Savoy Swing Seven
           From Left: Aidan Canning         Trombone (Died 1992)
Mike Carroll        Guitar/Banjo
Jim Collum           Vocals/Bass
John Healey   Leader/Trumpet
Paddy Collum                Drums
 Jimmy Shivnan        Sax/Clarinet
 Christy Armstrong           Piano
Thank you for all de info +pics I have not seen before of my dad,
Christy Armstrong, RIP, March 18th 1983,
Kieran Armstrong.
kieran.armstrong@upcmail.ie

The Savoy Swing Seven (Carrick on Shannon)

  Being a fan of Trad. and Dixieland Jazz,
and having heard most of the showbands that included this
genre of music in their dancing programme,
I have one regret that I never heard what was possibly
the best Jazz orientated showband in these islands , the Savoy Swing Seven

     I can only relate to you through this article , facts that I picked up from other musicians, and especially from two Donegal men that played for a time with the band , Paddy Joe O, Donnell on bass and drummer Paddy Collum who give me an insight as to their outstanding musical ability.
Managed by Tom Burke , Aiden Canning (Trombone), Jimmy Shivnan (Sax./Clar.) John Healy ( Leader/Trumpet), Paddy Collum (Drums), Roddy Gillen (Guitar /Banjo), Christy Armstrong (Piano) and at different times Paddy Joe O, Donnell (Bass/Vocals) and Paddy Collum,s brother Jim (Jimbo) who also played bass, were all part of this excellent musical combination.
If they had a failing , it was in the fact that their repertoire consisted of mainly Dixieland Jazz
with the odd pop number thrown in depending where they were playing, so because
of this they only appealed to a certain type of audience

  They played many countrywide venues and to their fellow showband colleagues especially those interested in jazz , they were held in such high esteem. In Jimmy Shivnan , they possessed one of the finest clarinetists in Europe or even further afield and on one occasion while playing relief to the great Syd Phillips band , Phillips himself a clarinetist of note was heard to say .”How can I follow that” referring to the aility of the brilliant Shivnan.
All through the mid 60,s they weaved their magic, and as their reputation grew , many other showband musicians would make a point of going to see them on their night off.
Paddy Joe O,Donnell who played a short time with the band told me that their musical ability was awesome , especially at the trad, jazz numbers. “
They were ahead of their time as a jazzband “ he said.

Before the band broke up they had a female vocalist in their ranks ,
Mary Roe, but by the late 60,s mebers decided to go their seperate ways.
Three members left to join the Sligo based Cleffonaires Showband , one of these being Roddy Gillen. Sadly Aiden Canning , John Healy,and Christy Armstrong have passed on, but Jimmy Shivnan is alive and well In Los Angeles, USA, Paddy Collum lives in Drumshanbo, and his brother Jimbo in Tipperary.

  Some years ago the band had a reunoin gig in Carrick on Shannon, and a video was made , a copy of which I am proud to have in my collection. Mighty Avons trumpeter Paddy Smith came in for John Healy and Carl Neilsen ex Cleffionaires played bass  together with original band members  and with “The Shiv!” on clarinet , they sounded as they always did , “just brilliant”.
In jazz circles the music of the Savoy Swing 7 will always be remembered.
John Baird