448:
54:
132:
517:
Over the years, the club succeeded in promoting the best in jazz, rhythm and blues, as well as cross-over genres, mixing successful established acts with up-and-coming artists. Many of the emerging acts that the
Flamingo promoted went on to become respected music industry names. The Flamingo became
345:
described the club as "a very dark and evil-smelling basement.... It had that seedy sort of atmosphere and there was a lot of pill-popping. You usually had to scrape a couple of people off the floor when you emerged into Soho at dawn...". In
October 1962, the club was the scene of a fight between
1290:
285:. Jeffrey Kruger's intention was to provide a centre for high-quality music in comfortable surroundings. It was promoted as Britain's most comfortable club and male visitors were expected to wear ties. The club acquired its name from the song "
340:
The
Flamingo was sometimes described as an intimidating place in the early 1960s, where gangsters, pimps and prostitutes hung out with American servicemen, West Indians, and music fans, and fighting among customers was not unusual.
324:
as members of the resident band. The club became particularly well known for its weekend "all-nighters", staying open on Friday and
Saturday nights until 6.00 am, a practice that had started on an occasional basis in 1953.
1281:
332:, who had previously run an all-night club at the Mapleton Hotel with the hotel's manager Tony Harris. Rik and his brother Johnny launched regular all-nighters and the ethos of the club gradually changed.
707:
1098:
1048:
373:, and illicit drug-taking was commonplace and generally tolerated by the police. It also became recognised as a meeting place for famous musicians, including members of
370:
769:
made his
British debut there, and the Animals and the Who played the club as favours to the Gunnells. During 1967, Rik Gunnell managed the artist roster at
1441:
328:
Jeffrey Kruger and his father Sam continued to own the club, but its management was taken over in 1959 by Rik
Gunnell, a former boxer, market worker and
722:
Rik and Johnny
Gunnell, who took over the club in 1959, later set up a management and booking agency in Soho. Together, they managed artists such as
1456:
1436:
913:
420:
Through the resulting melting pot of music, fashion and social cross-culture, the
Flamingo played a small but important part in the breakdown of
369:, where fans and musicians of both jazz and R&B music would rub shoulders. Unusually, it employed black musicians and DJs; it did not have a
95:
758:
1089:
447:
735:
672:
939:
440:
In the 1930s, the club had been the site of the Shim Sham Club, an unlicensed jazz club popular with black and gay audiences, run by
831:
822:
632:
548:
543:
474:
The upper floors of the same building were used for the Whisky A Go Go club, renamed the WAG Club in 1981, which closed in 2001.
1000:
139:
1461:
1451:
1336:
The
Tapestry of Delights – The Comprehensive Guide to British Music of the Beat, R&B, Psychedelic and Progressive Eras
580:
135:
421:
88:
1282:"Jeff Kruger: Businessman who opened the Flamingo Club, which was at the epicentre of the British jazz and r'n'b scene"
1230:
1446:
1393:
294:
1371:
468:
455:
The club was later renamed "The Pink
Flamingo" but closed in May 1969. The venue then became "The Temple", hosting
402:
1111:
972:
31:
53:
703:
231:
238:. During the 1960s, the Flamingo was one of the first clubs to employ fully amplified stage sound and it used
867:
518:
not only the venue for a "who's who" of British rock and R&B, but also visiting American artists such as
290:
239:
1029:
Watts, Peter (August 2019). "We were young - and who wanted to go to sleep when the night was beckoning?".
277:
fan, and his father Sam Kruger. Its first premises were in the basement of the Mapleton Restaurant at 39
1466:
523:
1257:
903:
908:
1312:
1061:
644:
592:
378:
131:
770:
1049:"The Flamingo Club in Wardour Street and the fight between Johnny Edgecombe and 'Lucky' Gordon"
329:
1031:
731:
668:
355:
351:
282:
467:, but finally closed around 1972. Since 2001, the premises have formed part of a branch of
1004:
976:
785:
727:
616:
596:
560:
535:
531:
487:
347:
302:
286:
278:
79:
706:
in 1960, and later the TKO Group. He became a leading music promoter and was awarded the
1417:
1126:
1062:"Johnny Edgecombe fired the gunshots that precipitated the Profumo Affair of the 1960s"
697:
680:
624:
608:
572:
491:
460:
390:
366:
359:
306:
270:
258:
250:. The club had a wide social appeal and was a favourite haunt for musicians, including
227:
152:
74:
59:
297:. The club rapidly gained a strong reputation, attracting visiting performers such as
17:
1430:
789:
774:
739:
648:
612:
604:
527:
519:
483:
424:
in post-war British society and the club was one of the first UK venues to introduce
313:
298:
1161:
1142:
872:
766:
664:
652:
620:
588:
568:
511:
503:
495:
464:
429:
406:
382:
317:
235:
1199:
Images of England Through Popular Music: Class, Youth and Rock 'n' Roll, 1955–1976
997:
801:
797:
316:
at 33–37 Wardour Street, where it initially remained primarily a jazz venue, with
793:
781:
747:
743:
676:
656:
636:
600:
584:
564:
553:
539:
507:
499:
428:
music to a white audience, with performances by Jamaican-born musicians such as
414:
410:
386:
374:
342:
321:
30:
This article is about the London nightclub. For venues with similar names, see
863:
723:
660:
628:
576:
494:, all performed there. Early line-ups of the house band included saxophonists
398:
1175:
757:
In January 1966, Gunnell and his brother opened the Ramjam Club, named after
110:
97:
1112:"A blast from the past: Rhythm, Blues and Anti Racism, Live at the Flamingo"
456:
441:
394:
247:
219:
174:
312:
In April 1957, the club moved to new premises in the basement of a former
940:"The National Archives - The Shim Sham Club: 'London's miniature Harlem'"
751:
640:
1421:
762:
711:
251:
1349:
969:
261:, which opened in 1935 and was known as "London's miniature Harlem".
230:
from 1957 onwards and played an important role in the development of
538:. This melting pot of music-industry talent often led to memorable
446:
274:
223:
216:
1246:. Guitar Player Books (digitized 14 January 2010). p. 98.
425:
385:
and many others. An example of this is that on 6 August 1965,
243:
269:
The club first opened in August 1952 under the ownership of
1127:"London Lost Music Venues: Rock Music 02 - Flamingo Club",
710:
in 2002 for services to the music industry. Kruger died in
559:
Musicians who played at the Flamingo in the 1960s included
365:
By 1963, the Flamingo also became known as a centre of the
1216:. Blues in Britain. pp. 18, 19, 20, Vol. 1, issue 94.
405:
said: "The Flamingo was the real meeting place, more than
226:, London, between 1952 and 1969. It was located at 33–37
1201:. Palgrave Macmillan (15 October 2013). pp. 57, 58.
413:. Everybody came down there and we had some really good
358:, which ultimately led to the public revelations of the
289:", which was used as a theme tune by the resident band,
1090:"Pop music: Fame at the Flamingo: golden years in Soho"
257:
No 37 Wardour Street was previously the address of the
195:
180:
170:
145:
126:
87:
70:
1280:
1088:
898:
896:
894:
892:
890:
832:Blues Breakers with Eric Clapton: 40th anniversary
623:(who formed as a result of meeting at the club),
546:, who in 1963 recorded a live album at the club,
482:In the early days of the club, artists such as
1394:"John Mayall With Eric Clapton-Blues Breakers"
784:and in the late 1960s, Rik Gunnell took over
8:
58:Blue plaque erected on 1 June 2017 at 33-37
39:
542:. From 1962 to 1965, the resident band was
938:Archives, The National (5 February 2020).
52:
38:
858:
856:
854:
852:
850:
848:
293:'s Afro-Cubists. Acts were introduced by
1044:
1042:
835:Deluxe Edition (2006). Decca 984 180-1.
1122:
1120:
1024:
1022:
1020:
1018:
1016:
1014:
1012:
844:
1313:"The Slade story: from roots to boots"
1244:The Guitar Player Book. Steve Marriott
933:
931:
444:, and its successor the Rainbow Roof.
804:, Austria. Rik Gunnell died in 2007.
27:Former jazz nightclub in Soho, London
7:
1350:"Jeff Kruger's Jazz at the Flamingo"
993:
991:
989:
987:
985:
916:from the original on 23 October 2017
673:Cliff Bennett and the Rebel Rousers
1372:"Rhythm and Blues at the Flamingo"
1101:from the original on 18 June 2022.
1087:Maycock, James (16 January 1998).
970:The Ember Story. jeffreykruger.com
956:Bob Solly, "Absolute Beginnings",
820:Georgie Fame and the Blue Flames,
815:Jeff Kruger's Jazz at the Flamingo
605:Chris Farlowe and the Thunderbirds
25:
1442:1967 disestablishments in England
1293:from the original on 18 June 2022
1279:Leigh, Spencer (5 October 2010).
1164:– via www.theguardian.com.
1160:Guardian Staff (26 April 2001).
1051:, Another Nickel in the Machine.
823:Rhythm and Blues at the Flamingo
633:Georgie Fame and the Blue Flames
549:Rhythm and Blues at the Flamingo
544:Georgie Fame and the Blue Flames
130:
1212:Leslie Fran (28 January 2009).
1114:, Organized Rage, 8 April 2011.
998:David H. Taylor. The jazz clubs
960:no. 399, March 2012, pp. 48–56.
780:Later, the brothers joined the
1457:Music venues completed in 1952
1437:1952 establishments in England
1162:"Alix Sharkey of The Wag club"
1:
1176:"Jeffrey Kruger/The Flamingo"
759:Geno Washington's Ramjam Band
782:Robert Stigwood Organisation
451:33-37 Wardour Street in 2017
702:Jeffrey Kruger established
514:and pianist Tommy Pollard.
1483:
1338:. Borderline. p. 325.
1214:Interview with Bobby Tench
944:The National Archives blog
826:(1964). Columbia 33SX 1599
695:
393:attended a performance by
29:
1132:. Retrieved 31 July 2019.
765:High Road, London S.W 9.
66:
51:
44:
32:Flamingo (disambiguation)
1143:"Whisky-a-Go-Go and WAG"
979:. Retrieved 16 May 2014.
975:18 February 2015 at the
675:, the then newly formed
471:Irish-themed pub chain.
232:British rhythm and blues
1229:, December 26, 1964 -
904:"Rik Gunnell obituary"
868:"Rik Gunnell obituary"
817:(1955). Decca DFE 6253
718:Rik and Johnny Gunnell
714:in May 2014, aged 83.
452:
18:Flamingo Club (London)
1231:Page 11 Flamingo Jazz
1129:KM's Live Music Shots
1003:20 March 2013 at the
450:
1462:Nightclubs in London
1452:Jazz clubs in London
1178:. jeffreykruger.com/
1147:www.shadyoldlady.com
796:. He also set up an
909:The Daily Telegraph
687:Owners and managers
478:Musicians and music
246:musicians from the
107: /
41:
1447:Defunct jazz clubs
645:Johnny Burch Octet
593:the Rolling Stones
453:
379:the Rolling Stones
111:51.5113°N 0.1322°W
1418:The Flamingo Club
1334:Joynson, Vernon.
581:the Big Roll Band
213:The Flamingo Club
210:
209:
140:Piccadilly Circus
46:The Pink Flamingo
40:The Flamingo Club
16:(Redirected from
1474:
1406:
1405:
1403:
1401:
1390:
1384:
1383:
1381:
1379:
1368:
1362:
1361:
1359:
1357:
1346:
1340:
1339:
1331:
1325:
1324:
1322:
1320:
1309:
1303:
1302:
1300:
1298:
1284:
1276:
1270:
1269:
1267:
1265:
1258:"Jeffrey Kruger"
1254:
1248:
1247:
1239:
1233:
1224:
1218:
1217:
1209:
1203:
1202:
1197:Gildart, Keith.
1194:
1188:
1187:
1185:
1183:
1172:
1166:
1165:
1157:
1151:
1150:
1139:
1133:
1124:
1115:
1109:
1103:
1102:
1092:
1084:
1078:
1077:
1075:
1073:
1068:. 5 October 2010
1058:
1052:
1046:
1037:
1036:
1026:
1007:
995:
980:
967:
961:
958:Record Collector
954:
948:
947:
935:
926:
925:
923:
921:
912:. 22 June 2007.
900:
885:
884:
882:
880:
866:(18 June 2007).
860:
732:Long John Baldry
669:Long John Baldry
422:racial prejudice
356:Christine Keeler
352:Johnny Edgecombe
283:Leicester Square
273:, a London-born
206:
204:
191:
189:
136:Leicester Square
134:
122:
121:
119:
118:
117:
116:51.5113; -0.1322
112:
108:
105:
104:
103:
100:
56:
42:
21:
1482:
1481:
1477:
1476:
1475:
1473:
1472:
1471:
1427:
1426:
1420:discography at
1414:
1409:
1399:
1397:
1392:
1391:
1387:
1377:
1375:
1370:
1369:
1365:
1355:
1353:
1348:
1347:
1343:
1333:
1332:
1328:
1318:
1316:
1311:
1310:
1306:
1296:
1294:
1287:The Independent
1278:
1277:
1273:
1263:
1261:
1256:
1255:
1251:
1242:Ferguson, Jim.
1241:
1240:
1236:
1225:
1221:
1211:
1210:
1206:
1196:
1195:
1191:
1181:
1179:
1174:
1173:
1169:
1159:
1158:
1154:
1141:
1140:
1136:
1125:
1118:
1110:
1106:
1095:The Independent
1086:
1085:
1081:
1071:
1069:
1060:
1059:
1055:
1047:
1040:
1028:
1027:
1010:
1005:Wayback Machine
996:
983:
977:Wayback Machine
968:
964:
955:
951:
937:
936:
929:
919:
917:
902:
901:
888:
878:
876:
862:
861:
846:
842:
810:
786:Robert Stigwood
771:The Bag O'Nails
728:Geno Washington
720:
700:
694:
689:
617:Shotgun Express
597:the Moody Blues
561:Dizzy Gillespie
536:Jerry Lee Lewis
532:John Lee Hooker
510:, vibraphonist
488:Ella Fitzgerald
480:
438:
403:John McLaughlin
354:both lovers of
348:Aloysius Gordon
338:
303:Ella Fitzgerald
279:Coventry Street
267:
202:
200:
187:
185:
166:
115:
113:
109:
106:
101:
98:
96:
94:
93:
82:
77:
62:
47:
35:
28:
23:
22:
15:
12:
11:
5:
1480:
1478:
1470:
1469:
1464:
1459:
1454:
1449:
1444:
1439:
1429:
1428:
1425:
1424:
1413:
1412:External links
1410:
1408:
1407:
1385:
1363:
1341:
1326:
1315:. blogspot.com
1304:
1271:
1249:
1234:
1219:
1204:
1189:
1167:
1152:
1134:
1116:
1104:
1079:
1053:
1038:
1008:
981:
962:
949:
927:
886:
843:
841:
838:
837:
836:
827:
818:
809:
806:
788:'s offices in
777:, London, W1.
719:
716:
698:Jeffrey Kruger
696:Main article:
693:
692:Jeffrey Kruger
690:
688:
685:
681:Steve Marriott
625:Atomic Rooster
609:Mick Fleetwood
573:Wilson Pickett
552:, produced by
492:Billie Holiday
479:
476:
459:bands such as
437:
434:
391:Paul McCartney
371:drinks licence
367:mod subculture
360:Profumo affair
337:
334:
307:Billie Holiday
271:Jeffrey Kruger
266:
263:
259:Shim Sham Club
228:Wardour Street
208:
207:
197:
193:
192:
182:
178:
177:
172:
168:
167:
165:
164:
163:Johnny Gunnell
161:
158:
155:
153:Jeffrey Kruger
149:
147:
143:
142:
128:
127:Public transit
124:
123:
91:
85:
84:
75:Wardour Street
72:
68:
67:
64:
63:
60:Wardour Street
57:
49:
48:
45:
26:
24:
14:
13:
10:
9:
6:
4:
3:
2:
1479:
1468:
1465:
1463:
1460:
1458:
1455:
1453:
1450:
1448:
1445:
1443:
1440:
1438:
1435:
1434:
1432:
1423:
1419:
1416:
1415:
1411:
1395:
1389:
1386:
1373:
1367:
1364:
1351:
1345:
1342:
1337:
1330:
1327:
1314:
1308:
1305:
1292:
1288:
1283:
1275:
1272:
1259:
1253:
1250:
1245:
1238:
1235:
1232:
1228:
1223:
1220:
1215:
1208:
1205:
1200:
1193:
1190:
1177:
1171:
1168:
1163:
1156:
1153:
1148:
1144:
1138:
1135:
1131:
1130:
1123:
1121:
1117:
1113:
1108:
1105:
1100:
1096:
1091:
1083:
1080:
1067:
1066:The Telegraph
1063:
1057:
1054:
1050:
1045:
1043:
1039:
1034:
1033:
1025:
1023:
1021:
1019:
1017:
1015:
1013:
1009:
1006:
1002:
999:
994:
992:
990:
988:
986:
982:
978:
974:
971:
966:
963:
959:
953:
950:
945:
941:
934:
932:
928:
915:
911:
910:
905:
899:
897:
895:
893:
891:
887:
875:
874:
869:
865:
859:
857:
855:
853:
851:
849:
845:
839:
834:
833:
829:John Mayall,
828:
825:
824:
819:
816:
813:Tony Kinsey,
812:
811:
807:
805:
803:
799:
795:
791:
790:New York City
787:
783:
778:
776:
775:Kingly Street
772:
768:
764:
760:
755:
753:
750:, Slade, and
749:
745:
741:
740:Fleetwood Mac
737:
736:Cliff Bennett
733:
729:
725:
717:
715:
713:
709:
705:
704:Ember Records
699:
691:
686:
684:
682:
678:
674:
670:
666:
662:
658:
654:
650:
649:Alexis Korner
646:
642:
638:
634:
630:
626:
622:
618:
614:
613:Peter Bardens
610:
606:
602:
598:
594:
590:
586:
582:
578:
574:
570:
566:
562:
557:
555:
551:
550:
545:
541:
537:
533:
529:
528:Patti LaBelle
525:
521:
520:Stevie Wonder
515:
513:
509:
505:
501:
497:
493:
489:
485:
484:Sarah Vaughan
477:
475:
472:
470:
466:
462:
458:
449:
445:
443:
435:
433:
431:
427:
423:
418:
416:
412:
408:
404:
400:
396:
392:
388:
384:
380:
376:
372:
368:
363:
361:
357:
353:
349:
344:
335:
333:
331:
326:
323:
319:
315:
314:grocery store
310:
308:
305:and in 1954,
304:
300:
299:Sarah Vaughan
296:
292:
288:
284:
280:
276:
272:
264:
262:
260:
255:
253:
249:
245:
241:
240:sound systems
237:
233:
229:
225:
221:
218:
214:
198:
194:
183:
179:
176:
173:
169:
162:
159:
156:
154:
151:
150:
148:
144:
141:
137:
133:
129:
125:
120:
92:
90:
86:
81:
76:
73:
69:
65:
61:
55:
50:
43:
37:
33:
19:
1467:Soho, London
1398:. Retrieved
1388:
1376:. Retrieved
1366:
1354:. Retrieved
1344:
1335:
1329:
1317:. Retrieved
1307:
1295:. Retrieved
1286:
1274:
1262:. Retrieved
1252:
1243:
1237:
1227:Melody Maker
1226:
1222:
1213:
1207:
1198:
1192:
1180:. Retrieved
1170:
1155:
1146:
1137:
1128:
1107:
1094:
1082:
1070:. Retrieved
1065:
1056:
1030:
965:
957:
952:
943:
918:. Retrieved
907:
877:. Retrieved
873:The Guardian
871:
830:
821:
814:
779:
767:Otis Redding
756:
721:
701:
665:Ginger Baker
653:Carmen McRae
589:Eric Clapton
569:Otis Redding
558:
547:
540:jam sessions
516:
512:Bill Le Sage
504:Ronnie Scott
496:Joe Harriott
490:and in 1954
481:
473:
454:
439:
436:Related uses
430:Count Suckle
419:
415:jam sessions
407:the 100 Club
383:Jimi Hendrix
364:
339:
327:
318:Ronnie Scott
311:
291:Kenny Graham
268:
256:
242:provided by
212:
211:
36:
1400:27 November
1378:27 November
1356:27 November
1352:. 45cat.com
879:16 December
808:Discography
794:Los Angeles
748:Rod Stewart
744:John Mayall
677:Small Faces
657:Brian Auger
637:Bobby Tench
601:the Animals
585:John Mayall
565:Rod Stewart
554:Ian Samwell
508:Tony Kinsey
500:Tubby Hayes
411:the Marquee
387:Brian Jones
375:the Beatles
343:John Mayall
322:Tubby Hayes
236:modern jazz
160:Rik Gunnell
114: /
89:Coordinates
1431:Categories
1319:1 December
1264:8 February
1260:. AllMusic
1182:6 February
920:1 December
864:Val Wilmer
840:References
724:Zoot Money
661:Jack Bruce
629:Pink Floyd
577:Zoot Money
524:Bill Haley
506:, drummer
399:Jane Asher
346:jazz fans
157:Sam Kruger
99:51°30′41″N
1396:. discogs
1374:. discogs
1297:6 October
1072:6 October
802:Kitzbühel
800:venue in
798:après-ski
469:O'Neill's
457:prog rock
442:Ike Hatch
395:the Byrds
336:The 1960s
295:Tony Hall
265:The 1950s
248:Caribbean
220:nightclub
175:Nightclub
102:0°07′56″W
1291:Archived
1099:Archived
1001:Archived
973:Archived
914:Archived
752:the Gass
641:The Gass
287:Flamingo
146:Operator
78:London,
1422:Discogs
763:Brixton
712:Florida
461:Genesis
397:, with
330:bouncer
281:, near
252:The Who
201: (
186: (
83:England
71:Address
643:, the
215:was a
196:Closed
181:Opened
1032:Uncut
761:) in
621:Cream
465:Queen
1402:2014
1380:2014
1358:2014
1321:2014
1299:2010
1266:2015
1184:2015
1074:2010
922:2014
881:2012
792:and
679:and
534:and
463:and
409:and
389:and
350:and
320:and
275:jazz
234:and
224:Soho
217:jazz
203:1967
199:1967
188:1952
184:1952
171:Type
708:MBE
426:ska
417:."
244:ska
222:in
1433::
1289:.
1285:.
1145:.
1119:^
1097:.
1093:.
1064:.
1041:^
1011:^
984:^
942:.
930:^
906:.
889:^
870:.
847:^
773:,
754:.
746:,
742:,
738:,
734:,
730:,
726:,
683:.
671:,
667:,
663:,
659:,
655:,
651:,
647:,
639:,
635:,
631:,
627:,
619:,
615:,
611:,
607:,
603:,
599:,
595:,
591:,
587:,
583:,
579:,
575:,
571:,
567:,
563:,
556:.
530:,
526:,
522:,
502:,
498:,
486:,
432:.
401:.
381:,
377:,
362:.
309:.
301:,
254:.
138:;
80:W1
1404:.
1382:.
1360:.
1323:.
1301:.
1268:.
1186:.
1149:.
1076:.
1035:.
946:.
924:.
883:.
205:)
190:)
34:.
20:)
Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License. Additional terms may apply.
