Sue Richardson at Jazznights Clare, Sunday 1st May 2011 + Roger Odell Trio

(Click on images for larger pictures)

Sue is an unusual combination of jazz vocalist and trumpet player described on Radio 3 as "Trumpet ace, a rising star on the London jazz scene". She released her third CD "Fanfare" in February 2011 on Splash Point Records and is currently touring the UK with her own band. "Sweet-toned vocalist, dynamic trumpet player" – Jazzwise

She grew to love big band music at school and so ‘anything that swings always grabs my attention’. From a singer’s point of view, Sue thinks Ella Fitzgerald is ‘sublime’, and her trumpet playing is highly influenced by Chet Baker and Clifford Brown. ‘(Clifford Brown) can make something so complicated sound so easy.’ Others that she admires include Miles Davis, Blue Mitchell, Sarah Vaughan and Carole King. ‘The musicians I enjoy today are the ones who really communicate with their audience and really put themselves into a performance. I hate going to a gig and feeling that people aren’t really trying, however great they are.’

. Since being tipped for the top by Jazzwise magazine, Sue Richardson’s career has been going from strength to strength, most recently appearing on The Culture Show for France24 TV. She featured on Ian Shaw’s tribute to Humphrey Lyttelton, Sad Sweet Song, and as a result was a guest at Ronnie Scott’s tribute to Humph alongside Tina May and Barry Cryer. "Richardson played the Lyttelton role to perfection" JazzUK.

Sue has made a very welcome return to Jazznights – it has been over a year – far too long since she last visited us. She was playing with the Roger Odell Jazznights Trio following an opening set with our resident songbird Larraine Odell. The members of the band were as follows:

Roger Odell on drums who was one of the founder members and drummer with the jazz-funk group Shakatak, Roger has toured internationally and recorded numerous CDs, which he continues to do on a regular basis to this day.
Ted Beament on Keyboard  who is a superb and sensitive accompanist and was a stalwart of the Humphrey Lyttleton band from 1995.
Bernie Hodgkins on his five string Double Bass. Bernie is particularly acknowledged as being one of the few players to bring an authentic, driving jazz feel to both the double bass and the bass-guitar, and for his fluent and creative soloing. 
Larraine Odell -  Larraine possesses a unique smouldering tonal quality and a subtle jazz phrasing style that has elicited great praise from two of her own vocal mentors, Mark Murphy and Sheila Jordan

Larraine opened her set with with the 1933 Close Your Eyes with Words and Music by Bernice Petkere. This was sung at a medium tempo and was followed by a solo from Ted Beament and trades between Bernie Hodgkins and Roger Odell. The 1947 jazz standard On Green Dolphin Street (music by Bronislau Kaper and lyrics from Ned Washington) followed which after a slow intro developed into a medium tempo number. Larraine’s third song was the 1938 Love Is Here to Stay which was the last song George Gershwin composed (“Love Is Here to Stay” is often referred to as “Our Love Is Here to Stay.” The original working title was “It’s Here to Stay” which soon became “Our Love Is Here to Stay” and then “Love Is Here to Stay.”). This was a lovely version by Larraine with Bernie using his slide technique on the neck of the bass to great effect.

Isn’t It a Pity? came next which is a lovely song composed by George Gershwin, with lyrics by Ira Gershwin, written for the 1933 musical Pardon My English. This again shows Larraine’s versatile technique with arrangement by Roger Odell.An up-tempo version of the 1956 Too Close For Comfort was Larraine’s final number featuring Ted Beament’s strong left hand effect on his piano solo followed by 8 bar trades between Roger and Bernie. A great set.

Sue Richardson on trumpet commenced her first set with what she described as not biographical: Strumpet a very nice intro engaging with all the the trio. Recorded but not used for her latest CD Fanfare she sang and played the Jerome Kern and Johnny Mercer 1942 I’m Old Fashioned which was featured in the film You Were Never Lovelier, starring Fred Astaire and Rita Hayworth. This was played and sung at a medium tempo just illustrating how Sue’s vocal talents could have made her a great jazz vocalist without the artistry of her trumpet playing!

From her second album Emergence we had A La Mode which has now developed further from the original recording with a theme emphasis on two particular bars. Ted, Bernie and Roger all certainly got into the “mode” – the four of them obviously all enjoyed the playing with each other as a band. The Jerome Kern and Johnny Mercer number Dearly Beloved was played on the flugelhorn, this was also featured on her second album Emergence but with a new verse which she has since discovered. A vey beautiful and tender version. Sue’s composition the Aubergine (from her latest Fanfare album) ended her first set. She was introduced at a Humphrey Lyttleton concert as Sue Aubergine Richardson and as she was not wearing any purple she went home and wrote this in disgust! A great up-tempo finale featuring 4 and 8 bar trades between all for of them.

After the interval we had  the Jazznights raffle with prizes of 3 jazz cd’s and a bottle of wine which led into the traditional sitting in spot which is open to all musicians who have an  opportunity to play with the Jazznights Trio.

A  new face to the this spot was Simon Rounds on electric bass guitar who played with Will Jarmin on drums together with a great vocal from Carol Bleiker singing September In The Rain. Sue returned to play with with Simon Rounds, Will Jarmin and Ted Beament with a very nice version of the the Thelonius Monk tune Blue Monk.

The jazznights trio then returned with the  Jimmy Van Heusen and Johnny Mercer number I Thought About You which opened with Sue’s vocal and then climaxing on trumpet. Henry Mancini’s Days Of Wine And Roses followed in a very up-tempo manner. Wayne Shorter’s Footprints came next with Sue playing her flugelhorn on a slow to medium tempo version – a superb moody performance from Sue. The Lerner and Loewe composition Almost Like Being in Love  featured a fast vocal introduction leading into Sue on the trumpet. The professional ability of the trio showed through as it quickly mastered a previously unseen arrangement by Sue Richardson.

Sue composed Eclipse in recognition of the Eclipse trumpets she plays which included two gold plated versions with intricate flower designs. Eclipse was featured on her Emergence album. This was a lovely tune played with real feeling on the flugelhorn. A very cool A Beautiful Friendship  featured Sue’s scat singing. The set ended with Out For A Duck written by Sue in desperation of the  continuous quacking of her three year olds toy duck which became quite a nuisance! This was included on her latest album Fanfare. Roger Odell excelled on the drums using feruled brushes to give a heavy rhythmic accompaniment.

This was a truly memorable evening by a brilliant trumpeter and vocalist – do not leave it is as long Sue before visiting Jazznights again

For further information and future gigs go to www.jazz-nights.com

---

Roger Beaujolais & Nick Page at Jazznights Sunday 17th April at The Bell, Clare.

(click on pictures for larger images)

In a change of program the vibes master Roger Beaujolais is joined by superb guitarist Nick Page for a session of well-known jazz standards. This is the first time these two great musicians have performed together so expect "off-the-cuff" playing of the highest order. Bassist Ivars Galenieks joins in the fun – and it was great fun and a unique marvellous gig.

One of our most popular guest artists is one of the most experienced of the few UK vibes players. He has enjoyed a long career both as a leader of his own various bands and as a sideman, most famously with the band Fairground Attraction.

Our M.C was Donald Muir and the gig opened with the Roger Odell Jazznights trio and our resident song bird Larraine Odell:

Roger Odell – drums
Roger was one of the founder members and drummer with the jazz-funk group Shakatak. Roger has toured internationally and recorded numerous CDs, which he continues to do on a regular basis to this day.
Nick Page – Guitar one of the the UK’s finest guitarists makes a welcome return t o play as part of the trio. He has worked with: Alan Skidmore (recorded a one hour ‘Tribute to ‘Trane’ for BBC Radio opposite the Ronnie Scott Quartet), Peter King (as special guest at the 606 Club), Gilad Atzmon, Martin Drew, Clark Tracey, Tommy Whittle, Don Rendell, Humphrey Lyttleton, Bruce Adams, Karen Sharp etc.etc
Ivars Galenieks – double Bass He was born in Riga, Latvia. He graduated at the Latvia Music Academy on double bass. He studied piano and oboe. Has als0 worked as electric bass player in many bands. He played for 10 years as double bass player in the Latvian National Symphony Orchestra as well as performing with different jazz groups in many jazz festivals and jazz concerts all around former Soviet Union, also in Europe; He has recorded a number of jazz LP’s and CD’s including ones recorded by LEO Records. He is Based in Norfolk and has regular gigs in East Anglia.
Larraine Odell – vocals
Beginning her professional singing career with the group CMU with whom she recorded two albums, Larraine performed at numerous venues throughout the UK and Europe, including the Purcell Room, RFH, Boxford Fleece & Ronnie Scott’s. Larraine possesses a unique smouldering tonal quality and a subtle jazz phrasing style that has elicited great praise from two of her own vocal mentors, Mark Murphy and Sheila Jordan.

Larraine opened with the 1952 Lullaby of Birdland with  music by George Shearing and Lyrics by George Weiss (Birdland was a famous jazz club in New York City located at 1678 Broadway. It had previously been the Clique Club where pianist George Shearing, composer of “Lullaby of Birdland,” first played in 1949 with clarinettist Buddy De Franco). A great opening played with a medium tempo. Larraine followed with a stunning version of the Bossa Nova Gentle Rain – we had the ideal accompaniment  for this tune with Nick Page on guitar and Roger Odell’s Latin interpretation on the drums

Larraine followed with Hoagy Carmichael songs, the first being the 1937 The Nearness Of You (lyrics by Ned Washington) as a medium swing song which featured Ivars using the bow to great effect on the bass to this original Roger Odell arrangement. The second Hoagy Carmichael tune with lyrics by Johnny Mercer was  a slow tempo Skylark (Hoagy Carmichael originally wrote the composition that would become “Skylark” for a musical about his deceased friend, Bix Beiderbecke. The song’s melody is said to have been based on Beiderbecke solos, at least the phrasing, a claim supported by the composition’s original title, “Bix Lix”). The third Carmichael number with lyrics again by Johnny Mercer was Baltimore Oriole (1942) with lyrics by Paul Francis Webster. This was a fitting slow tempo finale for Larraine which also featured Nick Page and Ivars Galenieks. Another arrangement by Roger Odell.

Roger Beaujolais then joined the trio and opened with Arthur Arthur Schwarz’s 1932 Alone Together at a medium to fast tempo which illustrated what a great musician Roger Beaujolais is. Miles Davis’s Four (I am reliably informed that this is based on the Four progression which falls into two 16 bar sections which add up to 32 bars in total. The first twelve bars of these two sections are identical, with the last four bars taking different paths through the harmony to lead back to the progression’s beginning.) followed which was an up-tempo number which featured Ivars with his quiet scat singing to his notes on the bass and giving Nick plenty of scope to show his virtuosity . Roger Odell also featured with 8 bar trades against both Nick Page and Roger B.  A medium tempo number with Roger on vibes and Ivars using the bow ended the first set.

Following the raffle ( 3 jazz CD’s and a bottle of wine)  we had the traditional sitting in spot which is open to all musicians who have an  opportunity to play with the Jazznights Trio. Tonight we had three musicians. Interestingly Roger Beaujolais played on all the numbers and Will Jarmin replaced  Roger Odell on the first three numbers of the second set. Geoff Harriman set the ball rolling with a .lovely version of Autumn Leaves. We were then had a very young Harry Green on electric guitar (he also plays acoustic guitar, Alto and tenor saxes). Nick Page encouraged Harry and gave him opportunities to show his talents  by trading with him.

Will Jarmin stayed to play with Roger B and the rest of the band on a Latin to swing version of On Green Dolphin Street which gave Will a chance to show his considerable skill in trading with Roger B. After another well known standard (my powers of recall are declining at rapid rate of notes – but you would know the tune if you heard it!) on which all the band traded with each other.

Next we had One Note Samba which despite the name is a beautifully constructed Antonio Carlos Jobim composition which contains complex melodic lines for a highly syncopated melody. This is very much suited to Roger Odell’s superb Latin style. Following a gracefully played slow tune the set finished with an appropriate up-tempo Dizzy Gillespie number Groovin’ High. (Gary Giddins in his book Visions of Jazz: The First Century claims, “Dizzy once said he might have gotten the idea for ‘Groovin’s High’ from a childhood matinee serial (starring Yakima Canutt, he thought) that had ‘Whispering’ as the theme song.)

A tremendous finish to this outstanding gig which will stay in the memory for a long time to come. One would never have known that Roger B and Nick Page had not played together before in the way that they gelled together and it was very apparent that they both really enjoyed the evening. What value!

For further information and future gigs go to http://www.jazz-nights.com

---