(click on images for lager pictures)
Rebop’s Kevin Flanagan and Colin Watling feature in a “Battle of the Saxes” brought to mind the famous saxophone duets of John Coltrane/Sonny Rollins and Eddie “Lockjaw” Davis/Coleman Hawkins. This proved to be a night of hard swinging fireworks from these two brilliant musicians in a programme drawn from the classic 40’s to 60’s period of modern jazz.Tenor Madness features the tenor saxophones of Kevin Flanagan & Colin Watling with a great rhythm section of PETER LEMER (keys), BERNIE HODGKINS (bass) & ROGER ODELL (drums)
Kevin Flanagan comes from Lowell MA, USA. He has been involved in jazz and blues, both recording and performing. He settled in the UK Kevin Flanagan Rebop Jazznights 180410 (7)in 1985, playing with his own group and with musicians such as Dick Morrissey, Alan Barnes, Gerard Precenser, and Dave Cliff. He has made two successful CDs with Chris 
Ingham as the Flanagan-Ingham Quartet.
Kevin comes from Lowell, Mass., USA. He initially studied music and philosophy at the University of New Hampshire, and was part of Antares, a free improvisatory group that toured the New England through the mid-70s to early 80s. During this period he was also involved in jazz, blues, and popular music, both recording and performing. He settled in the UK in the mid-80s, and worked on the London jazz and pop scene, playing and recording with members of Pink Floyd, Ben E. King, the Sex Pistols, Jools Holland, Led Zeppelin, B.B. King, Portishead, and many others. By the late 1980s he was primarily involved with jazz, playing with his own )group or with musicians such as Dick Morrissey, Alan Barnes, Dave Newton, Gerard Precenser, Don Weller, Dave Cliff, Mark Edwards, Adrian Utley, and the Tommy Chase quartet around the festivals of the UK and Europe. 
Colin Watling specialises in tenor sax and offers the full gamut of musical styles in his performances from soft and mellow, through to boppy and brassy….. and always in great humour. Colin is rated by many as one of the most exciting tenor saxophonists on the circuit with his melodic, swinging sound. He is a mainstay of the region’s jazz scene, the Hertfordshire-based tenor sax colossus.
Colin made a superb CD with Roger Odell, Mike Harris and Chris Ingham called We’re All Done.
The two tenors played with the Jazznights Trio who were:
Peter Lemer – Keyboards
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 – as well as playing one-off gigs with old friends Steve Cook (bass) and Roger Odell (drums), recording an album with them in Israel.
Roger Odell – Drums
As one of the founder members and drummer with the jazz-funk group Shakatak, Roger has toured internationally and recorded numerous CDs, which he continues to do on a regular basis to this day.
Musically, his first love was always straight-ahead contemporary jazz and he has played with most of the great names on the UK jazz scene.He recently produced his own critically acclaimed CD “The Blue Window” by Beatifik, which featured top UK saxophonist Mornington Lockett. Jacqui Hicks and Larraine and a new Beatifik album is due to be released in November
Roger is the author of three technical articles which appeared in the international magazine Modern Drummer, and is an Endorsee Artist for Sabian Cymbals, Vic Firth Sticks and Hardcases
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.
Touring in Europe and further afield with a wide variety of artists honed his skills and added to his prodigious repertoire. Supports to players like John Scofield, and singers such as Annie Ross always proved inspirational and served to reinforce his enduring love affair with jazz.
Spending much of his time in the recording studios, he is equally at home and in demand as an enthusiastic “live” rhythm section player, as is testified by his work with Don Rendell, Jack Parnell, George Chisholm, Pete Jacobson, John Etheridge, Kenny Baker, Allan Skidmore, Dave O’Higgins and many others.
Master of Ceremonies for the evening was the erudite Gareth Williams-James
Tenor Madness opened the evening with a stunning display of of the best in British Jazz playing extended version of some of the great jazz classics including Sugar,Bernie’s Tune,Nostalgia in Times Square, Green Dolphin Street, Alone together, Straight No Chaser with Colin Watling giving a solo set of Body & Soul with Kevin Flanagan showing his expertise playing My One & Only Love.
Following the Jazznights raffle of 3 Jazz CDs this great gig continued
As Gareth Williams-James our MC pointed out the only madness should be deserved for all those who did not come to this stupendous gig by five master musicians including two tenor giants.
Sun 11 October 2015 Jazznights presents PETE ROTH (gtr)
In the five short years of his professional life Pete Roth has played in some of the best venues in Europe including the Purcell Room at the Royal Festival Hall and he has appeared on the same bill with one of his heroes John Schofield. On his new CD “Meridian” he is joined by Jazznights favourite Nicolas Meier.
THE BEST IN BRITISH MODERN JAZZ is at Jazznights, Clare, Suffolk.
Admission £10. Doors open 7.00 pm. Music 8.30 – 10.00 pm.
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
Pictures from past gigs can also be seen HERE
For further information on future gigs go to www.jazz-nights.com
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