A few pictures from the Jazznights Jazz Festival 2013 at The Cherry Tree – Tina May, Derek Nash, Andy Watson, Kevin Flanagan et al. With the Roger Odell Jazznights Trio and Larraine Odell

(Click on pictures for larger images)

Jazz gigs in Britain, outside the metropolitan areas, are largely a labour of love. Opera and classical orchestras get huge subsidies and sponsors, jazz just struggles through on a wing and a prayer. It’s great to see when this pays off and satisfies a real need and builds an audience, as in the fortnightly Jazznights sessions organised by Shakatak drummer Roger Odell at a wonderful pub, the Cherry Tree in a little village, Belchamp St Paul on the Essex/Suffolk border. This Sunday the usual evening session is being expanded into an all-day ‘festival’ with sax virtuoso Derek Nash headlining the afternoon proceedings and top vocalist Tina May rounding up the evening session. Both will in all likelihood be so entertaining it would be a shame to have to choose between them. With excellent food and beer available throughout the day, and with the first real summer for years upon us, this was a very pleasurable way to relax in the countryside with a superb line up of British  Jazz.

TINA MAY remains the most expressive and technically gifted jazz singer on the UK scene.” So says Kenny Mathieson of The Scotsman and few would disagree as Tina has become the most popular singer on the UK jazz scene with a range of CDs to her credit including her stunning duets with Nikki Iles and her Live In Paris recording with her French band.

The brilliant multi-saxophonist DEREK NASH headlined the afternoon session running from At the forefront of the British Jazz movement, Derek Nash is “one of the most versatile saxophonists in the UK today” (The Guardian). He has been a member of the Jools Holland Rhythm and Blues Orchestra since 2005, has led Sax Appeal for over thirty years, fronts the funk/fusion band Protect the Beat, and is a member of the Ronnie Scott’s Blues Explosion.

Andy Watson has been a professional musician for the whole of his working life as both player and educator. He is0 a session player which includes live and TV work including seven West End Shows. As a solo artist he has performed nationally and internationally at many different venues and festivals as well as in schools and colleges as both a guitar teacher and as a lecturer. Andy has also directed many workshops around the UK and written for “Guitarist” and “Music Teacher” magazines. Andy is a Graduate with a Diploma in Light Music and a graduate of Jazz from the City of Leeds College of Music. Associate of the Royal College of Music with a diploma in Classical Guitar Performance

Dr Kevin Flanagan comes from Lowell, Massachusetts, USA. He initially studied music and philosophy at the University of New Hampshire, and was part of Antares, a free improvisatory group that toured the New England through the mid-70s to early 80s. During this period he was also involved in jazz, blues, and popular music, both recording and performing. He settled in the UK in the mid-80s, and worked on the London jazz and pop scene, playing and recording with members of Pink Floyd, Ben E. King, the Sex Pistols, Paul Weller, Boo Hewerdine, Jools Holland, Led Zeppelin, B.B. King, Portishead, and many others. By the late 1980s he was primarily involved with jazz, playing with his own group or with musicians such as Dick Morrissey, Alan Barnes, Dave Newton, Gerard Precenser, Don Weller, Dave Cliff, Mark Edwards, Adrian Utley, and the Tommy Chase quartet around the festivals of the UK and Europe, including festivals in Brecon, Edinburgh, Soho, and Bath in this country; and festivals in Milan, Paris, the North Sea festival, Poland, Portugal, Sweden and others.

Harry Greene – Saxophone and guitar – Harry has been playing the saxophone for eight years.  His passion is jazz/blues/fusion and he loves the freedom of improvisation. From an early age he gained valuable experience playing the ‘sitting in’ spot with the Roger Odell trio at their regular Jazz Nights.  He’s been welcomed at two excellent jazz clubs in Bury St Edmunds; The Devil’s Kitchen Collective and the Hunter Club, where he’s building up an enviable CV playing with Alan Barnes, Derek Nash and Liane Carroll to name a few. Harry’s also a member of the Cambridge Jazz Co-op. In 2011 he was voted West Suffolk Young Musician of the Year; and at Bures Music Festival, scooped the Alan Crumpton Memorial Cup.

 

 

All were superbly supported by the Roger Odell Jazznights Trio which included BERNIE HODGKINS (bass) ROGER ODELL (drums) and Simon Brown on piano with vocal support from our resident songbird Larraine Odell

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

Advance reservation on 01787 237653 or email info@jazz-nights.com.

You can join us at facebook, read reviews of previous performances at wordpress or tweet at http://twitter.com/jazznightsuk/

For further information go to www.jazz-nights.com

---

CARLOS LOPEZ-REAL (saxophone) made a welcome return to Jazznights at The Cherry Tree on Sunday 21st July 2013

(Click on images for larger pictures)

After Oxford University and the Guildhall School of Music, Carlos then studied with David Liebman in New York. For the past 7 years he has been professor of contemporary jazz and rhythm studies at the Guildhall and has led workshops up and down the country. “Carlos plays with a sound that comes from his soul”. Dave Liebman.

His current bands are Mandorla, featuring guitarist Justin Quinn, a quartet with young singer Fini Bearman, and a new duo collaboration with singer Brigitte Beraha involving live looping and live sound processing. In addition to jazz, his Jazznights writing is influenced by classical composers such as Steve Reich and John Adams, the singer Bjork and North Indian improvised music.

As the founder of e17 jazz, the East London-based collective spawned out of both F-IRE and LOOP associations, Carlos is one of the leading lights among the new wave of young British jazz musicians as an in-demand saxophonist and composer.
   
Carlos has over 15 years teaching experience in various settings. Currently he teaches contemporary jazz and rhythm studies at the Guildhall School of Music. In the past he has taught at the Royal College of Music and the Royal Academy of Music. He also teaches jazz saxophone at the Purcell school and is a regular tutor on various jazz summer schools.

At his last visit to Jazznights the gig finished with shouts of More, More and so it turned out again tonight.

Carlos played with the Roger Odell Jazznights Trio who 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. Musically, his first love was always straight-ahead contemporary jazz, and in the past he has played with many of the great names on the UK scene including Don Rendell, Barbara Thompson, Dick Morrissey, Terry Smith, Joe Harriott and countless others. Roger is the author of three technical articles which appeared in the international magazine Modern Drummer.
Simon Brown – Piano
Simon’s piano playing has long been the sound accompaniment of first choice for nationally nd internationally known jazz stars appearing at Jazznights as well as Norfolk’s two leading jazz venues, 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. Since graduating from the University of East Anglia (UEA) in 1990, Simon has worked as a performer, teacher of piano and music arranger and regularly appears at the most popular jazz clubs in East Anglia. His involvement in Blues, Jazz and Jazz-Funk combos have led to appearances at many jazz festivals and has shared the billing with the likes of Jools Holland, The James Taylor Quartet, Stacey Kent and Bobby Wellins apart from his regular performances as a primary member of the Jazznights Roger Odell Trio.
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 Waveand Gil Evans big band at Ronnie Scott’s.
Larraine Odell – vocals
Beginning her professional singing career with the group CMU with whom she recorded twoalbums, 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.” She has since appeared at Ronnie Scott’s Club as a member of the group Jimpster, at the Boxford Fleece with pianist Steve Lodder, most of the other jazz clubs in the region, and at the Aldeburgh, Layer Marney and Southwold Jazz Festivals.

Larraine Odell opened the first set which included the following:
1. Rodgers & Hart’s 1935 It’s Easy to Remember (and so Hard to Forget) – a very nice medium tempo tune to set the scene.
2. It Could Happen to You (1944) with Music by Jimmy Van Heusen and Lyrics from Johnny Burke. Another great standard featuring both Simon Brown and Steve Cook on the double bass.

3. The 1956 Just In Time followed. Once you’ve heard Frank Sinatra’s 1958 version of this Broadway show tune it’s hard to imagine it not swinging and Larraine and the band certainly carried on the tradition with a great interlude of just Larraine and Steve Cook.
4. The 1945 I’ll Close My Eyes from William Gordon Reid with Lyrics by Buddy Kaye followed up.
5. Larraine’s final number for the evening was Bewitched (1941) AKA Bewitched, Bothered, and Bewildered  from Rodgers and Hart provided a great finale for the first part of this set.

Carlos Lopez-Real the joined the trio for his first set. It is worth remembering that when Carlos first visited at the original venue at Ridgewell some 11 year ago, Carlos joined the trio in the sitting in spot!. Carlos opened his first set on alto with:

6. Time on My Hands is the title of a studio album by jazz guitarist John Scofield. It was recorded in 1989 and released by Blue Note in 1990. Carlos played this slow to medium tempo featuring Simon Brown, Steve Cook and 4 bar trades between Carlos & Roger Odell
7. Carlos the switched to the soprano for The Loop by a British composer from the distinctive 1980’s style of jazz again laying down that very melodic style of his at a medium tempo.
8. Carlos completed his first set with a South African pianist’s tune called Joy in an invigorating up tempo fashion. How did that first set go o quickly!

9. Following the interval and the Jazznights raffle of 3 jazz cd’s and bottle of wine 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 the pleasure of local musician Geoff Harriman on his chromatic harmonica playing Sway.

10.  With Carlos playing the soprano, the second set commenced with Ralph Towner’s (American multi-instrumentalist, composer, arranger and bandleader. He plays the twelve-string guitar, classical guitar, piano, synthesizer, percussion and trumpet)
This is from the Diary album recorded in 1973. Again a tune from Carlos that is not in the standard jazz repertoire and makes such  a great change.
11. After saying that we had a typical jazz standard Softly As in a Morning Sunrise composed by Sigmund Romberg in 1928 and played at a medium tempo featuring both Simon Brown and Steve Cook.
12. Nothing special  written by British jazz pianist Jason Rebello which was recorded on the Next Time Around album in 1999 (Rebello has collaborated with Wayne Shorter, Art Blakey, Gary Burton, Branford Marsalis amongst many others.) Yet another new tune to the writer celebrating British jazz composers.
13. Alfredo written by John Parricelli for his son. He is a British (of Italaian extraction) jazz guitarist, appearing and recording mainly in the United Kingdom. Parricelli began his career as a guitarist in 1982 and was one of the founding members of the British big band Loose Tubes, with whom he recorded three albums. Another great number not often played and featured solos from Simon Brown and Steve Cook.
14. Bolivia is perhaps Cedar Walton’s best known composition. He came to prominence as a member of drummer Art Blakey’s band before establishing a long career as a bandleader and composer. This was to be an up tempo finale but they still managed to squeeze another number in:
15. Blues-ette by American trombonist Curtis Fuller although made quite famous by Toots Thielemans was enjoyed by all the band but unfortunately had to be limited by time restrictions.

A fantastic evening of quite innovative and melodic improvisations which we are sure we will be able to enjoy again in the future.

THE CHERRY TREE JAZZ FESTIVAL will be here on Sunday 4th August 2013
The fabulous TINA MAY headlines the evening session which runs from 7pm until 10.30pm. Admission £12.

The brilliant multi-saxophonist DEREK NASH headlines the afternoon session running from 2pm to 6pm. Admission £12.

All day admission only £20.  Food available throughout.

Advance reservation on 01787 237653 or email info@jazz-nights.com.

For further information go to www.jazz-nights.com

---

GILAD ATZMON (saxes) retuned to Jazznights Sunday 7th July 2013 with the Roger Odell Trio for the very best in Jazz

He is a monster musician on both saxophone and clarinet, his previous performances at Jazznights have always been among the highlights of the year and this one surpassed them all

“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

“Atzmon is surely the hardest-gigging man in British jazz…” The Times

“Atzmon is a loose cannon: a larger than life figure with an almost overpowering musical personality… it’s as perfect a jazz marriage as you could wish for” Phil Jonson, Independent on Sunday

“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

It is not surprising therefore that this evening with Gilad gave us a stunning evening of innovative and majestic jazz at its best.

Gilad played with the Roger Odell Jazznights TRIO who 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. Musically, his first love was always straight-ahead contemporary jazz, and in the past he has played with many of the great names on the UK scene including Don Rendell, Barbara Thompson, Dick Morrissey, Terry Smith, Joe Harriott and countless others. Roger is the author of three technical articles which appeared in the international magazine Modern Drummer.
Simon Brown – Piano
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, 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. Since graduating from the University of East Anglia (UEA) in 1990, Simon has worked as a performer, teacher of piano and music arranger and regularly appears at the most popular jazz clubs in East Anglia. His involvement in Blues, Jazz and Jazz-Funk combos have led to appearances at many jazz festivals and has shared the billing with the likes of Jools Holland, The James Taylor Quartet, Stacey Kent and Bobby Wellins apart from his regular performances as a primary member of the Jazznights Roger Odell Trio.
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.” She has since appeared at Ronnie Scott’s Club as a member of the group Jimpster, at the Boxford Fleece with pianist Steve Lodder, most of the other jazz clubs in the region, and at the Aldeburgh, Layer Marney and Southwold Jazz Festivals.

Larraine opened the first set with some great vocals on a lovely section of jazz standards which included:
1. It Might As Well Be Spring (1945) Music by Richard Rodgers and Lyrics from Oscar Hammerstein II was sung beautifully at a laid back tempo perfect for this lovely warm (almost hot) spring evening.
2. Bronislau Kaper and Ned Washington’s 1947 On Green Dolphin Street was sung at a medium tempo in yet another of Larraine’s version of this great standard. We never tire of Larraine singing this particular personal favourite.
3. Rodgers & Hart’s I Didn’t Know What Time It Was (1939) was played in a very swinging way at a medium tempo featuring Simon Brown and 4 bar trades between Roger Odell & Bernie Hodgkins.
4. Composer Jule Styne and lyricist Sammy Cahn wrote I Fall in Love Too Easily for the 1945 film Anchors Aweigh. Co-star Frank Sinatra, who had enjoyed several hits with Styne/Cahn songs, requested that they write the songs for the film in which he introduced the Oscar-nominated song “I Fall in Love Too Easily.” Larraine sang this at a  very slow tempo in the Chet Baker style with a sympathetic bass from Bernie.
5. Where or When (1937) with Music from Richard Rodgers and Lyrics by Lorenz Hart gave us a medium to up-tempo finale which featured another of Roger Odell’s arrangements.

Gilad Atzmon the joined the band for his first set of the evening which included the following numbers:
6. Jerome Kern’s 1933 Yesterdays (certainly not Yesterday by the Beatles). Gilad featured his tenor sax which he was to use quite a lot as distinct from his normal alto and clarinet (he did remind us that he was mainly a tenor player for the first twenty years of his jazz career. What a lesson in interpretations and improvisations bringing in many memorable quotes (what was that tune again!
7. The Gershwin’s 1930 But Not For Me followed with Gilad doing his Roland Kirk impression playing alto and tenor at the same time then going on to alto before moving back to the tenor! Quite an experience
6. My One and Only Love (1953). Many saxophonists include this standard in their repertoire but doubt that many can pull it off as well as Gilad did on his tenor, with superb solos from Simon Brown & Bernie Hodgkins

Following the interval and the Jazznights raffle of 3 jazz cd’s and bottle of wine 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 the pleasure of local musician Geoff Harriman on his chromatic harmonica playing All Of Me.

10. Gilad Atzmon’s second set opened up with Jerome Kern’s 1939 All the Things You Are on tenor at a medium tempo moving on to alto for the main improvisations. Solo from Simon Brown with 8 bar trades between Gilad and Roger.
11. Good Bait (1944) It has been said that Tadd Dameron brought the tune with him when he joined the Basie band but Basie is usually credited as co-composer. Medium tempo start up with Gilad on alto before transferring to the tenor, Gilad again engages in exciting trades with Roger.
12. Jimmy Van Heusen’s 1944 Nancy (with the Laughing Face) came next as a total contrast with Gilad moving on to clarinet – a gentle ballad but in Gilad’s inimitable style.
13. Donna Lee has been credited to Charlie Parker,  but it is said that it was actually a Miles Davis composition based on the chord changes to Indiana. Another complete contrast, this was played with a really hard bop rhythm particularly

powered by Gilad Atzmon and Roger Odell. A fascinating duet developed between  Bernie on the bass and Roger with his ferruled brushes on the Zildjian cymbals.

14.  Gilad goes wild! (his words) playing Ray Noble’s Cherokee (Indian Love Song) from1938 on alto at a speed of possibly Mach 2 – a blinding tempo with which the whole band not only sweated but thoroughly enjoyed.
15. A slow blues version followed of the 1930 Hoagy Carmichael tune Georgia on My Mind – very contrasting gentle (relatively) with Gilad on alto. We needed the respite on this quite hot (summer?) evening.
16. After numerous calls and suggestions for an encore Gilad and the trio decided on the ballad Laura a David Raksin composition. Unfortunately it was a short number as the time restriction on the premises beat us. Bot what a stunningly fantastic evening of jazz from the one and only Gilad Atzmon

On Sunday 21st July – CARLOS LOPEZ-REAL (sax) is our star for the evening. After Oxford University and the Guildhall School of Music, Carlos then studied with David Liebman in New York. For the past 7 years he has been professor of contemporary jazz and rhythm studies at the Guildhall and has led workshops up and down the country. “Carlos plays with a sound that comes from his soul”. Dave Liebman.

Tel: 01787 237263       Admission £8.         Doors 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 more information and future gigs go to www.jazz-nights.com

---