Sun 01 Mar – SUE RICHARDSON (trp & voc) will be returning to Jazznights on Sunday 1st March at the The Cock Inn, Clare as part of her Too Cool tour of 2015. Playing with the Roger Odell Trio and vocals from Larraine Odell

Sue’s special show features Chet Baker’s most famous standards, his own compositions and works inspired by his life. As well as performing some of the songs forever associated with Chet and his sublime solos Sue has uncovered great songs written by him. There is also new material written by Sue.

A special show featuring Chet’s most famous standards, his own compositions and works inspired by his life. As well as performing some of the songs forever associated with Chet and his sublime solos Sue has uncovered great songs written by him. There is also new material, written by Sue, including works inspired by Chet Baker’s life away from music.

Weaving through the music are anecdotes about Chet, whose sweet music was such a contrast to his troubled life. Actress and theatre director Sylvia Syms helped Sue craft the narrative and is as important as the music and makes the music more accessible to all audiences. It always generates great interest and discussion between Chet fans and people new to the music. Sue takes them on a journey through Chet’s life highlighted by new numbers Sue has written.

It also focuses on lesser-known material composed by Chet himself whilst in prison in Italy (some of these have been translated from their original Italian into English by Georgia Mancio especially for this show). The narrative content has been developed following Sue’s research and discussions with people who Chet worked with (such as Archie Shepp) and also his biographers James Gavin and Matthew Ruddick.

The show sold out at Ronnie Scotts and Seven Arts in Leeds described the show as a ‘tour de force performance’.

PRAISE FOR TOO COOL, Sue’s recording of the music of Chet Baker: The SUNDAY TIMES listed Too Cool in their 100 Best Records of the Year 2013 (at no.8 in the jazz chart) – ‘brings the boy wonder back to life’.

Sir Michael Parkinson – ‘It’s a very good CD – Sue has a new fan.’

Artt Frank. Chet Baker’s close friend & drummer. (arttfrank.com) – “Though there was only one Chet Baker, I really admire Sue Richardson for what she has done on her latest CD project ‘Too Cool’. Sue has a sense and spirit of Chet Baker within her, both in her playing and vocals. Strong yet delicate – sensitive and very lyrical.”

Jamie Cullum BBC Radio 2 – “Pitch perfect British mainstream jazz. Sue Richardson has got a great, mainstream jazz sound, very melodic. She has a beautiful tone to her instrument and [is] surrounded by great musicians.”

This will again be a very popular gig so you should book in advance to ensure a seat.

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 go to www.jazz-nights.com

KEVIN FITZSIMMONS (vocals) returned to Jazznights Sunday 15th February 2015 to sing with the Roger Odell Trio and Larraine Odell

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Described by Jazz FM as “….an irresistible mix of Sinatra, Bennett & Buble”, Kevin is the perfect guest for our Christmas gig. With a repertoire based around The Great American Songbook his jazz influences were recently displayed at sell-out shows at Ronnie Scott’s in London and New York’s famous Birdland club. A brilliant gig to end a brilliant year!

Kevin Fitzsimmons is a London born jazz singer, lyricist/songwriter & producer, who s sung everywhere from well-worn local jazz clubs to glittering international occasions. He s enjoyed sell out shows at Ronnie Scott’s, a one hour concert live on Jazz FM, TV appearances with his jazz band on E4 s Made In Chelsea. Kevin has entertained royalty twice and been the voice of a TV advert with Hollywood moviestar Naomi Watts. A natural lyricist (& artist/cartoonist), he also writes in collaboration with musicians, most notably with Jools Holland s saxophonist Derek Nash. He also stars in the theatre concert-show based on Frank Sinatra s iconic years with Capitol Records, Sinatra Sequins & Swing The Capitol Years Live!

Being the son of a 1950’s model & a singer/pianist father, with family members who’ve acted in films with Richard Burton, Peter Sellers, Michael Caine & David Niven – and the stunt director of the epic film ‘Zulu’ also in the family – meant a career in entertainment was a strong possibility for London born singer Kevin Fitzsimmons.
At around the age of five Kevin first discovered ‘the American songbook’, singing Pennies from Heaven accompanied by his father, whose constant renditions of Gershwin, Porter and Berlin were to leave an irreversible impression. By his early twenties, Kevin found himself in the company of and performing with other like minded aficionados and their profound knowledge and musicianship helped forward his studies; they included the late American saxophonist Spike Robinson, John Critchinson (piano accompanist with Ronnie Scott at his eponymous Club), and bass player Lennie Bush – who sessioned with Frank Sinatra himself, on his album “Great Songs from Great Britain”.

Kevin performs fresh-sounding jazz standards, own jazz arrangements of iconic pop tunes & the odd self-penned song (the ones on his album were praised by Malcolm Laycock, former BBC Radio 2 Big Band presenter, who said “may I flatter you on the quality, both the music and the clever lyrics. I am impressed”).  These live dates have proved very popular (his debut at Ronnie Scotts Jazz Club was sold out a month prior to the date, and he’s also performed at the historic Birdland Jazz Club, off Broadway, New York),  as well as receiving great feedback.  Described by Jazz FM as “….his voice is an irresistible mix of Sinatra, Bennett & Buble – backed by a world class band”, Kevin’s sextet featured in their own hour long live show on Jazz FM’s Discovery Show.

All of Kevin Fitzsimmons performances are delivered with bona fide presence and he performs effortlessly not only the less challenging songs but also the more vocally difficult. The result of all this…..a truly memorable experience.

“Wow Kevin can really swing a song” – Birdland Jazz Club, New York

“I thought they were playing a CD (of Sinatra) until I came around the corner and saw it was you singing” – Shawn Levy, Author of The Rat Pack & US bestseller Rat Pack Confidential.

“A singer who I had the privilege of hearing rehearse earlier and who is absolutely marvellous.  What a great voice.” – Sir Trevor Mcdonald.

Kevin Fitzsimmons was singing 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.

Ted Beament – Piano
Ted is one of the UK’s most revered pianists. He was with Humphrey Lyttelton’s band for many years and before that with George Melly. He’s played with just about every name on the UK scene and many visiting American jazz stars too. For many years he did gigs with his own trio and with other freelance groups, reaching a point when many top international musicians were happy to have him supporting them. He is also a superb and sensitive accompanist.

                       

Bernie Hodgkins – 5 String Double Bass
Bernie grew up in a Jazz-oriented family and has toured in Europe and further afield with a wide variety of artists and honed his skills and adding to his prodigious repertoire. Spending much of his time in the recording studios, he is equally at home and in demand as an enthusiastic “live” rhythm section player.

With additional vocals from
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, Royal Festival Hall. Boxford Fleece & Ronnie Scott’s. 

                     

Larraine Odell opened the first set with superb arrangements of:

Artie Shaw’s Moonray
Luiz Bonfa’s Gentle Rain from the 1966 film of the same name.
Richard Rodgers and Lorenz Hart’s 1940 I Could Write a Book.
The Masquerade Is Over (1938) Music from Allie Wrubel and Lyrics by Herb Magidson.
The Touch of Your Lips (1936)Words and Music by Ray Noble.

Kevin Fitzsimmons then joined the band to sing:

Cole Porters’ I Get a Kick Out of You (1934)
When Your Lover Has Gone (1931. Words and Music by Einar Aaron Swan.
Sunday in New York from the 1963 film of the same name.
Blue Skies is a popular song that was written by Irving Berlin in 1926.
It Never Entered My Mind, a show tune from the 1940 Rodgers and Hart musical Higher and Higher (1940).

Following the Jazznights raffle of 2 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 Consuelo Velazquez’s 1941 Errol Garner’s Misty played by Geoff Harriman on harmonica and Jean Faulkner to sing Fly Me To The Moon.

                               

Kevin Fitzsimmons then re-joined the Jazznights Trio to sing:

Out of Nowhere is a popular song composed by Johnny Green with lyrics by Edward Heyman. It was first recorded by Bing Crosby in 1931.
Michel Jean Legrand’s Watch What Happens.
Just One of Those Things is a popular song and jazz standard written by Cole Porter for the 1935 musical Jubilee.
I’ve Grown Accustomed to Her Face is a song from the 1956 musical My Fair Lady, with music by Frederick Loewe and lyrics by Alan Jay Lerner.
Don’t Get Around Much Anymore (1942) Music by Duke Ellington and Lyrics from Bob  Russell.
This Masquerade is a song written by Leon Russell. The song appeared on the B-side of the single for Russell’s 1972 hit “Tight Rope” and on his Carney album. Made famous by George Benson.
Dream, sometimes referred to as “Dream (When You’re Feeling Blue)”, is a jazz and pop standard with words and music written by Johnny Mercer in 1944.
Norwegian Wood (This Bird Has Flown)” is a song by the Beatles, mainly written by John Lennon, with the middle eight co-written with Paul McCartney, released on the 1965 album Rubber Soul.
Ray Noble’s 1934 The Very Thought of You (1934) brought this evening sadly to a close as Kevin and the band received rapturous applause from the full house (even those who had to sit on the stairs – make sure you book in advance in future!) audience

SUE RICHARDSON (trp & voc) will be at Jazznights on Sunday 1st March.Sue’s special show features Chet Baker’s most famous standards, his own compositions and works inspired by his life. As well as performing some of the songs forever associated with Chet and his sublime solos Sue has uncovered great songs written by him. There is also  new material written by Sue.

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 go to www.jazz-nights.com

Jo Fooks (tenor sax) at Jazznights,. The Cock Inn, Clare Sunday 1st February 1915 with the Roger Odell Jazznights Trio with vocals from Larraine Odell.

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Continuing the Humphrey Lyttelton connection this month the other great saxophonist who first came to prominence with his band is featured. A former Young Scottish Jazz Musician of the Year, Jo now fronts her own band with whom -+she has just released her second CD “Playin”. “Jo will be a star!” Ian Carr.

“Anyone who can turn the humble Brussels Sprouts into an inspiration for jazz shows a refreshing level of originality, and this is born out in Jo’s confident and assured tenor playing as much as in her original themes. Jazznights Jo Fooks 271111 (32) – Alyn Shipton, radio broadcaster Pasted from

Jo Fooks, born in Edinburgh, began learning the saxophone at 15. In 1992 she won ‘The Young Scottish Jazz Musician of the Year’. Inspired and encouraged by local Edinburgh musicians, Jo went on to study saxophone at the Guildhall School of music in London (1995-99). She also studied at the Berklee School of music in Boston after receiving a full fee scholarship for the summer jazz programme.

Jo began to compose her own music in2004 after learning and analysing a wide variety of Jazz standards. She currently gigs in and around the London area and her teaching positions have included tutoring the RAF bands men (2000-2006).

“It led me to invite Jo Fooks into my band….I can report that in the year-and-a-half that has elapsed since then, she has developed further into a bright star. I make no apology for singing her praises here.  A brilliantly inventive player and composer…”
                                                 -Humphrey Lyttelton on radio 2 “Best of Jazz”(21/01/08)
“Anyone who can turn the humble Brussels Sprouts into an inspiration for jazz shows a refreshing level of originality, and this is born out in Jo’s confident and assured tenor playing as much as in her original themes. She leads a well-balanced quartet with authority and purpose, and this debut disc augurs extremely well for her future.”
                                                   – Alyn Shipton, radio broadcaster (23/01/06)

Apart from Jo the band were this evening:

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.

Simon Brown – Piano
Simon is a highly respected and popular jazz pianist who is equally known for his arranging skills. His bands include the quintet Beyond Cantaloupe featuring the music of Herbie Hancock, the Simon Brown Trio and Quartet.

                

Bernie Hodgkins – 5 String Double Bass
Bernie grew up in a Jazz-oriented family and has toured in Europe and further afield with a wide variety of artists and honed his skills and adding to his prodigious repertoire. Spending much of his time in the recording studios, he is equally at home and in demand as an enthusiastic “live” rhythm section player.

With additional vocals from
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, Royal Festival Hall. Boxford Fleece & Ronnie Scott’s. 

                     

Our Master of Ceremonies for the evening was the erudite Gareth Williams-James

Larraine Odell opened the first set with:

Misty is a jazz standard written in 1954 by the pianist Erroll Garner.
Originally composed as an instrumental following the traditional 32-bar format and first recorded for Garner’s 1955 album Contrasts, the tune was later paired with lyrics by Johnny Burke.
You’re Sensational is a song written by Cole Porter for the 1956 film High Society, where it was introduced by Frank Sinatra.
The Touch of Your Lips (1936)Words and Music by Ray Noble
This Is Always (1946) sung by Larraine as a ballad. Music by Harry Warren and Lyrics from    Mack Gordon
You’d Be So Nice to Come Home To (1942) with words and music from Cole Porter a lovely song to end Larraine Odell’s set.

Misty is a jazz standard written in 1954 by the pianist Erroll Garner.
Originally composed as an instrumental following the traditional 32-bar format and first recorded for Garner’s 1955 album Contrasts, the tune was later paired with lyrics by Johnny Burke.
“You’re Sensational” is a song written by Cole Porter for the 1956 film High Society, where it was introduced by Frank Sinatra.
The Touch of Your Lips (1936)Words and Music by Ray Noble
This Is Always (1946) sung by Larraine as a ballad. Music by Harry Warren and Lyrics from    Mack Gordon
You’d Be So Nice to Come Home To (1942) with words and music from Cole Porter a lovely song to end Larraine Odell’s set.

Jo fooks opened her first set with a stunning version of The King.
When You Wish Upon a Star is a song written by Leigh Harline and Ned Washington for Walt Disney’s 1940 adaptation of Pinocchio.
Tico-Tico no Fubá is the title of a renowned Brazilian music piece composed by Zequinha de Abreu in 1917.
Just a Gigolo is a popular song, adapted by Irving Caesar in 1929 from the Austrian song “Schöner Gigolo, armer Gigolo”, composed in 1928.
The American jazz, rhythm and blues, soul, rock, and funk trumpeter Blue Mitchell’s Fungii Mama from From The Complete Blue Note Blue Mitchell Sessions (1963-67

Following the Jazznights raffle of 2 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 Michael Mason on drums for the first two numbers of Jo’s  set.

Jo Fooks then played:
Strike Up the Band is a 1927 song composed by George Gershwin, with lyrics by Ira Gershwin. It was written for the 1927 musical Strike Up the Band.
Danka samba – a connection with Nina Danka?
Jo the invited Larraine Odell to join her with Gerswin’s 1930 Embraceable You – a great combination , more please.
(I’d Like to Get You on a) Slow Boat to China is a popular song by Frank Loesser, published in 1948. The song is a well-known standard,
As Time Goes By, the song so closely associated with the film Casablanca, was written by Herman Hupfeld (sometimes spelled “Hupfield”) in 1931 for a Broadway musical entitled Everybody’s Welcome featuring Ingrid Bergman’s Play It Again Sam
Mack the Knife (1928) This ballad was part of composer Kurt Weill’s The Threepenny Opera which was an adaptation of The Beggar’s Opera. Louis Armstrong generally gets credit for the first jazz version of this tune, recorded in 1955.
Eternal Triangle was written by saxophonist Sonny Stitt. This song was featured on trumpeter Dizzy Gillespie’s 1957 record Sonny Side Up.
The More I See You is a popular song and jazz standard written by Harry Warren, with lyrics by Mack Gordon in 1966.
Crazy Rhythm is a thirty-two-bar swing show tune written in 1928 by Irving Caesar, Joseph Meyer, and Roger Wolfe Kahn for the Broadway musical Here’s Howe.[1] It has since become a jazz standard, inspiring at least 15 jazz albums named Crazy Rhythm. This gave a stunning finale to Jo’s gig which really illustrated her superb unique melodic sound.

Sun 15 Feb – KEVIN FITZSIMMONS (voc) returns to Jazznights

London-born jazz singer/songwriter has enjoyed sell out shows at Ronnie Scotts, a live concert on Jazz FM, a TV appearance with his band on E4 Made In Chelsea and sung for  royalty twice. His distinctive vocals are used in many TV & Radio Ads. “Lovers of the jazz vocal mainstream have another star to follow” – JAZZWISE MAGAZINE.

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 go to www.jazz-nights.com