SKIP BEY MEMORIAL

by © Len Dobbin

There was a memorial to celebrate the life of bassist Skip Bey on Wednesday, July 14 at the Lion d'or.

The news of Skips death on July 8th, although not entirely a surprise, was none the less a shock to the Montreal jazz community. Skip was 67 and I was fortunate to have been asked to emcee his 65th (surprise) birthday celebrations, also at Lion dor. That was quite a night with many of his musical friends showing up to add their music to the evening. I remember opening (as he was brought into a standing room of cheering friends) by asking him, Skip, do you know whats going on? I thought this was a Tupperware party. Skip played for the last time on June 27th when he joined his longtime (22 years) musical buddy, pianist Tim Jackson in the same locale. Another memory is of those two always segueing into Cedar Waltons Bolivia if they saw me enter the room.

Life began for Kaspar Crumby Bey on May 24, 1937 in Toledo, Ohio and ended at 2 am, Thursday, July 8, in Maisonneuve-Rosemount Hospital in the east end of the city he adopted in 1980 at the instigation of the late drummer Charlie Duncan, another American who had settled here much earlier, he was a member of Alfred Wades Stablemates back in 1958. The first time I remember hearing Skip was in the company of Duncan and guitarist Nelson Symonds at Club Miles on lower Bishop Street (it was later joined by an adjacent club called Club Mingus). Skip hooked up with Tim Jackson a couple of years later and they were sometimes known as Skim and Tip and had long runs at the Sheraton Centre and Jazzons. Skip also worked with pianist Reg Wilson and on my 50th birthday those two and vocalist Arlene Smith provided music for one of those memorable nights I have experienced as a longtime member of the Montreal jazz community. Skip and Reg also made a jazz festival appearance at the Spectrum backing jazz giant Benny Carter. Before settling here Skip worked in the U.S. with Nina Simone, Betty Carter, Tony Bennett and Sarah Vaughan as well as Nat Adderley, Frank Morgan and Milt Jackson. he also worked with a marvellous lady pianist, Lee Shaw, who trekked up from the Albany area to play for his 65th birthday and later for some Festival jams at the Quartier Latin on Ontario.

Tim Jackson says that just hours before his death, Skip was discussing what tunes they would record on a planned CD of ballads !

More about: Tim Jackson; Skip Bey