Tony Crombie

Tony Crombie was a highly respected British drummer, composer, and bandleader without whom the British bebop scene might have swung as little as an iron pillar. Then again, there are many listeners who would be more interested in the soundtracks Crombie created for serious art films such as Teenager Killer and The Nudist Story. Blame Crombie's mama for this interest in combining music and the cinema, perhaps -- after all, she was a silent film pianist. Crombie taught himself both drums and piano and began his career as an accompanist for singers; in the early '50s he was backing some of the most challenging jazz vocalists to tour the United Kingdom, including Lena Horne, Carmen Mcrae, and Annie Ross.



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