A Scottish trombonist who has stuck with the straight and traditional style through his entire career, Roy Crimmins grew up in London and is entirely self taught. In 1950, he was a member of the Galleon Jazz Band, and throughout the early '50s also gigged with the amusing Mick Mulligan as well as with Freddy Rendall in 1953. Crimmins kicked off his own band in collaboration with sidekick Alex Walsh in 1954, and it turned out to be a smash. Recordings done by the Walsh outfits with American guest stars such as the oddball clarinetist Pee Wee Russell or the exciting Wild Bill Davison are tremendous; the energy between host and visiting artist fresh and creative. The band was active for the following decade, and Crimmins finally decided to try something else out in 1965. This turned out to be another group featuring himself in the spotlight, this time based out of Germany.

Once again Crimmins kept a lineup consistent and a regular group together for an extended period, this time some 13 years. He also gigged in Scanadanavia, Switzerland, and Austria during this era, including his own television show in Vienna for five years. Using the pseudonym of Roy King, he cut three albums as a leader beginning in 1975, inviting confusion with a songwriter of the same name who created numbers for artists such as Mildred Bailey. In the late '70s, Crimmins went back to England and worked once again with Walsh until that artist died. He has since freelanced with the bands of Bob Wilber and Harry Gold since that time, and is a regular guest of European all-star gatherings. Five a Slide, a trombone summit recorded for the Black Lion label, is a wonderful combination of Crimmins and other veteran trombone men such as John Beecham, Campbell Burnap, Pete Strange, and Roy Willams. ~ Eugene Chadbourne, Rovi