RogerF Posted November 17, 2009 Report Share Posted November 17, 2009 (edited) Some very sad news from the UK. Virtuoso bassist Jeff Clyne passed away yesterday (16 November) at the age of 72. Jeff Clyne had been a key figure in British jazz for over 40 years and played on some groundbreaking albums, Stan Tracey's Under Milk Wood, Tubby Hayes' 100% Proof and the first three seminal albums by Ian Carr's Nucleus. He also played and recorded with the likes of the Jazz Couriers with Hayes and Ronnie Scott, Keith Tippett, plus hosts of others. He was prominent for a while in nascent British jazz rock bands such as Isotope, Gilgamesh and his own band, Turning Point. Jeff Clyne also recorded a little known but superb pre-Nucleus album with Ian Carr plus Trevor Watts and John Stevens entitled Springboard , on the Polydor label, which is highly sought after by collectors. Clyne was also a teacher and co-director of the Wavendon jazz course, and taught at the Royal Academy of Music and Guildhall School of Music and Drama. Apart from being a great acoustic and electric bass player, Jeff, who I had the privilege of meeting on more than one occasion, was also a great guy and will be sorely missed. R.I.P. Jeff. Edited November 18, 2009 by RogerF Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
clifford_thornton Posted November 17, 2009 Report Share Posted November 17, 2009 Oh shit. That's terrible news. When I first started getting into British jazz, he was a name I turned to - if he was on a session, it was sure to be excellent. Such a warm tone, but with a lot of virtuosic fire that served him (& the music) well in both free and straight-ahead contexts. RIP. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
B. Clugston Posted November 17, 2009 Report Share Posted November 17, 2009 Sorry to hear that. He was on Tony Oxley's Columbia recordings. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GA Russell Posted November 18, 2009 Report Share Posted November 18, 2009 I'm sorry to hear this. I still pictured him as a young guy. I have him on a Nucleus album for sure, and perhaps something else as well. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gutrotfrenzy Posted November 18, 2009 Report Share Posted November 18, 2009 That is sad news indeed. While reading this, I can hear his sound on Baptised Traveller in my head. What a full, round, warm yet strong sound that is. And how about Amalgam's Prayer for Peace? Phenomenal. With Dave Holland and Barry Guy, one of the best British. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sidewinder Posted November 18, 2009 Report Share Posted November 18, 2009 (edited) This is very sad news - he always seemed to be in the thick of the action as far as progressive British jazz was concerned and truly bridged the gap between the Tracey/Hayes generation and Stevens/Watts etc. I'll spin that 'Springboard' LP today in recognition of one of the 'Best of British'. RIP First Ian Carr and now, Jeff Clyne passes on. What a truly dreadful couple of years for jazz RIPs from this land. Edited November 18, 2009 by sidewinder Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gutrotfrenzy Posted November 18, 2009 Report Share Posted November 18, 2009 First Ian Carr and now, Jeff Clyne passes on. What a truly dreadful couple of years for jazz RIPs from this land. I would add Paul Rutherford and Derek Bailey to that list. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BillF Posted November 18, 2009 Report Share Posted November 18, 2009 Very sorry to hear this. Hadn't heard of him for years until his name appeared on the Wigan Jazz Festival schedule last summer. But, like G A Russell, I still picture him as a young guy, one of "Tubby Hayes' triplets", as a girlfriend of mine dubbed the three slim, sharply-suited, dark-haired young men (Jeff, Terry Shannon and Bill Eyden) who backed the more solidly-built leader at their regular sessions at Club 43 in Manchester around 1961. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JohnS Posted November 18, 2009 Report Share Posted November 18, 2009 Very sad news. I saw Jeff many times in my younger days, always a quality player. I heard he was still active not too long ago. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
king ubu Posted November 18, 2009 Report Share Posted November 18, 2009 Sad news. I've heard him on quite a few discs, but to be honest, I've never particularly listened to his contributions... will have to do so next time I indulge in some UK jazz. Those Oxley Columbias, I've never heard them, sadly. They seem to be hard to find by now! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Rep Posted November 18, 2009 Report Share Posted November 18, 2009 Very sad news, I have very fond memories of seeing Jeff. I will play something of his tonight. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
clifford_thornton Posted November 18, 2009 Report Share Posted November 18, 2009 I'll spin that 'Springboard' LP today in recognition of one of the 'Best of British'. RIP Lucky you! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
carnivore Posted November 18, 2009 Report Share Posted November 18, 2009 Many memories of him at Ronnie's... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Head Man Posted November 19, 2009 Report Share Posted November 19, 2009 What a bummer! A beautiful bass player and a very nice person. Like others I still remember him as being 'youngish' - a sign of old age, I guess! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jazzjet Posted November 19, 2009 Report Share Posted November 19, 2009 Very,very sad. Good that we've got that recent 'Splinters' release, with Tubbs, Kenny Wheeler, Trevor Watts etc to help remember him by. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sidewinder Posted November 19, 2009 Report Share Posted November 19, 2009 Very,very sad. Good that we've got that recent 'Splinters' release, with Tubbs, Kenny Wheeler, Trevor Watts etc to help remember him by. Must get hold of that ! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
king ubu Posted November 19, 2009 Report Share Posted November 19, 2009 Very,very sad. Good that we've got that recent 'Splinters' release, with Tubbs, Kenny Wheeler, Trevor Watts etc to help remember him by. Must get hold of that ! This one? Splinters - Split the Difference (Reel Recordings RR013) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
clifford_thornton Posted November 19, 2009 Report Share Posted November 19, 2009 That's a good one! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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