Sarah Moule top jazz vocalist at The Bell Sunday 30th Oct with the Roger Odell Jazznights Trio – BBC RADIO SUFFOLK Live Recording

(click on pictures for larger images)

Sarah brings to The Bell her "Portrait of Miss Peggy Lee" repertoire featuring the Jazznights Sarah Moule 301011 (27)signature songs "Black Coffee", "Fever", "I’m A Woman", etc., plus a selection of popular standards. "Outstanding interpretations" The Observer. "Brilliant..assured..and sexy" Claire Martin. Live recording for Stephen Foster’s Drive Time Show

Named by Jazz UK Magazine’s Brian Blain in its 15th Anniversary edition as the best live vocal jazz gig in the last 15 years, singer Sarah Moule has established a rapidly growing reputation as one of Britain’s most exciting new jazz vocal talents.

With her hauntingly beautiful vocals and three acclaimed albums to her name, Jazznights Sarah Moule 301011 (40)singer Sarah Moule is considered one of the UK’s leading jazz vocalists.

‘An original voice with something, in spirit at least, of the
melancholy gaiety of the great Billie Holiday’ George Melly

Jazz Times (USA)
Not only does England’s Sarah Moule boast a stunning vocal spectrum-simultaneously tough and tender, warm and cool, sweet and salty-but she’s surely done more than any contemporary performer to preserve, protect and promote the stellar work of lyricist Fran Landesman

Sarah was singing with the Roger Odell Jazznights Trio and Larraine Odell. The Jazznights Sarah Moule 301011 (22)band were:

Roger Odell Drums
Roger was one of the founder members and drummer with the jazz-funk group Shakatak and the forerunner band Tracks. Roger has toured internationally and recorded numerous CDs, which he continues to do on a regular basis to this day. Apart from a great power drummer he is also a prestigious arranger.
Bernie Hodgkins5 String Double Bass Inspired by an uncle, who played and recorded with Django Jazznights Sarah Moule 301011 (11)Reinhart and Stephane Grappelli in the legendary Quintet de Hot Club of France, Bernie grew up in a Jazz-oriented family. Their influence led him to become a respected bass player behind such people as Matt Munroe, Dickie Valentine and Dennis Lotus, in the early stages of his career. 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. Tonight Bernie was playing his his 5 string double  bass.
Jazznights Sarah Moule 301011 (17)Simon Brown – Piano
A highly respected and popular jazz pianist who is equally known for his arranging skills. He is always in demand to play many gigs with other bands when he is not
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 Jazznights Sarah Moule 301011 (6)quality and a subtle jazz phrasing style that has elicited great praise from two of her own vocal mentors, Mark Murphy and Sheila Jordan. “A sensitive singer who exudes a fine-honed jazz sensibility with every phrase”

Larraine’s set consisted of:
1. The 1946 Old Devil Moon with music by Burton Lane and Lyrics from Yip Harburg – very appropriate as it was the 30th October sung at a medium to up tempo with solos from Simon Brown, Bernie Hodgkins accompanied with some power drumming from Roger Odell.
Jazznights Sarah Moule 301011 (3)2. I Got Lost In His Arms from Annie Get Your Gun by Irving Berlin – a lovely slow number showing Larraine’s sensitivity and her unique individuality
3. 1932 Cole Porter’s Night and Day ended Larraine’s very short set with an exciting up tempo version

Sarah Moule opened her first set of this Peggy Lee evening with:
4. I’m a Woman written by famed song writing duo Jerry Leiber and Mike Stoller, and was first recorded in 1962 by Christine Kittrell but It was also the title song to Peggy Lee’s 1963 very popular album of the same name. Sung in a very expressive manner at a medium tempo. A great opening to what was to become a wonderful evening
5. Jerome Kern’s Lover was sung at a medium to fast tempo in the manner of the waltz that kern intended rather than the samba version as performed by Peggy Lee.Jazznights Sarah Moule 301011 (25)
6. Why Don’t You Do Right? is an American blues- and jazz-influenced pop song – now a standard – written in 1936 by Kansas Joe McCoy. It is a twelve-bar minor key blues. One of the best known versions of the song is Peggy Lee’s, which was recorded July 27, 1942 in New York with Benny Goodman. It sold over 1 million copies and brought her to nationwide attention. Sarah sang this with great style at a medium tempo.
7. Cole Porter’s 1936 I’ve Got You Under My Skin. This quite an unusual song as it has no verse. It became a signature song for Frank Sinatra and, in 1956 was recorded by Peggy Lee on her famous Black Coffee album. Sarah’s version was a lovely slow umber sung at a medium tempo with an excellent solo from Bernie Jazznights Sarah Moule 301011 (1)Hodgkin’s 5 string double bass.

8. I Love Being Here With You with lyrics written by Peggy Lee but played and sung with a very unusual “New Orleans rhumba” rhythm. Sarah’s versatility and individual expressiveness was really highlighted here – great number.
9.  You Came a Long Way from St. Louis from the 1959 Peggy Lee and George Shearing live album Beauty and the Beat! Peggy again wrote the lyrics for this song.
10. Hallelujah, I Love Him So – written by Ray Charles. Peggy Lee was just finishing a month long gig at the Basin Street East club when Peggy spotted Ray Charles in the audience and invited him to come up and duet the song with her – which of course he did. It was originally recorded on the Feb. 8, 1961, the last night of Peggy Lee’s show at Basin Street East, and released in  the "Basin Street East Proudly Presents Miss Peggy Lee album.
11. I Don’t Know Enough About You. In March 1943 Peggy Lee married Dave Barbour, a guitarist in Benny Goodman’s band and they wrote this together. SarahJazznights Sarah Moule 301011 (38) sung this to a slow gentle rhythm putting that forlorn feeling into the song.

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 Geoff Harriman on Harmonica playing playing a slow soulful version of :
12. Smile.

Sarah opened her second set with:
13. Fever which of course was Peggy’s signature song and reached number 8 in the U.S. chart in 1958. This was a slow to medium number with Roger Odell providing a powerful “Fever” rhythm.
14. Black Coffee from one of her most acclaimed albums in 1956, Black Coffee – one of her best selling albums of all time. A slow and tender song from Sarah.
15. He’s A Tramp written by Peggy from Lady And The Tramp – a great version at a medium tempo.
16. The Folks Who Live on the Hill was a 1937 popular song composed by Jerome Kern, with lyrics by Oscar Hammerstein II. It was introduced by Irene Dunne in the 1937 film High, Wide, and Handsome. It has become particularly associated with Peggy Lee, who sung it on her 1957 album The Man I Love. Lee’s performance was conducted by Frank Sinatra. Thuis was a really beautiful soulful version by Sarah with a sensitive solo from Bernie.

Jazznights Sarah Moule 301011 (4)17. James Taylor’s Don’t Let Me Be Lonely Tonight was given a moody, laid-back treatment. Evoking the feel of a nearly empty nightclub just prior to closing time.
18. Where Or When. Peggy Lee’s first major gig was with one of the top bands in 1941: Benny Goodman. Goodman’s sextet version of this has an almost ethereal vocal by Lee. Sarah’s version started very much like this but transgressed into a very much faster number.
19. Cole Porter’s 1942 You’d Be So Nice to Come Home To (sung to a samba rhythm) was a superb finale to this wonderful evening of song from one of the U.K’s finest jazz singers who was accompanied by one of the best (if not the best) trio in the East of England. Thank you Roger and Larraine for promoting this gig.

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


Gilad Atzmon (Alto & Clarinet) at Jazznights – The Bell, Clare Sunday 16th Oct

(Click on the images for larger pictures)

The formidable multi-saxophonist Gilad Atzmon was our returning guest this week. Jazznights Gilad Atzmon 161011 (17)We heard some amazing playing! Gilad is famously associated with his band The Orient House Ensemble, Gilad has also performed regularly with the Blockheads. He has also recorded and performed with Ian Drury, Robbie Williams, Sinead O’Connor, Paul McCartney, Robert Wyatt and Robbie Williams,

"A formidable improvisational array…a local jazz giant steadily drawing himself up to his full height…"-John Fordham, The Guardian

“…Atzmon is an astonishing musician.”
John Lewis, Metro, September 07

“A revelation, a multi-reed man of enormous talent.”-Tony Richards Musician Magazine

"His flow of ideas and coherent marshalling of them makes for solos that are as exhilarating as they are impassioned  fantastiK" The Herald Sunday Tribune

This was  a great gig – Gilad playing with the Roger Odell Jazznights Trio and vocals from the resident songbird – Larraine Odell. The band consisted of:

Roger Odell Drums
Roger was one of the founder members and drummer with the jazz-funk groupJazznights Roger Odell 161011 (33) Shakatak and the forerunner band Tracks. Roger has toured internationally and recorded numerous CDs, which he continues to do on a regular basis to this day. Apart from a great power drummer he is also a prestigious arranger.
Bernie Hodgkins5 String Double Bass Inspired by an uncle, who played and recorded with Django Reinhart and Stephane Grappelli in the legendary Quintet de Hot Club of France, Bernie grew Jazznights Bernie Hodgkins 161011 (29)up in a Jazz-oriented family. Their influence led him to become a respected bass player behind such people as Matt Munroe, Dickie Valentine and Dennis Lotus, in the early stages of his career. 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. Tonight Bernie was playing his his 5 string double  bass.
Simon Brown – Piano
A highly respected and popular jazz pianist who is Jazznights Simon Brown 161011 (9)equally known for his arranging skills. He is always in demand to play many gigs with other bands when he is not
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 Jazznights Larraine Odell 161011 (11)praise from two of her own vocal mentors, Mark Murphy and Sheila Jordan. “A sensitive singer who exudes a fine-honed jazz sensibility with every phrase”

Larraine’s songs included the 1940 All Or Nothing At All (Lyrics by Arthur Altman and music by Jack Lawrence) – this was sung with an unusual up-tempo rhythm featuring all members of the band. Cole Porter’s 1936 I’ve Got You Under My Skin (The lyrics of “I’ve Got You under My Skin” relate to an infatuation “so deep in my heart, you’re really a part of me.” One of Cole’s neatest rhymes, “use your mentality, wake up to reality,” conveys the message “a warning voice that comes in the night.”) The rhythm had an unusual African under tones from Roger4’s mallet driven tempo, a lovely version from Larraine.Jazznights Larraine Odell 161011 (8)

The 1939 Day In, Day Out (Music by Rube Bloom and Lyrics by Johnny Mercer) followed at a medium tempo with a very Latin influenced rhythm with Roger using his hands on the drums rather than sticks. Bernie on his 5 string bass followed in a similar vein.The 1955 Spring Can Really Hang You Up the Most (Music by Thomas J Wolf Jr and Lyrics by Frances Landesman came next. This song was Frances’s exploration of T. S. Eliot’s "April is the cruelest month…" This was sung beautifully and sensitively by Larraine in 3/4 waltz time – another great arrangement by Roger Odell. This was quite a stunning ending to Larraine’s set.

Gilad Atzmon’s first set started with the alto sax playing the 1939 Jerome Jazznights Gilad Atzmon 161011 (39)Kern All the Things You Are at a very up-tempo speed and bring in al the band as well as extended trades with Roger. The tempo then changed to a slow number with Gilad playing a long intro as a solo without the trio and then together  with the rest of the band demonstrated his immense flexibility with this total contrast to his opening number. Arthur Schwarz’s 1932 Alone Together was played at a very swinging up-tempo. This led into an even faster tempo to finish his first set with a tremendous ‘battle ‘played out between Gilad and Roger on drums.

Following the raffle ( 3 jazz CD’s and a bottle of rose)  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 Will Jarmin on drums and Geoff Harriman on Harmonica playing a medium tempo Fly Me To The Moon. A great local 14 year old alto player (he also plays tenor and blues guitar) Harry Greene  joined Will Jarmin on drums to play the jazz standard Sugar.

Jazznights Goeff   Will 161011 (22) Jazznights Harry Greene 161011 (23)

It was very nice to see Gilad joining in to play with Harry. Gilad picked up the clarinet and played the 1935 Jazznights Gilad Atzmon 161011 (28)Duke Ellington tune In A Sentimental Mood in a very lovely and melodic way which developed into a totally enthralling series of musical quotes – even Jingle Bells!

The 1930 But Not For Me by George Gershwin followed at a medium tempo leading to Here’s That Rainy Day (1953 by Jimmy Van Heusen) as a lovely slow ballad. Another side of Gilad’s versatility and mastery was demonstrated with a very swinging 3/4 waltz Someday My Prince Will Come. A very up-tempo Latin tune led into Gilad’s final number – the 1939 It’s a Wonderful World in B Flat. Such a beautiful Jazznights Gilad Atzmon 161011 (38A)and melodic version. This was a truly memorable finale which was such a change from the usual high speed Cherokee played at many gigs.

John Lewis of Metro Magazine wrote “…Atzmon is an astonishing musician.” and how true this was. We all left the venue thinking – please comes back again – and soon! Thank you to Roger and Larraine for putting on these fantastic gigs.

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