Featuring internationally known pianist Pete Lemer, Adam Amor on saxophones, Steve Cook on bass and Paul Dufour on drums plus Special Guest Paul Higgs on trumpet.
This All-Star band play Latin jazz, standards, originals and contemporary jazz.
Picture by Gareth Williams-James
ADAM AMOR – LEADER, TENOR SAX Founder, composer and arranger for the Spanish Harlow Orchestra.Adam played in New York for five years and studied at Long Island University, Brooklyn, where he was taught by, among others, Paquito D’Rivera, Ray Vega and Tito Puente.He was active on the jazz scene in New York and played for Sonny Rollins’ honorary graduation at LIU and with James Spaulding.Adam now balances lecturing in music and performing arts and composing and playing with the SHO and Back 2 Fun.
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, Pierre Jazznights Emily Dankworth 020314 (114)Moerlen’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 including 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.
Steve Cook – Double Bass
Steve has a wonderful rounded tone with great clarity. In the 1960s and 70s Steve Cook played with many leading jazz artists including Don Rendell, Art Themen, Dick Heckstall-Smith, Alan Skidmore, Pete Jacobsen, Michael Garrick and numerous others. He was in several of Barbara Thompson’s bands including the Quintet, Jubiaba and Paraphernalia. He toured and recorded with progressive rock bands CMU, Gilgamesh, Seventh Wave, Mirage and Soft Machine. He worked at Ronnie Scott’s with Mark Murphy and Gil Evans. He spent several years touring and recording with the Mike Westbrook orchestra, appearing on three albums. He’s done dance bands, pit bands, and film and TV soundtracks. Recently Steve has played salsa with the Spanish Harlow Orchestra, Latin jazz with Que Pasa, and recorded albums with folk and world musicians Wes McGhee, Janie Romer and Ravi. He may occasionally be seen with the Harmony in Harlem band and the Cambridge Sinfonietta. He has also had a 35-year career as a professional software engineer.
Paul Robinson
1976 was a good year for progression! I moved firmly into the Jazz world. I was asked to join a new band called Turning Point. This band was led by Jeff Clyne, one of Britain’s leading bass players, & singer Pepi Lemer. Jazz gigs & sessions continued, Zoot Money, The Buggles, Cleo Laine, Billy Ocean, Billy Conelly, Jesse Green, Colin Hodgkinson, (Back Door), & countless other sessions, (TV. radio etc) Too many to remember!!!. The Spy Who Loved Me (1977 With Paul Buckmaster is one I can remember!) I also did an album for Shusha with Paul Buckmaster.
1984 I received a call from Martin Drew (Jazz drummer) Martin was the house drummer at Ronnie Scotts Club in London. He had started a 2-week engagement with Nina Simone when he received a call from Oscar Peterson, (one of Martins other gigs) so off he went, booking me to complete the following 8 or 9 days. When the gig was over I thought that was it! How wrong can one be!! That was actually the start of a gig & relationship that would dominate the next 19 years of my life!
Early In The New Millennium gigs with Mose Allison, Clare Teal, Val Doonican, Mick Hutton, Lea DeLaria (Janette Mason) & others. Although I was not to know it, I was in the last phase of my career with Nina. In April 2003 she died, leaving a large space in my life & career. So, to fill this gap, I went into London’s West End, (Theatre World). Andy Newmark rang me, & gave 
me a chance to dep in his show, The Lion King. Then on to Chicago + a couple of deps in other shows, Privates On Parade, Anything Goes & Fame.
2004 I did a gig at Carnegie Hall as a tribute to Nina Simone. Later that year a gig at Wembley for The Princes Trust Concert, which was really a tribute to Trevor Horn. I played acoustic & electronic kit for The Buggles, Dollar, Grace Jones, The Art Of Noise, Lisa Stansfield & Seal, + Yes, Frankie Goes To Hollywood & ABC, on percussion with my friends Luis Jardim, Gary Kettel & Frank Riccoti.
Now in 2013, I’m still doing Lion King as a dep & “A Chorus Line” too at the London Palladium. Gigs with Rob Koral & Zoe Schwarz, Mick Hutton, Back Door Too (Colin Hodgkinson). With Simone at Ronnie Scotts Club and just recently The Kuala Lumpur Jazz Festival also with Simone.
PAUL HIGGS – Trumpet
has an extensive music career in many fields including performing, composing for film and TV, musical directing for companies such as the Royal National Theatre and Royal Shakespeare Company, and arranging music for film and TV. He is particularly sought after as a brass arranger within all mediums and genres of music.
He is most renowned as one of the UK’s leading trumpet players and works both as a performer and session musician. He has performed for luminaries including Sir Peter Maxwell Davis, BBC Philharmonic Orchestra, Lulu, Tony Hatch, John Williams, Vic Damone, Nancy Wilson, Brook Benton, Jackie Trent, Al Martino, The Foundations, Danny Williams, Rolf Harris, Johnny Dankworth and Shorty Rodgers. His session credits include Viva Cabaret, Daytime Live, Pebble Mill at One, Live At City Hall, Wood and Walters, The Tube, Scene 
Today, In Suspicious Circumstances, The Trial of Lord Lucan and Eleven Men Against Eleven
The playlist for the evening was:
1. Chucho’s Steps from the album of the same name – is an album released by jazz pianist Chucho Valdés and his band, the Afro-Cuban Messengers 2010.
2. Linda Chicano – Linda Chicana Composed by Mark Levine. Artist: Mark Levine
Title: Linda Chicana, Album: One Notch Up from 1999. Mark Levine won his Latin Grammy nomination for best Latin Jazz Recording of 2010
3. Arroz con Pollo means “Rice with Chicken” in Spanish. It is a classic dish of Spain and Latin America, Mexican children’s song. Recorded by Sonny Rollins on his Easy Living Album
4. Crystalline is a song by Icelandic artist Björk, released as the lead single from her eighth album Biophilia
5. Hadouk composed by Loy Ehrlich and Didier Malherbe, France’s Hadouk Trio channelled musical elements from across the globe to create a uniquely mystical and evocative sound somewhere between jazz and world pop.
6. Bemsha Swing (also known as “Bimsha Swing”) is a jazz standard co-written by Thelonious Monk and Denzil Best. The song was first recorded by Monk on the sessions for the album Thelonious Monk Trio in 1952. It was later recorded with Monk as a sideman on the Miles Davis album Miles Davis and the Modern Jazz Giants.
7. Looking For Soup composed by Peter Lemer and is the title track from one of his albums.
Following the interval and the Jazznights raffle of 3 jazz cd’s and a bottle of wine Que Pasa played the following tunes for the second set:
8. Nica’s Dream is a jazz standard composed by Horace Silver, named for Pannonica de Koenigswarter (née Rothschild; 10 December 1913 – 30 November 1988 was a British-born jazz patroness and writer. The song has been recorded by The Jazz Messengers as well as many other artists.
9. The Glow Of Evening composed by Paul Higgs
From his Album Pavane which is a collection of original compositions that blur the boundaries between classical and jazz. Each piece shows us a new soundscape, and the exquisite sound of Paul’s trumpet.
10. Crisis from Ready for Freddie which is the fourth album by trumpeter Freddie Hubbard 
and was released on the Blue Note label in 1961.
11. Sabor (Spanish for taste, or flavor) a Latin/Salsa Jazz composition.
12. Latin Funk that is the exact title and not just the music genre.
13. Shadows and Desires moves into a slow, funky mode. It takes the listener back to old George Benson recordings and is composed by Paul Higgs from his album Pavanne.
14. Hope Spring Eternal composed by Bruce Barth.
15. Mercy, Mercy, Mercy is a song written by Joe Zawinul in 1966 for Julian “Cannonball” Adderley and his album Mercy, Mercy, Mercy! Live at ‘The Club’
Many apologies for any errors in the playlist as the writer was unable to get to the gig due to ill-health. Our sincere thanks to Norman Pettitt for the notes and to Gareth Williams-James (who was the MC for the evening) for the main picture.
JACQUI HICKS (voc) will be at Jazznights on Sunday 6th July.
A classically trained clarinettist, Jacqui Hicks studied saxophone & flute on the jazz course at Leeds College of Music and started singing during her three years there. She has since performed with NYJO, Shakatak, Matt Bianco and a number of other top bands as well as running her own group with various great UK jazz artists including pianist John Critchinson and bassist Dave Green.
Followed on Thursday 10th July – JAZZNIGHTS @ BURES
For the second year running Jazznights has been asked to present one of our evenings at the Bures Music Festival. It kicks off in the time honoured fashion with a set from Larraine Odell followed by the master-vibes of Roger Beaujolais. “…caressing on the ballads and stomping on the up tempo numbers, a master class of jazz vibraphone playing”. Don Emmanuel. Headlining the event will be the ever-popular Alan Barnes. “Whatever the instrument, Alan plays it hard and fast and with the sort of inventive flexibility and invention that ensures that he has his own sound and style and could not be easily be confused with another player. And in these days of musical conformity that is quite something”. Jazz Journal. The Jazznights Trio will be on hand to accompany all of the guests. Click on photos to access Bures site to book £10 tickets.
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 JACQUI HICKS (voc), CHRISTINE TOBIN (voc) & PHIL ROBSON (gtr), DAVE O’HIGGINS (sax), SIMON SPILLETT (sax) amongst others go to www.jazz-nights.com
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