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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.
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