“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 – vocalsBeginning 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