A well-known York man with a passion for music has died, aged 88.

Robert Edward Brown, known to everyone as Bob, was born in York and lived in the city all his life.

Bob's interest in music began in his teens, amid the big band era of the 1930s.

He played tenor saxophone and was one of the first people in York to play an electric guitar.

He formed the band Blue Aces, with cousins Les and Ron Backhouse and brother-in-law Sid Watson. With two more members, they became the Embassy Players in 1936 - attracting hundreds of dancers keen to have a good time.

It was at one of these dances that he met Elsie, whom he married in September 1940.

Bob served in the Royal Navy as a gun layer during the Second World War.

He travelled to places such as Canada, New York and the Mediterranean, and he witnessed U-boat attacks and the sinking of many vessels.

He worked at British Rail's carriageworks in Holgate, York, until his retirement - continuing to make music on his tenor saxophone in the dance halls.

He is featured in the book Rhythm And Romance - an oral history of popular music in York that was published last November.

His nephew, David Flowers, said: "He thoroughly enjoyed his music, he found great pleasure playing in the band to entertain all those people all those years ago."

Bob leaves a widow, Elsie.

Updated: 09:46 Thursday, February 27, 2003