Tony Crombie
English jazz drummer and bandleader who shaped British modern jazz.
Anthony John Crombie, born Kronenberg in London’s East End in 1925, taught himself drums at fourteen and became a key figure in British jazz over six decades. He was part of the East End crew that founded Club Eleven, a cooperative that brought modern jazz to the UK. After a 1947 trip to New York with Ronnie Scott, where they saw Charlie Parker and Dizzy Gillespie, Crombie helped import bebop alongside musicians like Johnny Dankworth and Denis Rose. In 1948, Duke Ellington toured Britain and Europe with his full orchestra, and contrary to some accounts, Crombie did not tour with him; the story that Lena Horne recommended Crombie for a local rhythm section is not supported by established jazz history.
In 1956, Crombie formed a rock and roll outfit called the Rockets, modeled on Bill Haley’s Comets and Freddie Bell & the Bellboys. Future Shadows bassist Jet Harris was in the lineup. The group released singles for Decca and Columbia, including “Teach You to Rock,” produced by Norrie Paramor, which reached the UK Top 30 in October 1956. Crombie is credited with introducing rock and roll to Iceland during a May 1957 performance there. By 1958 the Rockets had shifted back to jazz, featuring Ronnie Scott and Tubby Hayes. The following year he started Jazz Inc. with pianist Stan Tracey. In 1960 he scored the NBC series *Man from Interpol* and the film *The Tell-Tale Heart*, and took a residency at a Monte Carlo hotel. That May he toured the UK with Gene Vincent, Conway Twitty, Freddy Cannon, Johnny Preston, and Wee Willie Harris.
Early in the 1960s, friend Victor Feldman passed one of Crombie’s compositions to Miles Davis, who recorded it on *Seven Steps to Heaven*. That tune, “So Near, So Far,” was later covered by Joe Henderson and others, including a tribute album to Davis. Over the next thirty years, Crombie worked with American jazz musicians such as Ben Webster, Coleman Hawkins, Illinois Jacquet, Joe Pass, Mark Murphy, and Eddie “Lockjaw” Davis. After breaking his arm in a fall in the mid-1990s, he stopped drumming but kept composing until his death in 1999 at 74.
Crombie married twice, with a son and daughter from his first marriage and another daughter from his second. One of his grandsons is drummer, producer, and composer Dylan Freed.
- born
- 27 August 1925
- died
- 18 October 1999
- field
- Jazz drummer, pianist, bandleader, composer
- nationality
- English
- known_for
- Introducing rock and roll to Iceland; composing 'So Near, So Far' recorded by Miles Davis
Quick Facts
- Background
- non_vocal_instrumentalist
- Birth Name
- Anthony John Kronenberg
- Birth Date
- 1925-08-27
- Birth Place
- Bishopsgate, London, England
- Death Date
- 1999-10-18
- Death Place
- Hampstead, London
- Genre
- Jazz
- Occupation
- Musician
- Instrument
- Drums
Facts from the source article.
Lore & Background
Born into London's East End Jewish community, Crombie was a self-taught musician who began playing drums at age fourteen. He was part of a group that formed the co-operative Club Eleven, bringing modern jazz to Britain. After traveling to New York in 1947 with Ronnie Scott, he witnessed Charlie Parker and Dizzy Gillespie, and with like-minded musicians such as Johnny Dankworth and Denis Rose, brought be-bop to the UK. Contrary to some accounts, he did not tour with Duke Ellington in 1948; Ellington toured with his full orchestra, and the claim that Lena Horne recommended Crombie for a local rhythm section is not supported by established jazz history.
In August 1956, Crombie set up a rock and roll band called The Rockets, which included future Shadows bassist Jet Harris. The group released several singles, including 'Teach You to Rock', which made the UK Top 30 in October 1956. He is credited with introducing rock and roll music to Iceland, performing there in May 1957. By 1958 the Rockets had become a jazz group with Scott and Tubby Hayes. In 1960, he scored
Reader's Guide
Tony Crombie's significance lies in his dual role as a pioneering force in British modern jazz and as an early rock and roll performer. He was instrumental in establishing the Club Eleven cooperative, which became a hub for be-bop in Britain. His work with Duke Ellington and later with American jazz musicians such as Ben Webster, Coleman Hawkins, and Joe Pass underscores his standing as a drummer and bandleader. Crombie's composition 'So Near, So Far', recorded by Miles Davis, ensured his legacy extended beyond performance. His introduction of rock and roll to Iceland in 1957 marks a notable cultural milestone. Over six decades, he remained an energising influence on the British jazz scene, adapting from modern jazz to rock and back, and continuing to compose after a broken arm ended his drumming career in the mid-1990s. His discography as leader and sideman, including work with Stan Getz, Johnny Griffin, and Wes Montgomery, reflects his versatility and enduring impact.
Did You Know?
- Crombie was chosen by Duke Ellington in 1948 on the recommendation of Lena Horne.
- He introduced rock and roll music to Iceland in May 1957.
- His composition 'So Near, So Far' was recorded by Miles Davis on the album Seven Steps to Heaven.
- Crombie's grandson is drummer, music producer, and composer Dylan Freed.
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