Bebop Spoken There

David Bailey (photographer): ''When I was 16 I wanted to look like Chet Baker. He was my idol - him and James Dean.'' (Talking Pictures documentary : Four beats to the bar and no cheating April, 2026)

The Things They Say!

This is a good opportunity to say thanks to BSH for their support of the jazz scene in the North East (and beyond) - it's no exaggeration to say that if it wasn't for them many, many fine musicians, bands and projects across a huge cross section of jazz wouldn't be getting reviewed at all, because we're in the "desolate"(!) North. (M & SSBB on F/book 23/12/24)

Postage

18429 (and counting) posts since we started blogging 18 years ago. 293 of them this year alone and, so far this month (April 13 ) 27,

Reviewers wanted

Whilst BSH attempts to cover as many gigs, festivals and albums as possible, to make the site even more comprehensive we need more 'boots on the ground' to cover the albums seeking review - a large percentage of which never get heard - report on gigs or just to air your views on anything jazz related. Interested? then please get in touch. Contact details are on the blog. Look forward to hearing from you. Lance

From This Moment On

April

Fri 17: Russ Morgan Quartet @ The Lit & Phil, Newcastle. 1:00pm. £8.00. SOLD OUT!
Fri 17: Classic Swing @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 17: Rendezvous Jazz @ The Monkseaton Arms. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 17: New Orleans Preservation Jazz Band @ The Oxbridge Hotel, Stockton. 1:00pm. £5.00.
Fri 17: Castillo Nuevo Trio @ Hotel Gotham, Newcastle. 5:30pm. Free.
Fri 17: Ben Crosland Quartet @ Sunderland Minster. 7:30pm. £12.96 (inc. bf) online; £15.00 on the door. Old Black Cat Jazz Club.

Sat 18: Bright Street Big Band @ Washington Arts Centre. 6:30pm. £12.00. Swing dance sessions + Bright Street Big Band 7:30-8:15pm & 8:45-9:30pm.
Sat 18: Glenn Miller & Big Band Spectacular @ The Phoenix Theatre, Blyth. 7:30pm. £27.00 (inc. bf).

Sun 19: Michael Young Trio @ The Engine Room, Sunderland. 2:30pm. Trio + Lara Hopper.
Sun 19: Pete Tanton’s Chet Set @ Queen’s Hall, Hexham. 3:00pm. £12.00., £10.00.
Sun 19: Straight to Tape @ The Tyne Bar, Newcastle. 4:00pm. Free. Edd Carr, Jonathan Proud, John Hirst. Blues trio.
Sun 19: Tweed River Jazz Band @ Barrels Ale House, Berwick. 7:00pm. Free.
Sun 19: Graham Hardy’s Eclectic Quartet @ The Globe, Newcastle. 8:00pm. £12.00., £10.00., £7.00.

Mon 20: Friends of Jazz @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Mon 20: Dean Stockdale Trio @ The Black Bull, Blaydon. 8:00pm. £10.00. Stockdale, Mick Shoulder, Abbie Finn.

Tue 21: Vieux Carré Hot 4 @ The Victoria & Albert Inn, Seaton Delaval NE25 0AT. Tel: 0191 237 3697. Tickets: £14.00. ‘Pie & Pea Lunch’.
Tue 21: Neil Cowley Trio @ The Fire Station, Sunderland. 7:30pm. £29.00., £26.00., £23.00.
Tue 21: Jam session @ The Black Swan, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free. House trio: Joe Steels (guitar); Paul Grainger (double bass); Jack Littlewood (drums).

Wed 22: Vieux Carré Jazzmen @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Wed 22: Nubiyan Twist @ Digital, Newcastle. 7:00pm. £28.75 (inc. bf).
Wed 22: Darlington Big Band @ Darlington & Simpson Rolling Mills Social Club, Darlington. 7:00pm. Free. Rehearsal session (open to the public).
Wed 22: Daniel John Martin w. Swing Manouche @ Bishop Auckland Methodist Church. 7:30pm. Date, time & admission TBC.
Wed 22: Take it to the Bridge @ The Globe, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free.

Thu 23: FILM: Big Mama Thornton: I Can’t Be Anyone But Me @ Tyneside Cinema, Newcastle. 6:15pm. Dir. Robert Clem (2025).
Thu 23: Castillo Nuevo Orquesta @ Pilgrim, Newcastle. £6.50. 7:30pm (doors).
Thu 23: Eva Fox & the Sound Hounds @ The Black Swan, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free.
Thu 23: Jeremy McMurray’s Pocket Jazz Orchestra & Musicians Unlimited @ ARC, Stockton. 8:00pm. £19.00. inc. bf.

Saturday, December 29, 2012

Keith Crombie Dead!


The news that Keith Crombie is dead has totally shocked me and no doubt has also shocked that part of the jazz community associated with "The Caff".
A man who didn't suffer fools gladly, his dedication to the music he loved and the support and encouragement he gave to musicians make him a unique one in a million figure.
This is just so so sad that I can't write any more. The photo by Kaveh Emami sums Keith up perfectly.
The world will be a much duller place from now on.
Rest In Peace.
Lance.
PS: Friends, musicians and anyone associated with Keith are invited to meet up outside of the Jazz Café tomorrow (New Year's Eve) at noon for photos, video and memories.)
A tribute concert is being arranged by Peter Gilligan to take place on Sunday afternoon (2pm) January 6 at the Jazz Café.
Sunday Sun Obituary.
Facebook Photos by Kaveh Emami.
Facebook Memorial Page.

12 comments :

Lou said...

Rest in peace, Keith. You did so much to make swing dancers welcome, and keep Jazz alive.
Your sense of humour and kindness will be greatly missed.
Lou
Swing Dancer
x

Anonymous said...

Shocking news. Keith Crombie was a gruff but absolutely lovable character who struggled on for years and years keeping his beloved Jazz Cafe going, trailing the streets with flyers, etc.
He provided a totally unique venue, a great place for jazz musicians to play and hang out.
He and his Jazz Cafe are already Tyneside jazz legend. The anecdotes would make a very good book!
Very sad.
Roly

Jake said...

The Jazz Café is possibly the last real life personification of all the fictional jazz venues. At first, all that was missing was the smoke - now it's Keith...
Jake.

John Pope (On Facebook). said...

For as long as I've been playing jazz in Newcastle I have played it at the Jazz Cafe on Pink Lane. It's a dingy, cluttered, tiny space, the absolute archetype of the term 'Jazz Club'. It has been the site of much learning, listening, hard work, laughter, frustration and joy, all for the love of music and those who make it. It's importance in my development - not to mention that of the scores of other musicians who performed there regularly - cannot be overstated. None of that could have happened without Keith Crombie and his insurmountable dedication to keeping the place alive, to give the people of this city a place to see the music he cared about be played. Tonight we honoured his memory with that music. I feel humbled and grateful to have been a part of it. He will be sorely missed.

RIP Keith Crombie.

SJB said...

Wouldn't the best memorial be for someone to keep it going?
RIP

Anonymous said...

I think it was 1993 when I first met Keith. It was my first time at the Jazz Cafe on a mid-week night and I was being inquisitive about the set-up of the Jazz Cafe. All of a sudden he turned in his likeable abrupt character and said "You ask a lot of F*%$ing questions dont you, are you a copper?" Since then we have been great friends and myself and others have had some very memorable nights there. Keith you will be sadly missed and I sincerely hope that one of your family or colleagues continue to run the Jazz Cafe in the way that we all like it....
R.I.P.
Nick

Anonymous said...

I first met Keith in the 70's when he used to frequent Julie's nightclub. He was often gruff but always likeable and over the years I got used to seeing him around the town (usually in the vicinity of the universities) handing out his flyers for the Cafe. Keith was an absolute legend and one of the last of the great Nort-East characters. He was a bugger for who he would allow through the door (depending on his mood haha) altho if you had a student union card you were generally ok. Heaven has a new guard on the door today. Rest in Peace, Keith, you were truly one of a kind x

Lloyd said...

Keith could certainly do mood swings. I recall his apparent fury with me when we were both trying to use the same pub wall to publicise our gigs, and then one minute later, once I had convinced him that no clash was meant, he was enthusiastically sharing his love of the film 'Bullshot'. His love of jazz was clear to all: it was the simple explanation for the Jazz Cafe - a characterful individual venue that was loved perhaps at least as much for its faults as its virtues. Long may it survive. It surprised and pleased me over the years that the many students of the Newcastle Swing Dance Society all seemed to see through his grumpiness quickly and liked him.

Lloyd said...

Well said.

James Fields said...

As long as they dont change a thing. Leave all dvds and books in there (and his tv). and dont paint the place. it is absolutely perfect as it is. Bless ya Keith, I will miss you terribly. James

Anonymous said...

i met keith when i moved to newcastle in the early 90's, on my first visit to the jazz cafe i asked for a job and worked there throughout my 20's-what a job! I turned up soon after i begun working there at 10 in the morning, distraught after seeing my then boyfriend off on a long train to china (literally). Keith gave me two shots of whiskey and then got me in the kitchen washing the grease off the walls as i cried myself to normality. He was a big softie...a big heart. the end of an era. the cafe without keith...i just can't imagine it.

Frank Black said...

RIP, Keith

http://fridaynightboys300.blogspot.co.uk/

Blog Archive