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Estelle Kokot was nominated for a South African Music Award (SAMA) in the ‘Best 
Jazznights Estelle Kokot 200211 (23)Jazz Vocal’ category and she followed this with a nationwide tour. “Estelle Kokot is an exceptional talent..” Timeout. "Standards and originals perfectly compatible side by side…compelling, haunting, passionate…" The Guardian.
"Estelle Kokot is a powerful, soulful and independent artist. Kokot’s is a personal, unselfconscious talent… her music is often vividly surprising, and unquestionably all her own." John Fordham – The Guardian
“Estelle Kokot is an exceptional talent..” Timeout
‘Kokot is an excellent arranger of her own and other peoples’ material’ (The Guardian)
‘Seductively poetic’ ( The Times)
With reviews like these we were so pleased that Estelle has made a return visit to Jazznights accompanied by the Roger Odell Jazznights Trio with vocal support from Larraine Odell:
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.
Chris Ingham – Piano
Chris trained as a drama teacher at Warwick University before succumbing to the music, he played guitar in misunderstood art ‘n’ b 
combo The Locomotives and was pianist/vocalist in the Flanagan Ingham Quartet who released two albums (Zanzibar and Textile Lunch) and were described by The Observer as ‘one of Britain’s most original bands’. He is jazz piano and jazz voice tutor at Anglia Ruskin University
Bernie Hodgkins – 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 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 5 string double bass with the extra C string.
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. “A sensitive singer who exudes a fine-honed jazz sensibility with every phrase”
Larraine Odell opened the first set of the evening with
1. You Stepped Out of a Dream (1940) from the show Ziegfield Girl with Music by Nacio Herb Brown and Lyrics from Gus Kahn. (Nat “King” Cole’s version from 1949 with Pete Rugolo’s Orchestra brought the tune back to public attention following Glenn Miller’s 1940 recording). This was sung at a medium tempo with a solo from Chris Ingham which was followed by:
2. Speak Low the 1943 song with Music by Kurt Weill an Lyrics from Ogden Nash followed as a ballad which was a beautiful example of Larraine’s sensitivity and 
understanding of lyrics which was augmented by a unique Roger Odell arrangement.
3. I Only Have Eyes for You from 1934 with Music by Harry Warren and Lyrics from Al Dubin. The rhythm was accentuated by Roger’s cymbal work and well supported by both Chris Ingham and Bernie Hodgkins.
4. Isn’t It a Pity? is a song composed by George Gershwin, with lyrics by Ira Gershwin, written for the 1933 musical Pardon My English. This was a beautiful slow version of this ballad.
5. Where or When (1937) from Rodgers & Hart (The 1937 Broadway musical Babes in Arms, with music by Rodgers and Hart, ran for 289 performances and produced several hit songs: “My Funny Valentine,” “Johnny One-Note,” I Wish I Were in Love Again,” “The Lady Is a Tramp,” and of course “Where or When,” Richard Rodgers in his autobiography Musical Stages says that he and Hart received mail from college psychology professors who used the song to illustrate lectures on the 
psychic phenomenon!) Sorry about the rambling, the real importance of this medium tempo number was Larraine’s superb interpretation – a great finale to her set.
Estelle Kokot then joined the Jazznights Trio for her first set starting with
6. I’ve Got the World on a String (1932) Music by Harold Arlen and Lyrics from Ted Koehler – this was sung at a medium tempo but with a very original interpretation of Ted Koehler;s words with Estelle’s powerful, no messing about voice.
7. Jule Styne and Sammy Cahn’s 1944 I Fall in Love Too Easily at a medium to fast tempo with some great scat singing. Chris Ingham on his new Kawai MP6 digital piano responding to Estelle’s powerful style.
8. Another very different version of Fats Waller’s 1929 Honeysuckle Rose with an intro from just Estelle and Bernie Hodgkins on his 5 string double Bass. This was sung with a great blues feel.
9. A fine scat version of Charlie Parker and Dizzy Gillespie’s 1945 Anthropology (which as we all know of course is the academic study of humanity apart from of course the fine composition!.ended this fine first set from Estelle.
Following the Jazznights raffle of 3 jazz cd’s and a bottle of Merlot we had the traditional Jazznights sitting in spot which is open to all musicians who have an opportunity to play with the band. Tonight we had three players.
10. Firstly we had a new comer to this Jazznights spot – a fine young musician playing Chris’s keyboard Nick White playing Mr. P.C. from John Coltrane’s Giant Steps Album featuring a solo from Roger Odell.
11. Steve Moore then joined the band on piano for a great gentle version of In A Sentimental Mood. (Steve runs his own Jazz Trio and has been playing piano since the age of seven when he noticed he could pick up and play tunes by ear. While continuing to learn piano in his teens, Steve also took up drumming having lessons with Roger Odell of Shakatak fame. After recording an album with a band called Delfini, Steve found himself getting more into jazz and now at Anglia Ruskin University in Cambridge Steve is studying jazz piano under the guidance of Chris Ingham.) 
12. A regular visitor to the Jazznights gigs, Geoff Harriman the played a lovely version of Fly Me To The Moon on his Harmonica.
13. Estelle Kokot the returned for her second set with a Portuguese version of the 1934 For All We Know (Composer J. Fred Coots and lyricist Sam Lewis) which featured just the voice and drums.
14. A Felicidade by Antonio Carlos Jobim was again sung in the original Portuguese. Felicidade is Portuguese for Carnival and Chris Ingham and Roger Odell excelled and enhanced the song with a great fiesta feeling.
15. A superb medium tempo version of her own See You On Sunday from her album "Information"
16. Round Midnight is Thelonious Monk’s best-known jazz composition and carries the grand distinction of being the most-recorded jazz standard written by any jazz musician. Estelle sang this to Jon Hendricks lyrics. (Hendricks was adding new life to Monk. "Monk had told me that ‘the only **************** I want to write my lyrics is [you],’ meaning me," Hendricks said. So he wrote new lyrics, even to "Round Midnight," which already had lyrics written by Bernie Hanighen). A great 
ballad from Estelle.
17. I Scare Myself (1983) by Dan hicks with lyrics from Thomas Dolby followed and was very passionate song
18. Duke Ellington, Johnny Hodges and Harry James’s I’m Beginning to See the Light (1944) was sung in 3/4 time and showed Estelle’s great versatility in her interpretation of this jazz standard. Her powerful voice was reciprocated by Chris Ingham and Roger Odell’s verve.
19. Don’t Get Around Much Anymore (1942) Music by Duke Ellington and Lyrics from Bob Russell. This composition was first released as “Never No Lament.” By 1943 it had been fitted with lyrics by Bob Russell. Once the tune was released as “Don’t Get Around Much Anymore,” it hit the charts at No. 2 by the Ink Spots and No. 8 by Ellington. This was a very swinging version with an intro from Chris 
Ingham leading to Estelle with a further solo from Chris. A wonderful; finale to a lovely evening which was thoroughly enjoyed by all those lucky to be there.
Following her last Jazznights gig she said I am having so much fun – so did we all again!
The next Jazznights gig is on Sunday 24th June – BEYOND CANTALOUPE
Jazznight’s pianist Simon Brown brings his brand new 5 piece band featuring the cream of Norwich’s jazz musicians to The Cherry Tree for a night of classic Herbie Hancock Blue Note tracks specially arranged by Simon. With a front line of trumpet and tenor saxophone and the resident rhythm section from the Norwich Jazz Club this is sure to be a great night.
Reservations on 01787 237653 or email info@jazz-nights.com. Adm £8. Music 8pm-10.30pm. Food is available before or during the performance. Sitting-in spots from local musicians
For further information, future gigs and location go to http://www.jazz-nights.com
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