His surname would allow him to pass as a river flowing through Amsterdam, or the famous beer supposedly made from its waters. The sounds of Billy Amstell's horns have likewise been a seemingly unending stream running through decade after decade of merry old England's dance band and popular orchestra sounds. He began playing music in 1921 -- the instrument was piano, and he was all of ten years old. Amstell at 13 had become clever enough to teach himself alto saxophone, and his professional career began only a few years later in some wee combos around Glasgow. By 1930 he had headed to London and scored a gig with violinist Jack Harris. The following year he began working with Roy Fox, resulting in some of the earliest recorded documentation of Amstell's adaptable, highly professional work on several different reed instruments. For the record, his first solo was cut in 1931 with Spike Hughes' orchestra, part of a series of what were considered the first "genuine" recordings of jazz in the U.K. Who decides what is genuine? The jazz police, of course!

By the fall of 1931 Amstell had been drawn into the orchestra of Bert Ambrose, a seer of the British dance band scene who was eventually known, along with his entire band, as just plain Ambrose. A major stylistic development took place for Amstell in this group; he started concentrating on tenor saxophone, and by 1932 was taking the majority of the solos allotted to that instrument. The piece Tootin' Around was designed as a snug showcase for Amstell's tenor tootsies, first recorded by Ambrose in 1939. Into the late '40s, Amstell's chops kept him in the employ of a kind of triumvirate of hip British orchestra directors, including just plain Geraldo as well as Ambrose and Harris. He then worked in the BBC's own dance orchestra for five years, evolving into a studio player of great value to stylish session leaders of the '60s such as George Chisholm.

This type of work seems to have suited him well, and along with his prolific composing and arranging would amount to a contribution of great magnitude. In addition, Amstell's playing in the '80s once again changed course as he began blowing much more clarinet, joining the club of players whose opportunities to expose talents as a leader only develop when they are more than 60 years old. Session After Midnight, released on the Zodiac label in 1980, was hailed as a fine performance of swing. In 1986, he published his autobiography, entitled -Don't Fuss, Mr. Ambrose. At the age of 91, Amstell was reportedly still doing "the occasional gig." His younger brother, Mickey Amstell, was also a saxophonist. ~ Eugene Chadbourne, Rovi