Quentin Collins (trumpet & Flugelhorn) replaced Tim Whitehead who was incapacitated at the Jaznights gig on Sunday 11th May at the Cock Inn, Clare when he played with the Roger Odell Jazznights Trio

“A Trumpeter whose style is a sizzling update of the Morgan/Hubbard approach.” MOJO Magazine.

For over a decade, Quentin Collins has established himself as one of Europe’s top up-and-coming Jazz/Commercial trumpeters, having worked with a plethora of internationally reknowned artists across many genres.

In the commercial sphere some of the artists Quentin has played & recorded with include Basement Jaxx (touring 1999-2001 and recording on releases such as ‘Do Your Thing’), Craig David (Touring 2007-2009), Beverley Knight (touring 2007, including supporting + performing with Prince at O2 Arena), Girl’s Aloud (‘Out Of Control’ 35-date arena tour + DVD 2009), Alicia Keys, Boy George, Tinie Tempah, Mark Ronson, Omar, Prince, Leona Lewis, US3, Hamish Stuart, Eric Robeson, Frank McComb, Englebert Humperdink (World Tour 2011), Terri Walker, Noah & The Whale, Duffy, Jeff Beck, Lulu, Roy Ayers, 4Hero, Carleen Anderson, Lemar, Braund Reynolds, Jocelyn Brown, Natalie Williams, Noel McKoy, Paloma Faith, Steve Howe & SunlightSquare.

Among the jazz musician’s he has worked with are Tony Kofi, Jean Toussaint, Joel Frahm, Jason Rebello, Will Vinson, Roy Hargrove, Liane Carroll, Gwyneth Herbert, Kyle Eastwood, Phil Robson, Ingrid Laubrook, Troy Miller, Andrew McCormack, Jim Hart, Renato DAeillo, Andrea Pozza, Mulatu Astatke, Cleveland Watkiss, Nick Vayenas, Jonathan Gee, Mark Lockheart, Mornington Lockett, Dennis Rollins, Tim Garland, Norma Winstone & Ray Gelato to name but a few.

Quentin currently co-leads “The QC/BA Quartet”, a Hammond-organ quartet with tenor sax titan Brandon Allen, being the house band for the successful Jazz-Dance residency “Jazz On The Road” in London during 2008 & also for ‘The Late Set’ residency every friday over a 6 month period during 2010 at ‘The Last Days Of Decadence’ in London’s hip Shoreditch district.
In 2012 he will be recording a follow-up quartet record to “If Not Now, Then When?”, plus a second album with The Quentin Collins/Brandon Allen Quartet, both due for release on Sunlight Square Records

He is now the regular trumpet player for the Kyle Eastwood band, with whom Quentin has been touring extensively throughout 2012. Summer gigs have included a double bill with the Marcus Miller band at Jazz In Marciac, which was shown live on Mezzo Channel across Europe. He has also been featured with the Hannah Horton quartet in a series of concerts.

Quentin played with the 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.
Peter Lemer – Keyboards
Peter Lemer is an English jazz musician. He has worked with the Pete Lemer Quintet, Spontaneous Music Ensemble, Annette Peacock, Harry Beckett, Gilgamesh, Baker Gurvitz Army, Seventh Wave, Harry Beckett’s Joy Unlimited, PierreMoerlen’s Gong, Mike Oldfield Group, In Cahoots, Miller/Baker/Lemer. He currently works with In Cahoots, Peter Lemer Trio/Quartet, Barbara Thompson’s Paraphernalia, and the Peter Lemer-Billy Thompson  Quartet and Duo. Peter made his recording debut as a leader (Local Colour) in 1996, the band by then ncluding Jon Hiseman, John Surman, George Khan and Tony Reeves. A year in New York followed, which included extensive jamming, gigging and study. Coaches included famed jazz pianists Jaki Byard and Paul Bley and Double Bass guru David Walters. He also studied at the Royal Academy of Music and included Tommy Rajnaand Sven Weber among his classical coaches. In 1969, he worked with the Spontaneous Music Ensemble. In the last few years, Lemer has remained a fixture of In Cahoots – he can be heard on Parallel (1996), Out Of The Blue (2001), All That (2003) and Conspiracy Theories (2006), most of which also feature his writing – as well as playing one-off gigs with old friends Steve Cook (bass) and Roger Odell (drums), recording an album with them in Israel
With additional vocals from Larraine Odell
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 Odell opened the first set with:
Old Devil Moon (1946) Music Burton Lane and Lyrics by Yip Harburg.
You’re Sensational is a song written by Cole Porter for the 1956 film High Society, where it was introduced by Frank Sinatra.
Lullaby of the Leaves, by composer Bernice Petkere and lyricist Joe Young, was featured in the 1932 Broadway revue Chamberlain Brown’s Scrap Book.
Speak Low (1943) is a popular song composed by Kurt Weill, with lyrics by Ogden Nash. It was introduced by Mary Martin and Kenny Baker in the Broadway musical One Touch of Venus (1943).

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 on Nevertheless I’m In Love with You and All Of Me.

Quentin Collins then re-joined the band to play:
On Green Dolphin Street (originally entitled “Green Dolphin Street”) is a 1947 popular song composed by Bronislaw Kaper with lyrics by Ned Washington. The song, composed for the film Green Dolphin Street and went on to become a jazz standard after being recorded by Miles Davis in 1958.
Blue Daniel Composed by trombonist Frank Rosolino. Blue Daniel became a jazz standard, and Rosolino was a popular attraction as a brilliant trombonist and a comical singer.
What’s New? (1939) played by Quentin on the flugelhorn, it was composed by Bob Haggart. Trumpeter Billy Butterfield was featured on the inaugural Decca issue of this tune with Bob Crosby’s Orchestra.
A Night in Tunisia is a musical composition written by Dizzy Gillespie and Frank Paparelli in 1942 while Gillespie was playing with the Earl Hines Band. It has since become a jazz standard.

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

HARRY GREENE (sax & guitar) performed a sensational gig at Jazznights, The Cock Inn, Clare on Sun 25 May 2014

(The pictures are from previous Jazznights gigs as our regular photographer was unable to attend the gig due to ill health)

Harry has been a regular in the sitting-in spot over a number of years and it now seems fitting that he appears at Jazznights as a featured guest artist. Although he will be performing mainly on the tenor saxophone Harry is quite the multi-instrumentalist being equally talented on guitar and a number of other instruments. Harry was a semi finalist this year in the BBC young jazz musician of the year.

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. He also gained a place as an AYM and was thrilled to be part of the Exchanging Worlds Ensemble in July this year when they opened the Latitude Festival on the Waterfront Stage as part of the Cultural Olympiad. It’s through AYM (Aldeburgh Youth Musicians) that he’s now having sax lessons with Led Bib’s Pete Grogan on a masterclass basis. Harry’s also a gifted guitar player and is a member of Robbie Gladwell’s band appearing regularly in Suffolk and Essex at charity concerts, pubs, festivals and, in August gigged with Robbie at a private party in the Olympic village. It’s through his relationship with Robbie that he’s come to the attention of Hughes & Kettner, a German company specialising in the production of high end amplifiers.  H&K were so impressed with his guitar playing they offered Harry an endorsement deal and 2 year contract. In his free time Harry enjoys busking in Bury St Edmunds, relieving the locals of their small change to fuel his guitar buying habit.

Bures Music Festival and BFest competition provides a tremendous platform for youngsters to gain experience in front of a large and very appreciative crowd.
Harry Greene first appeared on the festival stage back in 2009 and over the years has been a competition finalist and winner and in 2011, with his school band, was thrilled to win the Alan Crumpton Memorial Cup for best musical interpretation.

Harry’s ability on saxophone and guitar was quickly spotted by the festival organisers who gave him the opportunity to play the support slot in 2010 for Joanna Eden and Jo Fooks. And in 2012 Harry was back on the festival stage headlining with the Robbie Gladwell Band.
Harry’s passions are jazz, blues, fusion, soul – and he loves the freedom of improvisation.
In 2011, as well as being voted West Suffolk Young Musician of the Year, Harry also won a place at the prestigious Aldeburgh Young Musicians (AYM) Centre for Advanced Training (CAT) as an AYM Leverhulme Artist with Aldeburgh Music.

The thriving local Suffolk/Essex Jazz scene has been tremendously generous and supportive of Harry and since his first ‘sitting in’ spot at the age of 8 with the Roger Odell trio at their jazz nights in Clare, he’s been given opportunities to share the stage at various jazz clubs with the likes of Alan Barnes, Simon Bates, Derek Nash, Liane Carroll and Tina May.

The Jazznights Trio were:

Roger Odell – Drums
Roger was one of the founder members and drummer with the jazz-funk group Shakatak andthe 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.
Peter Lemer – Keyboards
Peter Lemer is an English jazz musician. He has worked with the Pete Lemer Quintet, Spontaneous Music Ensemble, Annette Peacock, Harry Beckett, Gilgamesh, Baker Gurvitz Army, Seventh Wave, Harry Beckett’s Joy Unlimited, PierreMoerlen’s Gong, Mike Oldfield Group, In Cahoots, Miller/Baker/Lemer. He currently works with In Cahoots, Peter LemerTrio/Quartet, Barbara Thompson’s Paraphernalia, and the Peter Lemer-Billy Thompson  Quartet and Duo. In 1969, he worked with the Spontaneous Music Ensemble. In the last few years, Lemer has remained a fixture of In Cahoots – he can be heard on Parallel (1996), Out Of The Blue (2001), All That (2003) and Conspiracy Theories (2006), most of which also feature his writing – as well as playing one-off gigs with old friends Steve Cook (bass) and Roger Odell (drums), recording an album with them in Israel
With additional vocals from Larraine Odell.
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,Jazznights, Barbara Thompson, Soft Machine, Seventh Wave and Gil Evans big band at Ronnie Scott’s.

The Jazznights Trio opened the first set with:
Looking For Soup composed by Peter Lemer and is the title track from one of his albums.
Tricrotism written by the American bassist, cellist and composer Oscar Pettiford

Harry Greene then joined the band to play:
And All Because written by a recent guest to Jazznights Simon Bates. And All Because being the title track of one of Simon’s albums.
Winelight is the title track of an 1980 album by jazz musician Grover Washington, Jr.
Song for My Father is a 1965 album by the Horace Silver Quintet, released on the Blue Note label in 1965.
Soul Station is from an album by jazz saxophonist Hank Mobley, released in 1960 on Blue Note Records.
I Was Lost In Her Love – a Derek Nash composition from the Spike Robinson & Derek Nash
album Young Lions Old Tigers.

Harry Greene together with Lewis Evans (Lewis is from Cambridge and he started playing the flute when he was seven and now also plays the piccolo, cello and bass guitar (opened the the second set to play: Cold Duck and Charlie Parker’s Barbados.

Harry then played the rest of the set with the trio featuring guitar tenor and alto saxophones playing:
Bernie’s Tune written by Bernie Miller which is usually associated with Gerry Mulligan.
Mo Better Blues from the film of the same name which featured the music of Branford Marsalis.
Voodoo Rex by Derek Nash from his Joyriding Album.
Sugar from Stanley Turrentine’s 1971 album of the same name.
Tune 88 from the American pianist Jeff Lorber

THE BEST IN BRITISH MODERN JAZZ is at  Jazznights, 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.

You can join us at facebook, read reviews of previous performances on more opinions blog or tweet at twitter.com/jazznightsuk

For further information on future gigs which will feature RENATO D’AIELLO (sax), JACQUI HICKS (voc), CHRISTINE TOBIN (voc) & PHIL ROBSON (gtr), DAVE O’HIGGINS (sax), SIMON SPILLETT (sax) amongst others go to www.jazz-nights.com