[Dixielandjazz] Cliff "Kid" Bastien

[Grahame Parker]

I was remarkably saddened to hear of Cliff's passing. I've been away from 
Toronto for about 12 years but one the things I miss most has always been 
Cliff's band at Grossman's on Saturday afternoon. What times were had with 
the early Excelsior players, Elder, Chapman and lots of people who , you are 
right, learned banjo or bass or anything else from Cliff. Someone sent me 
the 25th anniversary cd they did a few years ago. It was a treat. Cliff was 
always nice to me when I started playing. I especially recall playing some 
parade gigs with his Peerless band. I'll think of him often.
Grahame Parker
Peoria Arizona






>From: "Bryan Livett" <livett at rogers.com>
>Reply-To: Bryan Livett <livett at rogers.com>
>To: "briantowers" <briantowers at msn.com>
>CC: DJML <dixielandjazz at ml.islandnet.com>
>Subject: Re: [Dixielandjazz] Cliff "Kid" Bastien
>Date: Sun, 9 Feb 2003 15:45:32 -0500
>
>Sad news indeed Brian, I subbed for Roberta on trombone a couple of times,
>and always enjoyed Kid's whimsical joy in playing "his" brand of jazz 
>culled
>directly from New Orleans.  He knew what he wanted from the band and always
>got it... a great loss!
>
>Bryan
>
>----- Original Message -----
>From: "briantowers" <briantowers at msn.com>
>To: <dixielandjazz at ml.islandnet.com>
>Sent: Sunday, February 09, 2003 11:07 AM
>Subject: [Dixielandjazz] Cliff "Kid" Bastien
>
>
> > Listmates,
> >
> > I sent this message to the list yestrerday but it has not appeared,
>probably
> > because it was sent mistakenly in HTML.
> > Cliff was born in England but has been playing jazz in Toronto, Canada 
>for
> > around 40 years.   He was the trumpet leader of Toronto's jazz band "The
> > Happy Pals".  I repeat my posting below and apologise if it comes 
>through
>to
> > you twice.
> > 
>BT_______________________________________________________________________
> >
> >
> > Very bad news, I am afraid.  Cliff Bastien died today, or possibly last
> > night, at his home.   He did not show up for the regular Saturday 
>matinee
> > gig at Grossman's in Toronto with his "Happy Pals".  Some of the guys
> > finally went to look for him at his apartment.  His TV was on but there
>was
> > no answer to the doorbell.  Finally Jack King broke a window and they
>found
> > Cliff dead in his armchair chair, he had been watching the TV.
>Evidentally
> > a heart attack.
> >
> > I cannot imagine the Toronto traditional jazz scene without Cliff 
>Bastien
> > and his raw, emotional New Orleans style jazz.  He was probably the most
> > popular and influential figure on the Toronto traditional  jazz scene.  
>He
> > taught many others to play their instruments in the style and introduced
> > countless thousands of people to the joys of New Orleans traditional 
>jazz.
> > He had been playing at Grossman's Tavern since 1968, sometime on drums 
>or
> > banjo but mostly on trumpet - that is some 35 years!   Cliff stayed
>rigidly
> > with his brand of jazz, which loosely followed the style of the "Kid
>Thomas
> > jazzband" from New Orleans.   He was always hugely entertaining - he 
>lived
> > for his music.
> >
> > Last November he had returned from a triumphant Scandinavian tour with 
>the
> > Danish/Swedish band "New Orleans Delight".  His old friend from Canada 
>and
> > England,  George Berry, also guested on tenor sax.  When I was with him
>last
> > Wednesday he told me he had a whale of a time and showed me the photos 
>and
> > press cuttings.   He was surprised that some folk even travelled from
> > England to Denmark, just to hear him.
> >
> > I was one of the last of the local jazz musicians to see Cliff.  I had
>been
> > to his workplace on Wednesday.  We had put a band together for New 
>Orleans
> > and we discussed the tunes we were going to play during the French 
>Quarter
> > Festival, in April. He was really looking forward to it.  He was fine,
> > enthusiastic and seemingly well, as usual.
> > He played the recording which New Orleans Delight" had sent to him from
> > Denmark, for his approval.  They wanted to release it on a CD.  He was
> > pleased with it and asked my opinion. To me it sounded first rate.
> >
> > Janet and I are desolate.  We went along to Grossman's, after our own 
>gig
> > and Jan and I played some hymns with the "Happy Pals"   A sadder and 
>more
> > emotional scene I have rarely seen.
> >
> > Sorrowfully,
> >
> > Brian Towers
> >
> >
> > _______________________________________________
> > Dixielandjazz mailing list
> > Dixielandjazz at ml.islandnet.com
> > http://ml.islandnet.com/mailman/listinfo/dixielandjazz
>
>
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