Jim Tomlinson makes a welcome return to Jazznights at The Cock Inn, Clare with the Roger Odell Trio and vocals from Larraine Odell 24th May 2015

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Perhaps best known for his work as the compelling counter-voice to singer and wife, Stacey Kent, Jim Tomlinson is increasingly recognised as a distinctive saxophone voice in his own right. The  release of his debut album as leader, Only Trust Your Heart (Candid 2000), was greeted with enthusiastic and universal acclaim. His follow up CD, Brazilian Sketches (2003), was named Jazz CD Of The Week by the Observer newspaper in the UK.

Jim Tomlinson did not study music formally until well into his 20s. He played saxophone and ran a band as a hobby whilst studying for his degree in Politics, Philosophy and Economics at University College, Oxford. It was only after graduating and finding himself drawn to London’s jazz scene that he enrolled at the Guildhall School Of Music in 1990. It was at the Guildhall that his musical and romantic relationship with Stacey blossomed.

Since then, Tomlinson has worked in a wide variety of groups, from Brian Ferry to experimental big band composer, Michael Garrick. His own quartet has appeared at clubs and festivals across Europe. Most recently, he has toured almost exclusively with Stacey in Europe, USA and the Far East, reserving time to perform in a quintet dedicated to the  music of Lester Young with fellow saxophonist and Guildhall graduate, Mark Crooks.

When not performing, Jim shares his passion for skiing with Stacey, a sport at which they both excel. Only touring commitments in March 2006, 2007, 2008 and 2009 prevented them from racing in the Nascar US Championships for which they both qualified in consecutive seasons.

Tomlinson’s latest CD, The Lyric features Stacey Kent extensively and is the first release on his own record label, Token. The album recently hit the charts in Poland, France, Spain, Hong Kong and the UK. The Lyric also won ‘Album of the Year ‘ at the 2006 BBC Jazz Awards.

In 2007 Jim produced Stacey’s new platinum selling, Grammy-nominated Blue Note album, Breakfast On The Morning Tram, for which he also wrote four new songs with the acclaimed author, Kazuo Ishiguro. Their song, The Ice Hotel, won first prize in the jazz category of the 2007 International Song writing Competition and So Romantic was a finalist in the 2008 competition.  Their most recent tours since the release of Breakfast On The Morning Tram have taken them to 27 countries. Tomlinson continues to write and arrange for Stacey, including special commissions for the BBC Big Band and work on the new French language album, Raconte-Moi projected for release in early 2010.

Jim played wit h 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.

Peter Lemer – Piano
He 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. 

          

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.

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

            

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

Larraine Odell opened the first set to sing:
You Stepped Out of a Dream (1940) Music by Nacio Herb Brown and Lyrics from Gus Kahn.
I’ve Got You Under My Skin (1936) with Words and Music by Cole Porter. This was a magnificent version with a new Roger Odell arrangement.
Get Out of Town is a 1938 popular song written by Cole Porter, for his musical Leave It to Me!, where it was introduced by Tamara Drasin.
Remarkably, You Don’t Know What Love Is and “I’ll Remember April,” two of the top jazz standards, were both written for Bud Abbott and Lou Costello films by Gene De Paul and Don Raye and published in 1941.
The Touch of Your Lips is a romantic ballad written by Ray Noble in 1936.[1] The original version of the song, which has become a standard, was by Al Bowlly.

Jim Tomlinson then joined the trio to play extended versions of:
Desafinado, a Portuguese word (usually rendered into English as “Out of Tune”, or as “Off Key”), is the title of a bossa nova song composed by Antonio Carlos Jobim.
For All We Know is a popular song published in 1934. The music was written by J. Fred Coots and the lyrics by Sam M. Lewis.
Mood Indigo (1930) is a jazz composition and song, with music by Duke Ellington and Barney Bigard.

Following the Jazznights raffle of 5 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 Geoff Harriman with his harmonica playing  Luiz Bonfá’s Gentle Rain.

Jim Tomlinson then re-joined the band to play:
The Face I Love by Ray Gilbert / Carlos Pingarilho / Marcos Valle / Paulo Sérgio Valle and featured on the Samba 68 album by Marcos Valle.
This Is All I Ask is a popular song written by Gordon Jenkins. Jenkins considered this his finest composition, and he recorded it in arrangements he wrote for Nat King Cole, Harry Nilsson, Tiny Tim (musician), Tony Bennett and Frank Sinatra.
Corcovado (known in English as “Quiet Nights of Quiet Stars”) is a bossa nova song written by Antônio Carlos Jobim in 1960.
It’s a Wonderful World Composed by Harold Adamson / Jan Savitt / John Kluczko Watson / Johnny Watson and was performed by Irene Kral with the Junior Mance Trio.
Zingaro (Portrait in Black and White) composed by Antonio Carlos Jobim.
Tenderly by Walter Gross and Jack Lawrence).
Manhã de Carnaval” (“Morning of Carnival”), is the most popular song by Brazilian composer Luiz Bonfá and appeared as a principal theme in the 1959 Portuguese-language film Orfeu Negro (Black Orpheus.

What a wonderful evening of Brazilian influenced west coast jazz. It has been at least 5 years since Jim last visited jazzznights and we are sure that it will not be as long before he  visits again with his cool smooth beautiful tenor sound.

ALAN BARNES (saxes & clt) will be at Jazznights, The Cock Inn, Clare on Sunday 7th June 2015.
“Alan Barnes plays music that was radical 50 years ago – hard, urban post-bop – but he infuses it with so much passion and energy you could believe it was minted on the spot, which is always part of the story with jazz”. John L. Walters – The Guardian. He has recently been touring with Paloma Faith and the Guy Barker Orchestra.

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

Keith Winter ex Shakatak guitarist now well and playing again with the Roger Odell Jazznights Trio at The Cock Inn, Clare 10th May 2015

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A CHART-TOPPING musician – struck by illness at the height of his fame and told by doctors that he would never play the guitar again – played a reunion gig at Jazznights

Founding member of 80s pop group Shakatak, Keith Winter from Littlebury, could not play a chord for almost 20 years because of a rare nerve disease, but following an “inexplicable” recovery he is now preparing to go back on stage.

“My auto-immune system went into overload and wiped out my own nerve cells,” said the 52-year-old musician. “The disease was so rare that it didn’t even have a name. The doctors couldn’t help at all.  “To lose the use of your hands is a guitar player’s worst nightmare – I couldn’t even tie a shoelace. I was always in danger of falling over and I became housebound; it was like I couldn’t coordinate my body.”

Jazz-funk band Shakatak shot to fame in 1980 and the band’s singles and albums regularly entered the charts throughout the decade including the hits “Night Birds” and “Down on the Street”.  An established international act, Shakatak had success across Europe, the Far East and North America picking up numerous accolades and awards along the way. 

As the electric guitarist Keith was a key component of the band’s success, but as the decade drew to a close, and still only in his early 30s, his health began to deteriorate. “I sold some lovely guitars because I didn’t think I would play again – there was a time when I couldn’t play a note or even hold a plectrum,” said Keith. “The doctors all said I wouldn’t improve, but I never gave up hope or saw myself as disabled.

“Then, about two years ago, I started making an inexplicable, but drastic, recovery. I went to see the consultant at Addenbrooke’s Hospital and he was dumbfounded, his jaw hit the floor.”  Keith’s condition started to improve as his daughter, Cara Winter – a musician in her own right – started to establish herself as an artist. Performing low-key gigs with his daughter has helped Keith to rebuild his guitar-playing skills.

“Having about 18 years out is quite a gap, but my hands are improving all the time,” said Keith. “As for how well I’m playing, you’d have to ask the audience that!”

Following his recovery, Keith began searching for a new guitar to replace his original  instruments and came across a Martyn Booth Signature guitar. Immediately, he felt at home, and, given his medical history, was struck by how easy and comfortable it was to play, allowing him to just relax and get on with the music. After further investigation and a test run Keith also fell in love with the sound of these custom made guitars – he is now the proud owner of a Honeyburst signature of his own!

This guitar he played with great aplomb for a stunning gig at Jazznights on the 10th May 2015. Keith played with the Roger Odell 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.

Peter Lemer – Piano
He 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. 

                   

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

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. 

                 

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

Larraine Odell opened the first set to sing:
I’m Old Fashioned (1942) Music by Jerome Kern.
The film Broadway Melody of 1940 introduced I Concentrate on You written by Cole Porter.
Artie Shaw’s Moonray from 1936.
Bing Crosby introduced But Beautiful in the fifth “Road” film Road to Rio that he made with Bob Hope and Dorothy Lamour in 1948.
In 1954 the Erroll Garner Trio introduced the instrumental Misty. A year later Johnny Burke penned the lyrics, creating the song we know today.

Keith Winter then joined the band to play extended versions of:
Richard Rodgers 1959 My Favorite Things.
George Benson’s El Mar from his 1971 White Rabbit album.
Bright Size Life is tune from Pat Metheny’s debut album, released in 1976 on ECM, when Metheny was only 21. The album features Jaco Pastorius on bass and drummer Bob Moses but this was a a superb rendition by Keith, Roger, Peter and Bernie.

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 Stuart Pringle sitting in for Roger and playing with Keith  and the rest of the band playing Pat Metheney’s Phase Dance from his 1978 album of the same name.

Keith Winter continued to play with the Roger Odell Jazznights trio:

Footprints is a jazz standard composed by Wayne Shorter, first appearing on his 1966 album Adam’s Apple.
On April 30, 1935, Duke Ellington and His Orchestra introduced In a Sentimental Mood.
So May It Secretly Begin composed by Pat Metheny from the Still Life (Talking) album.
Maiden Voyage is a jazz composition by Herbie Hancock from his 1965 album Maiden Voyage.
Blue Bossa is an instrumental jazz composition by Kenny Dorham. It was introduced on Joe Henderson’s 1963 album Page One.
Nardis is a composition by American jazz musician Miles Davis. It was written in 1958, during Davis’s modal period, to be played by Cannonball Adderley for the album Portrait of  Cannonball. The piece has come to be associated with pianist Bill Evans, who recorded it repeatedly.
Mr P.C. is a 12 bar minor blues composed by John Coltrane in 1959. The song is named in tribute to the bass player Paul Chambers who had accompanied Coltrane for years and what a fabulous finale this was to conclude a really great night.

JIM TOMLINSON (sax) will be at Jazznights on Sunday 24th May 2015

Perhaps best known for his work as the compelling counter-voice to singer and wife, Stacey Kent, Jim Tomlinson is increasingly recognised as a distinctive saxophone voice in his own right. His latest CD, The Lyric, features Stacey extensively and is the first release on his own record label, Token, winning ‘Album of the Year ‘ at the BBC Jazz Awards.

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