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The music of Loz Speyer combines a cutting-edge playful and subversive spirit with a melodic sense deeply rooted enough to draw people in – with or without their having jazz ears! He takes in a broad sweep of the vast music culture available but with a central focus on jazz. He currently leads two of his own bands, Time Zone and Inner Space Music.
Besides leading his own groups, Loz Speyer has worked with Sarah Jane Morris, Clifford Jarvis, Brian Abrahams’ District Six, Yann Tiersen, iGospel, Rare Mix (collaboration with Jason Yarde, Julian Siegel, Ben Davis, Brian Abrahams etc), Chris Biscoe, Steve Buckley, Hugh Metcalf, Birdyak, Test Dept, John Bennett Band… and in Cuba with Inaudis Paisan (elder statesman of Son trumpet) Orquesta de Sabor Chepin-Chovén (a Cuban national treasure working since its foundation in 1932), Marcos Fernadez’ Trio Acorde (pianist now with Eliades Ochoa), Proyecto Evocación (collaboration with master percussionist Rafael Cisneros)
Festivals include France (Transmusicales Rennes, Vitroles, Le Havre), Belgium (Gent, Brussels), Switzerland (Sommersnacht), Canada (Jazz Festivals including Edmonton, Toronto, Vancouver, Montreal).
UK Jazz Festivals:
with Time Zone – Manchester, Lancaster, Lichfield, Marlborough
with own Quartet – Warwick and Leamington, Swanage, London
UK clubs, venues:
with Time Zone – a week at Ronnie Scott’s opposite Airto Moreira; tours around England and Scotland including many of the main Jazz venues. Similar touring with Loz Speyer Quartet and Inner Space Music.
own CD releases:
2013 – Inner Space Music – ‘Infinity Sea Rockets’ – Spherical Records
2011 Time Zone – ‘Crossing the Line’ – Spherical Records
2010 Proyecto Evocación – ‘Roots en Route – Raices en Viaje’ – Spherical Records
2008 Inner Space Music – ‘Five Animal Dances’ – Spherical Records
2004 Loz Speyer’s TIME ZONE – 33 Records
2000 Rare Mix – ‘Everything is Possible’ (limited edition)
1999 Loz Speyer Quartet – ‘two kinds of blue’ – 33 Records
Loz Speyer, the stellar trumpeter played at Jazznights with the Roger Odell 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.
Steve Cook – Double Bass
Steve has a wonderful rounded tone with great clarity. He has played with Mike Westbrook, Mike Kilpatrick’s Duke Jazznights Steve Cook 010412Ellington Orchestra, Barbara Thompson, Soft Machine, Seventh Wave and Gil Evans big band at Ronnie Scott’s.Simon Brown 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.
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 Jazznights Larraine 100612 (44)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”
Our resident songbird Larraine Odell opened the first set with the following songs:
Like Someone in Love (Music by Jimmy Van Heusen, Lyrics from Johnny Burke) was introduced in the movie Belle of the Yukon by Dinah Shore who played a dance hall singer in one of her early films.You’re Sensational is a song written by Cole Porter for the 1956 film High Society, where it was introduced by Frank Sinatra
Where or When (1937) from Richard Rodgers and Lorenz Hart.
The Masquerade Is Over (1938) with Music by Allie Wrubel and Lyrics from Herb Magidson.
This Can’t Be Love is a show tune and a popular song from the 1938 Rodgers and Hart musical The Boys from Syracuse.
Loz Speyer the joined the Jazznights Trio who played:
All the Things You Are is a song composed by Jerome Kern in 1939. Charlie Parker secured the place for this as a jazz standard in 1947.
The bluesy Fee-Fi-Fo-Fum by Wayne Shorter is titled after the trademark exclamation of the giant in Jack and the Beanstalk! played by Loz on the flugelhorn
I Fall In Love To Easily Composed by Jule Styne for the 1945 film Anchors Aweigh but was first made a jazz standard by Chet Baker
But Not for Me is a popular song, composed by George Gershwin in 1930. It was written for their musical Girl Crazy but played by Loz in a very different modern style.
Following the interval and the Jazznights raffle of 3 jazz cd’s and a 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 Geoff Harriman playing his harmonica and Michael Mason replacing Roger on the drums for a fine version of Georgia On My Mind.
Loz Speyer then re-joined the band with Michael Mason on the drums for the first number:
An up-tempo swing version of By Myself (1937) composed by Arthur Schwartz. Loz again played flugelhorn for this which was based on an Art Farmer arrangement.
West Coast Blues written by Wes Montgomery and was featured on the West Coast Blues album by tenor saxophonist Harold Land.
Here’s That Rainy Day (1953) from Jimmy Van Heusen and it was considered that Frank Sinatra introduced it in to the jazz repertoire.
Chelsea Bridge (1941) is a jazz standard written by Billy Strayhorn. The song has been recorded by Duke Ellington, Ben Webster, Wynton Marsalis, Keith Jarrett, Joe Henderson and among many others.
Jule Styne’s 1956 Just In Time played on the trumpet was a great up-tempo finale to a fine evening of jazz
TIM WHITEHEAD (saxes) will be at Jazznights on Sunday 11th May 2014
First gaining recognition as a member of the groundbreaking band Loose Tubes, Tim continued to develop his own music, recording for Spotlite Records and Editions EG – “English People” and “Decision” with his own bands. “There are many fine tenor players on the current British scene but Tim Whitehead is undoubtedly one of the best we have” Peter Lund – Crescendo.
Jazznights presents The best in modern jazz at
The Cock Inn, 3, Callis Street, Clare, Suffolk, CO10 8PX
Admission £10.
Doors open 7.30pm.
Music 8.00-10.30pm.
Reserve seating on 01787 237653 or email info@jazz-nights.com
Pay on the night.
For further information and future gigs go to www.jazz-nights.com