The location might not be explicitly fashionable, but Peter Ind and Wink Fisher’s Bass Clef club has captured the imagination (and patronage) of raw recruit and seasoned veteran alike during the first year of its existence. Neatly situated on the wrong side of Islington, the club is a palpable example of London’s east-of-the-city post-industrial chic and the kind of place that makes new visitors think they’ve stumbled upon hidden treasure.
In jazz lore, the basement dive has become the stuff of myth; at the Bass Clef, the myth has become reality. But rare is the club that survives by jazz alone and the music to be heard at the Clef is as varied as its habitués. The club is artistically rich, and keeps busy. On Latin (Friday) and African (Saturday) nights, people often have to be turned away, but go on one of the jazz nights (Wednesday, Thursday and Sunday) and you’ll probably get your elbows on the bar, which is open until the very sensible hour of 2.00 am every night except Sunday and Monday.
The financial side is a different story. In the beginning, it had been the intention to show that while the legendary National Jazz Centre wasn’t happening in Covent Garden, a jazz club and studio complex could make it elsewhere on an almost entirely self-financing basis. So far, not bad, though Peter Ind admits that it’s been a struggle, with rates nearly doubled this year and no alms forthcoming from the local authority. Nevertheless, he hints at ‘help around the corner’.
Readers are urged to get along to any or all of this month’s anniversary celebrations, which begin on September 1 with a special appearance by the Weller Spring Quartet, followed by the Mike Mower 11-piece (4), the Terry Smith Qrt (5), Lol Coxhill and friends (8), Stan Tracey Big Band, recording live for BBC Sounds Of Jazz (11), Ronnie Ross/Chris Pyne Qnt, also for SOJ (12), Tim Whitehead’s Borderline (15), Henry Lowther’s Seven Piece, for SOJ (18), Harry Beckett Qrt (19), Art Themen Qrt (22), Tribute To Tubby Hayes by the Pat Crumly/Steve Rubie Big Band (25), Blue Note Revisited (26) and Gordon Beck Qrt, for SOJ (29). The Bass Clef is at 35, Coronet St, London N1 (tel 729 2476/2440).
