Any old promotor drivers around

Andy Maclean was a jazz enthusiast who had been a member of Ronnie Scotts Jazz Club for many years and although he couldn’t read music he loved to bang away on the drums for any band that would have him. He set up Orient Transport Services in 1985 and although Promotor were still the dominant service provider at the Baghdad Fair, he was always looking for ways to outdo us. One year he arranged for the Tom Collins Jazz Band to visit Baghdad and Andy organised gigs at the British Club, The Park Group (Irish nurses) and a few other places, however for us the best gigs were the early afternoon sessions in the British Pavilion. Of course Andy just had to get behind the drums and most days he did a stint whilst the regular drummer had a beer or two. The first photo shows the regular drummer whilst Andy appears in the last two.



I knew Andy and he lived locally. As a pianist, I play a fair bit of trad jazz but frustratingly / ironically we never played together. C’est la vie!

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Andy Maclean of Orient Transport Services couldn’t be seen to play in Promotors world famous ‘Baghdad Fair Darts Tournament’ but he made sure he was there for the final and presentations. In the 1st photo he is 2nd from the left whilst I am on the right. You could never be sure where he would pop up next so we had to keep an eye on him. On one occasion he asked my mate Awat to arrange an evening in one of the Masgouf restaurants down on Abu Nawas Street by the river, Andy invited a couple of guys from the embassy and a load of our customers. I wasn’t invited so I confronted him and Andy, in his own inimitable way said “of course you’re invited Brian”. It was a great evening, see last two photos, which burnt a hole in Andy’s back pocket. The Masgouf restaurants specialised in the Freshwater carp. A large fish which cost 100 dinars a fish and at the bank rate at that time equated to about £150. Andy didnt pay that of course as he paid on the black market but it certainly wasn’t a cheap evening. Thanks for the invite Andy.





The last of my tribute posts of Andy Maclean. The first photo is of Andy and his Mack when he worked for Iran Container Company in 72/73. The 2nd photo has him looking cool on the sun bed. Standing in the white t-shirt is George Fardell who joined Promotor a few years later. The 3rd photo is Andy’s GMC. He loved that lorry. When he came off the road he managed the OHS depot in Rainham. The last photo is of the OHS boss Orhan Hakki Sertel aka Sooty. Andy introduced me to him in Tehran.




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Tributes?

Is Andy er, no longer with us?

Andy died in his sleep a couple of weeks ago of a bleed on the heart. I was told this morning that there will be a private family funeral but that next June a party will be organised to celebrate his life.

Oh dear… What a terrible shame. I drove past Old Wives Lees last weekend and wondered how he was…

I’d like to attend any gathering in his memory.

Hope YOU are keeping well

Best wishes

David

Somebody’s avin a laff methinks!!!