TRIBUTES have been paid to one of Bournemouth's best-known musicians and member of the Big Roll Band, George Bruno 'Zoot' Money, who has died aged 82.

Born in Bournemouth on July 17 1942, Zoot grew up living in Old Christchurch Road as the son of an Italian immigrant who had escaped Italy following Benito Mussolini's rise to power.

Attending Porchester School in Harewood Avenue alongside former Bournemouth mayor, Chris Mayne, he described Zoot as a 'great talent' and as obsessed with music even at such an early age.

Chris said: "We were friends for the best part of 70 years. He had a band at school from memory and he formed up with local musicians in the late fifties and sixties.

"He and so many other well-known performers played at The Downstairs Club on Holdenhurst Road over the years. He loved Bournemouth and would do anything to promote it."

One of the artists that Zoot worked with early in his music career was Al Kirtley who was one of the original members of The Big Roll Band. 

Named after the Chuck Berry song Johnny B. Goode after Zoot misheard a lyric, the pair met at a youth club in Poole Hill.

Al said: "I could play the piano and there were no other rock and roll piano players in Bournemouth. I agreed to join and we did our first gig in The Downstairs Club in 1961.

"I left in 1962 because I didn't want to go full-time. They had a second line-up but it was the third that was the really famous one."

Joined by new members in 1963/64 which included Andy Summers who later joined The Police, the band became a regular at The Flamingo Club in Soho, London.

Zoot was later offered a role in The Animals to replace keyboardist, Alan Price, which he accepted.

Al joined Zoot in March this year for his last performance at The Bull's Head in March this year to reform the original band 62 years later.

Zoot died at Hammersmith Hospital on September 8.

Al said: "He could swing like a garden gate. He made you play better than you thought you could and he pulled you along. It was like a dog team and we were the sledge.

"It was a wonderful gig to go out on and that was the last gig of The Big Roll Band and of Zoot Money."