertime the name of the song or is it something else?

[@jacobwoods8738]

Mayfair Quickstep in “Samba Time”, the song is the “Choo Choo Samba”.

[@philiptaylor4086]

I was at School with Reginald Dixon's Grandson.

[@asrose7979]

What kind of people think this is background music for them to talk over ?

[@havenzhai5187]

a s rose Amen

[@leona5543]

a s rose hello, I’m from Blackpool so maybe I can explain. The tower ballroom host days where people can come and dance. There is seating all round and a bar, so it’s a social event primarily. Also he is performing, you’re not watching a choreographed performance, it’s a very laid-back affair. Although I understand that the talking disturbs the audio in this video sometimes!

[@class87srule]

@@leona5543 Agreed. It's more like a 'drop-in-dance' than a formal occasion and people come and go, listening and dancing to as much of the organ as they please. I don't think Phil Kelsall or John Bowdler mind in the least. I'm sure you can't hear all the chattering from where they are up at the console. Like Jimmy Shand they're more concerned that people enjoy themselves which is why they continually check the mirror or look around to see who's dancing.

[@lklpalka]

@@leona5543 thank you Leona for explaining, thought there was dancing or certainly something going on there. People having fun is what!

[@grahamtruman561]

Can somebody tell me the tunes after when time goes by I recognize the music but can’t name them,

[@JohnDoe-gc1pm]

The second tune is "I can't smile without you"

[@cashman61068]

WOW GENIOUS

[@SelfIndulgentGamer]

I thought the mirror was an Ipad :D

[@jacobwoods8738]

A lot of people do. It’s Reg’s old goose neck mirror though, installed decades before the iPad. I figure this specific one probably dates to 1957 as the original was probably burnt in the fire with the original console.

[@jimfennell429]

great music but too much background chatter of people talking.

[@Tmanaz480]

Umm...you do know what a ballroom is, don't you?

[@lewisjohnson9087]

@@Tmanaz480 Yeah and clearly none of u know the true meaning of music, I'd rather shit and piss in my hands and clap than listen to this trash.

[@regencyantiquebooks6058]

@@lewisjohnson9087 Wow.... some harsh words!... it would be easier to just not listen!

[@lewisjohnson9087]

@@regencyantiquebooks6058 stating facts

[@regencyantiquebooks6058]

@@lewisjohnson9087 Music is subjective., you cant just say "stating facts" as that is only relevant to you.

[@Lazarett]

!!! WURLITZER !!! I just buy the Yamaha reface CP , i have a Wurlitzer on it . Thank God !!!

[@Lazarett]

Awesome , just Awesome !!! ...

[@alisonwunderland9900]

Why the rear-view mirror - to see if anyone's walked out?

[@roynelson1582]

Alison Wünderland Try an intelligent quess

[@alisonwunderland9900]

I don't know what a "quess" is. Maybe it's because the organist is such a narcissist, he can't help looking at himself every so often.

[@gordoncrook7507]

@@alisonwunderland9900 It was there on the first organ i think to enable the organist observe the dancers while playing Gordon Exmouth

[@paulgroundwatermm0phg842]

@@alisonwunderland9900 -one thing's for sure anyway, the mirror is too small to see your big old ass in.

[@Clara-ph7my]

Well you cannot get that distinctive sound anymore can you? Well maybe replicas but in the original, unique former glory.

[@marcel911]

He looks like Fred MacAulay

[@TheConsettonian1987]

marcel-nine-one-one I would say more like Alan Shearer.

[@grahamtruman561]

As below Rumba no1

[@TheConsettonian1987]

Graham Truman mentioning the Rumba 1 nearly every time I’m in the tower and John always plays the tune Perfidia as John knows me which is very very kind of him.

[@RayMccoll-kn3mv]

V

[@parisalan1]

Yawwwwnnnnnnnn...every piece sounds just like the last...no variation. Might as well be playing a Kimball

[@gordoncrook7507]

We are all entitled to our opinions mine is simple you are great John both to hear & see life in action Gordon Exmouth

[@johnmackey6523]

Cloth ears!

[@Angus2020]

Upload some videos of you playing then and lets here your varations.

[@garfieldjenkins9394]

@@Angus2020 just go have a go at it in blackpool tower I have had a go and believe me this organ is fantastic nothing better? And john bowdler is a true showman and gentleman

[@Angus2020]

@@garfieldjenkins9394 I was planning to go this year, but the world events kind of got in the way. But took the opportunity to built my own WurliTzer console instead (vid on my channel!)