Don Mackrill was only 16 (1954) and a keen Clarinettist when he got his first job in the music business with Stanley Lewis Musical Instrument Company in Wardour Street, off Shaftesbury Avenue in Central London.Harry Hayes, Aubrey Franks and Charles Chapman where Don's Saxophone and Carinet Tutors.
Stanley Lewis was Lead Saxophone Player with the Geraldo Orchestra and was also the lead Alto with the Ambrose Band. At the time there was a Trumpet boom sparked by Eddie Calvert with 'Oh myPa Pa' In those early days there were around a dozen music stores in central London all living off Saxophones, woodwind, brass .
At this time Don first met this long time friend Guitar maker and designer Jimmy Burns, Jim was working with Henry Weil at the time,making amps in Henry's Flat in paddington London W2, just around the corner.

At 18 and by then an accomplished Sax, Clarinet , Flute and Oboe player, Don was appointed Woodwind and Brass manager at the Boosey & Hawkes store in Denman Street, Piccadilly.London. Don was a very versatile musician and played with many top Bands at the time including Joe Loss, Lou Preager, Teddy Foster , Don Laurie Band, he was a great Jazz musician, performed in the original Ronnie Scott's Jazz Club in Gerrard Street in the 50's, and was resident Clarinetist with the well known Ruth Gipps Classical Orchestra in St Johns Square London.


Early 1960's Don Mackrill on Alto Baritone and Bass Sax,Ronnie Shapiro (Helens Brother" a great musician") on Guitar,Eric Alandale Trombone/Vocals (Later with the Foundations),Roger Reynolds Drums,Barry Gibbs Bass Guitar/Ray Connelly on Farfisa Compact Keyboard.



Don Mackrill with Ronnie Shapiro on Guitar in the background, sharing solos while Roger Reynolds takes a drum Solo at the Mustard Pot Jazz Club in Hornsey east London 1958.

In 1960 Don formed a partnership with Saxophone and Guitarist Lauire Naiff specialising in used Saxophones , Guitars, Amps, General Woodwind and Brass instruments. trading as Pan Music Company in Wardour Street above the Whiskie 'a Go Go and the Famous London Flamingo Club below, where Tubby Hayes and later Gorgie Fame and Eric Burdon regularly performed, just a few doors away from the original Ronnie Scotts Jazz Clubjust up the road in Gerrard Street,where Don was a regular memberand performer.

Pan Music was so successful that by 1965 Don and Laurie opened the well known Take Five Shop just around the corner in Shaftesbury Avenue, Sound City and Drum City that opened later opposite. Many of today's famous musicians and Rock Bands were regular Take Five customers. Jimmy Hendricks , The Beatles, Stones, Zoot Money, and most of the of the top groups at the time .

Don's Blues Band the " Dillingers" were on the Jazz and Blues Ciruit and played all over the UK at places like thevery popular " Klooks Kleek" in Hampstead oppisite Graham Bond , Johhny Kidd,John Hisemans Colosseum, The cream and many others

In the 50's Cliff Townsend a great Saxophone player with the famous Ted HeathBig Band was Don's customer at Boosey & Hawkes as in later years his son Pete todays Rock Legend was also one of Don's Customers in Take Five. In the 60's. Ronnie Scott was a faithful supporter together with many other Jazz Greats.including Sonny Rollins,Illinoi Jacquet, thatb great jazz player Sonny Stitt, Gerry Mulligan and many many top US Jazz musicians who played at the" New Ronnies" which was just around the corner in Dean Street.

In 1963 Don Mackrill and Laurie Naiff formed an amplifier manufacturing company under the brand name IMPACT AMPLIFICATION and during the 60's was used by the leading bands of the day and were shipped all round the globe.
Used by Bill Haley, Duane Eddie ,Zoot Money and many other Rock Bands of the day. In the photo is Don on the right with Eddie Moors in the Centre and Dave Martin the Impact Sales Director.
The second picture shows Don together with their Impact factory manager Les Nye at a Frankfurt Fair exhibit in 1965


In 1969 Don introduced the Berkeley Saxophone which competed with the Selmer Super Pennsylvania (Yanagisawa), the Teachers loved them and they were well recommended thoughout the industry

In 1970 King Street Music Stores in Hammersmith West London was acquired from Harry Webber and in 1974 Don opened a store in Edgware Middlesex. North London.

Left; a young Willie Garnet ( Today England's s foremost repairman) and the uk's Charlie Parker, who needs no introduction to the Saxophone fraternity posing with the orinigal prototype Berkeley saxophone cases outside the King Street Store in Hammersmith at the launch of the Berkeley Saxophone cases in the mid 70's.

In 1976 The Berkeley Saxophone Case Company was born, today the Berkeley Saxophone case is an industry standard used by the worlds top players

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Don exhibiting at the Frankfurt Trade Fair with his his colourfull display of Berkeley Cases .

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The second picture is Company secretary Jenny Mackrill with a representative from Barnes & Mullins, Jack Golders son of Shergold Guitar fame

Nowaday's Don Mackrill's Music Stop is a full Oline music business specializing in new, used and vintage instruments, the company have earned a reputation throughout the years as major world dealers in saxophones, woodwind, brass, guitars and amps, serving musicians all over the world.


Major Educational Suppliers of Band instruments to Schools, Colleges,Music Centres throughout the country.

They have Large School Rental business run by Jenny Mackrill supplying schools and parents with instruments throughout the country.

The Woodwind, Brass, Orchestral and Band instrument division is still run by Don himself, who's specialist knowledge and expertise is respected throughout the industry .

DON MACKRILL 50 YEARS IN THE MUSIC INDUSTRY (From The West End to Edgware)