Alan Haven

b. 1 April 1935, Prestwich, Manchester, Lancashire, England. Largely self-taught, Haven's first instrument was the piano and he began playing jazz while still a teenager. He played clubs and dancehall dates on the Mecca circuit and also ventured as far afield as Paris. He had been interested for some time in organists, including Jackie Davis and, in particular, a Count Basie set with the Oscar Peterson Trio on which Basie played organ. Haven acquired a Lowrey Holiday organ and taught himself to play it, this at a time when organ trios were briefly popular. Facing up to the com...