This is what Keith said about Schmazz when the website was first set up.

SCHMAZZ at the Cluny has been going since December 1999. It’s a ‘jazz club’, more or less, which runs monthly on The Last Tuesday of the Month (normally, there are exceptions), and prioritises original compositions/inventions over the tried and tested “Jazz standards” approach. We aim to provide a platform for new things with a jazz connection for the North East region’s musicians, and from the wide world outside. We have a few simple principles, such as:-

Original material must make up the main body of the music played. It’s not that we don’t like ‘jazz standards’, it’s just that they’re catered for elsewhere. No playing from the “Real Book”, ever.

All musicians are paid a proper minimum fee, well above M U minimum, in cash on the night, get welcomed on arrival, and are fed and watered in the venue at the club’s expense.

Basic civilised practice, not at all hard to do.........

The club idea was sparked off by the opening of the venue in October 99. It’s part of a large building, a former bonded warehouse (Cluny whisky), owned by a local community theatre company, which houses the theatre company and many artists and craftspersons. The bar/venue was a long-term dream of the company’s founder, Michael Mould, as is the proposed next phase, the opening of a theatre sometime in the near future. It’s a ground-floor space, with a bar/cafe section and venue separate, with a gallery space in between. The Cluny is now part of the Head of Steam group.

Our initial funding came from the organiser’s overdraft and the venue, and helped us get our trial period guarantee-against-loss from Northern Arts, which help continues, augmented by help from Newcastle City Council, Jazz Action, The Grove Hotel and Soundcontrol