Sandy Brown

It is heartbreaking to tell you that our dear friend and colleague, Sandy Brown, owner of the Blue Lamp and genuine Aberdeen legend, died on April 21st at Aberdeen Royal Infirmary from cancer. 

On behalf of all of us at Jazz at the Blue Lamp our thoughts are with Brenda and Sandy’s family at this time. We are all deeply saddened by Sandy’s passing and  are thinking  also of our own loss of this quiet, unassuming man who did so much for live music in Aberdeen.

I first met Sandy nearly 20 years ago when my friend John and I had this crazy idea to start a jazz club in Aberdeen.  We thought of many places we could hold it but in the end it had to be in The Blue Lamp.  Sandy gave us one of his looks and his famous..”aye, well we’ll see” but he provided everything we suggested, extended the stage, upgraded electric power, put up the lighting, and all done quietly in the background without any fuss.  That was Sandy’s way, quiet but always supportive especially if live music was involved. Jazz wasn’t his first love, but he did love having the Blue Lamp host so many great musicians and the bustle of a busy nights but I often caught him standing watching a performance and truly appreciating it. 

Sandy was certainly a man of few words but he was easy company and while the music was playing next door, Sandy and I would share some cheese and oatcakes and discuss life, Aberdeen, music, politics all in a handful of words.  I personally will miss him terribly and I know his staff and our audiences and musicians too will miss him too.

Neil Gibbons and all the members of the Jazz at The Blue Lamp Committee