The Illawarra's jazz musicians have come together to show their appreciation for one of their own who has given much to local scene but is now unwell with cancer.
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Trumpet player, band leader and teacher Neil 'Lenny' Lendrum was in the limelight at the Illawarra Jazz Club's event on Saturday, April 13 at Illawarra Leagues Club.
Greg 'Cossie' Costello, band leader of Cossie and the Disappointments which played on Saturday, said he and a couple of others had the idea to dedicate a gig to Mr Lendrum as a mark of gratitude for all he had done.
"He's never been recognised for all of his achievements in music in the Illawarra and the South Coast," Mr Costello said.
Mr Lendrum had generously given up much of his time to music programs, Mr Costello said, including the Illawarra South East Regional Performing Ensemble, Southern Stars and the So Popera theatre group.
He has been in a number of bands, including Cossie and the Disappointments, EROS Big Band and Short and Horny, the latter of which he leads.
Mr Costello said Mr Lendrum, a former primary school teacher, had also tutored and mentored numerous students on trumpet.
Mr Lendrum, an Illawarra resident of almost 40 years, credited the time he had dedicated to others largely to the people around him.
"I enjoyed it, teaching was a big part of my life, and I worked with very good teams of people," Mr Lendrum said.
"And when you have those quality people around you, it sort of encourages you to do quality things."
Mr Costello described his friend of more than two decades as a man with a sharp wit, "probably the worst dad joke teller", generous, and very family-focused.
"He's just an all-round nice guy," Mr Costello said.
Some 280 people turned up to the Illawarra Jazz Club's special show at Illawarra Leagues Club to show how much they loved Lenny.
"It was incredibly humbling, absolutely incredibly humbling," Mr Lendrum said of Saturday's event.
"Unbelievable. People from all parts of my life, from school days all the way through, turned up, it was amazing."
Years ago at a band camp a son was written about Mr Lendrum called 'The Name Tag Song', about him chastising children for not wearing their name tags, and it became a bit of a personal anthem.
So on Saturday, children and teachers Mr Lendrum had worked with sang it to him.
He started playing the trumpet about 10 after he was handed a cornet - an instrument similar to the trumpet - at school in the late 1960s and told to play it.
"I did, and the instrument and myself got along really well," he said.
Natalie Croxon
Reporter at the Illawarra Mercury, mostly covering social affairs. Previously of the Bendigo Advertiser, Northern Daily Leader and Quirindi Advocate. Our Watch award winner.
Reporter at the Illawarra Mercury, mostly covering social affairs. Previously of the Bendigo Advertiser, Northern Daily Leader and Quirindi Advocate. Our Watch award winner.
