(click on images for larger pictures)
Over the years Alan has won many British Jazz awards in alto, baritone, clarinet and arranging categories and in 2001 and 2006 Alan received the prestigious BBC Jazz Instrumentalist of the Year award. As well as fronting many diverse bands of his own, Alan is much sought after as a sideman in a number of other UK and USA projects.
Over the years Alan has won many British Jazz awards in alto, baritone, clarinet and arranging categories. In 2001 and 2006 Alan received the prestigious BBC Jazz Instrumentalist of the Year award and in November 2003 was made a fellow of the Leeds College of Music. Probably the most recorded jazz artist in the UK with twenty CDs under his own name. No-one would question Alan Barnes’ enormous impact on the British jazz scene – as reeds player, composer and arranger, band leader and as a knowledgeable and humorous compere.
A perennial poll-winner since being voted Jazz Express musician of the year in 1992 and top 
alto player in the British Jazz Awards in 1993, Alan remains one of the UK’s most popular jazz musicians, taking top spot yet again in the 2006 BBC Jazz Awards as Best Instrumentalist. British jazz musicians” The Daily Telegraph
Alan again put on a master class show for us on Clarinet Alto and baritone saxophones as well as providing great entertainment with his quips, jokes and his witty experiences.
Alan played with the Jazznights Trio who were:
Russ Morgan – Drums
Russ studied with Trevor Tomkins and trained at the Royal Academy of music in London (‘93-‘95). As well as playing in ‘Rip Rap’ Russ is a member of 
Pete Oxley’s English fusion group‘Curious Paradise’, and Christian Garrick’s contemporary jazz quintet ‘Jutta’s party band’. He was a founder member of the British contemporary jazz group ‘Short Stories’, the post bop and song outfit ‘the Flanagan-Ingham quartet’, and the experimental ‘drum & bass’ groove piano trio ‘Vincent’. Russ has gigged extensively on the British jazz scene, and toured and recorded around the UK and Europe. He has played with Martin Speake, Julian Siegel, Julian Arguelles, Gilad Atzmon, Stan Sultzman, Bobby Wellins and Spike Robinson (sax), Steve Waterman (trmp) John Parricelli, Phil Robson and Mick Hansen (guitar), Dave Gordon, Gordon Beck, Gary Husband, Richard Busiakiewicz, Chris Ingham and Kate Williams (piano), Bill Le Sage, Roger Beaujolais and Jim Hart (vibes),and Jacqui Dankworth, Mishka Adams, Laura Zakian and Bob monkhouse (!!!!) Russ Morgan was depping for Roger Odell who was due to play with Shakatak in Baku (Azerbaijan) but as the booking was delayed at the last moment until December, Roger & Larraine were able to sit, drink and listen.
Simon Brown – Piano
Simon is a highly respected and popular jazz pianist who is equally known for his arranging
skills. He is always in demand to play many gigs throughout East Anglia when he is not playing at Jazznights or with his own trio, quartet and quintet.
Simon’s piano playing has long been the sound accompaniment of first choice for nationally and internationally known jazz stars appearing at Jazznights as well as Norfolk’s two leading jazz venues, the Lakeside Jazz Club at Lyng and The Green Man at Rackheath. He is also an accomplished soloist in his own right, blending vivacity and creative attack with often gentle lyricism. His influences are Oscar Peterson, Nat “King” Cole and Bill Evans.
Steve Cook – Double Bass
Steve has a wonderful rounded tone with great clarity. He has played with Mike Westbrook, Mike Kilpatrick’s Duke Ellington Orchestra, Barbara Thompson, Soft Machine, Seventh Wave and Gil Evans big band at Ronnie Scott’s.
The first set was opened by vocalist:
Andi Hopgood
UK based jazz vocalist Andi has always been surrounded by diverse selection of music. Her father being a musician and mother a dancer exposed her to all kinds of music form an early age. Jazz quickly became a favourite to listen to, but didn’t 
become a dominating factor until much later in life. Andi did a music degree at the Colchester institute with studies of classical saxophone and cello. She was advised her to take a new direction and swap studies to Jazz voice and saxophone, so she began to study with Malcom Miles and Trudy Kerr and has since performed at venues such as The 606, Royal Albert Hall, The Royal Festival Hall, The Vortex and The Barbican.
Andi Hopgood opened her set with:
1. a medium tempo arrangement the 1934 East of the Sun (and West of the Moon), words and music by Brooks Bowman.
Lester Young’s tender ballad performance of “East of the Sun” from 1947 is a classic and a definitive interpretation of this song but for a vocal interpretation Andi gave us a great version giving both Simon Brown and Ste4ve Cook a chance to shine in the ‘sun light’.
2. If I Should Lose You from 1935. It was Charlie Parker’s version with lush string 
accompaniment in 1949 that brought the song to the attention of both jazz instrumentalists and vocalists. Andi sang this to a Latin rhythm very ably supported by Russ Morgan on the drums.
3. When Sunny Gets Blue – words & music by Jack Segal & Marvin Fisher from 1956. First recorded by Mel Torme, 1956, and by Nat “King” Cole, 1957
Andi gave us a lovely tender ballad in B-flat.
4. Beautiful Love (1931) by Wayne King, Victor Young and Egbert Van Alstyne with lyrics by Haven Gillespie was a great finale to Andi’s set starting at slow speed rapidly transforming into a very fast Prestissimo tempo.
5. Alan Barnes opened his first set on alto sax at an up-tempo version of Jerome Kern’s 1936 The Way You Look Tonight with some great 8 bar trades with Russ Morgan on drums as well as introducing solos from Simon Brown and Steve Cook.
6. Hank Mobley’s 1957 Funk In Deep Freeze from Hank’s album the Hank Mobley Quintet which also featured Art Farmer and Art Blakey played as Alan suggested as an Art Blakey Shuffle played as a medium tempo swing number.
7. Two for the Road is a 1967 British comedy drama film directed by Stanley Donen and starring Albert Finney and Audrey Hepburn. The film’s theme song, “Two for the Road”, was composed by Henry Mancini and played tonight as a Bossa Nova. It was also the title album of Alan’s hit album with Martin Taylor. They have/are touring highlighting this album – if you get a chance – do not miss this gig!
8. Rainy Day Blues. Alan opened the tune Rainy Day Blues in G on alto sax and the moved swiftly to the baritone sax for the finale of the number. How quickly this set passed by and 
the packed house was left wanting a short break and more music!
9. Following the Jazznights raffle of 3 jazz cd’s and a bottle of wine Alan Barnes returned on baritone sax with a tribute o one of the greatest jazz trombonists ever – J Johnson’s 1954 Lament. Johnson was one of the first trombonists to embrace bebop music. This was played as Alan suggested at a ‘walking ballad’ pace. Simon brown soloed on the piano followed by 4 bar trades between Alan and Steve Cook on bass.
10. Tickle Toe (March 1940) Written by Lester Young. “Lester Young was one of the true jazz giants, a tenor saxophonist who came up with a completely different conception in which to play his horn, floating over bar lines with a light tone rather than adopting the then-dominant forceful approach.” Alan played this on alto as an up-tempo number which featured Russ Morgan on drums.
11. Spring Is Here (1938) written by Richard Rodgers. With Alan again on Alto he played a delicate quite exquisite version of this ballad until he reached the Coda -this tune transgressed into a rocket speed version which contained so many quotes one was quite 
confused over the original title of the tune!
12. Alan’s final number was one of his own compositions The Wide Blues on which he played alto again. A superb medium tempo number which progressed into at an up-tempo speed. This was a breath-taking evening of sheer brilliance and superb musicianship, the evidence being the continuing loud cheers from Jazznights full house audience throughout the evening – the exception being that you could hear a pin drop whilst the music was playing.
Another great evening coming up in a couple of weeks. Do not miss Julian Siegal with the Roger Odell Jazznights Trio and vocalist Larraine Odell on Sunday 25th November 2012. Julian is Already a past winner of the BBC Jazz award for Best Instrumentalist, Julian was again nominated for 2011
Jazznights presents the best in modern jazz at:
The Function Suite, The Cherry Tree, Knowl Green, Belchamp St Paul, Suffolk, CO10 7BY.
Tel: 01787 237263 Admission £8. Doors open 7.30pm. Music 8.00-10.30pm.
Reserve your table seating on 01787 237653 or email info@jazz-nights.com Pay on the night.
Food available and can be served before or during the performance.
For further details and future gigs go to www.jazz-nights.com
Moreopinions's Blog at Jazznights 