Flickr

This is a test post from , a fancy photo sharing thing.

Sue Richardson, jazz trumpet player, singer and composer with the Roger Odell Trio at Jazznights at the Bell Hotel, Clare, Suffolk Sunday 7th March 2010

Flickr Tags: Jazznights

A wonderful evening at the Bell Hotel in Clare with the Jazznights Roger Odell Trio which included of course:
Roger Odell on drums who was 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.
Ted Beament on Keyboard  who is a a superb and sensitive accompanist and was a stalwart of the Humphrey Lyttleton band from 1995.
Bernie Hodgkins on his five string Double Bass. Bernie is particularly acknowledged as being one of the few players to bring an authentic, driving jazz feel to both the double bass and the bass-guitar, and for his fluent and creative soloing.
The evening got off to a great start with the resident song bird Larraine Odell -  Larraine possesses a unique smouldering tonal quality and a subtle jazz phrasing style that has elicited great praise from two of her own vocal mentors, Mark Murphy and Sheila Jordan

Larraine opened the set with All Or Nothing At All composed in 1939 by Arthur Altman, with lyrics by Jack Lawrence followed by a wonderful and tender version of Estate – French for Summer composed by Bruno Martino with words by Joel Siegel, a particular favourite of Larraine’s. Nat King Cole’s When Sunny Gets Blue which is one of our favourite songs by Larraine. This fine session  finished with Yesterdays – Jerome Kern’s music and song – not The Beatles!

Sue Richardson’s  first set with opened with a blues written by Sue called Aubergine which unusually is a 13 bar blues or a ‘baker’s dozen’. Written because she was once called ‘Sue Aubergine Richardson’ when she was with the Humphrey Lyttleton band, Incidentally Ted Beament was at the same time knows as Ted The Fingers Beament. A beautiful version of Jimmy Van Heusen’s It Could Happen To You from Sue’s Emergence album was next and was followed by In Duke Ellington’s A Mellow Tone which included shades of Ella in the middle. The first set concluded with Out Of A Song on flugelhorn and In Between – written by Sue when she was literally between things.

The second set opened with I Get A Kick Out Of You, Cole Porter’s Broadway musical Anything Goes from Sue’s first Album ‘Out Of A Song ‘followed by Rogers & Hart’s This Can’t Be Love from the musical The Boys From Syracuse and I’m Old Fashioned by Jerome Kern, with lyrics written by Johnny Mercer which well be featured on Sue’s next album.

Next was a Latin ballad called Eclipse named of the maker of Sue’s trumpets. She wrote Eclipse when she got her new trumpets – custom-made gold trumpets made by Eclipse which has gold flowers entwining the tubing although tonight it was played on a flugelhorn and it featured Bernie Hodgkins on double bass. Ellington’s Do Nothing Till You Hear From Me was next and is a song which originated as a 1940 instrumental ("Concerto for Cootie") that was designed to highlight the playing of Ellington’s lead trumpeter, Cootie Williams which  featured a great drum solo from Roger. Rogers & Hart’s Bewitched, Bothered and Bewildered was followed by a very moving Last Goodbye played again on the flugelhorn about reluctantly having to leave an old house.

View Full Album

The final number was a calypso styled Out For A Duck written by Sue about a stuffed duck that was given to her and squeaked forever when its stomach was pushed! This was a great number to finish with and featured a rapid style calypso beat by Roger on the drums.

Sue has a wonderful melodic and easy listening voice that just wanted you go on listening to her – the set went far too quickly. Please come back again soon Sue.

Sue Richardson is the unusual combination of female jazz trumpet player, singer and composer. Her performances are a wonderful mix of breathy vocals, swinging trumpet and her own modern compositions and arrangements of jazz standards.

Touring with big bands by the age of 16, Sue has a musical past that includes many years travelling the world, gigging in over 50 countries in hotels, jazz clubs and on cruise ships. You can even hear her recorded version of The Girl From Ipanema being played in Rio in the famous bar where the song was written. She has worked for the BBC, performing at The Last Night of The Proms and gaining a Blue Peter badge for her singing! as well as now at Jazznights in Clare, Suffolk

 

 

Jazznights with Derek Nash at High Barn, Gt Bardfield Wednesday 24th February 2010

A superb evening at High Barn Great Bardfield in Essex with the Roger Odell Trio and vocalist Larraine Odell with special guest Derek Nash.

Firstly, one must comment about the venue and the incredible acoustics. This 800 year old barn is one of the finest recording spaces in the world. The oak beams and cathedral like vaulted ceiling create a unique recording environment, visually and acoustically unparalleled. The extensive theatre lighting rig ensures the barn can be atmospherically lit to suit an artist’s preference. The main barn is wired to a control room and two isolated recording rooms. Rooms can be hired independently or you can rent the entire barn & studio including chill out room.

The evening opened with the Jazznights Trio – with of course the well known Shakatak drummer Roger Odell on drums,Carl Hudson on a grand piano (no need for keyboards here) Bernie Hodgkins on double bass, vocals were provided by the resident songbird Larraine Odell.

The set started with Lets Fall In Love followed by a lovely and moving I’ll Close My Eyes from the film the Bridges Of Madison County. This was followed by Love For Sale and a great rendition of It never Entered My Mind, a show tune from the 1940 Rodgers & Hart musical Higher and Higher. This set finished with Get Out Of Town the Cole Porter Peggy Lee song.

Derek Nash was introduced as the very Jazznights special guest. Derek is a vibrant and charismatic performer on all 4 sax’s from Soprano to Baritone, and is equally at home leading the award winning Jazz ensemble Sax Appeal to Funky Heights, or swinging his way to best CD of the year 2000 with Spike Robinson or leading soloist with the Jools Holland R & B Orchestra

.

View Full Album

 

A great opener from Derek on tenor with the Hank Mobley’s Soul Station followed by a contrasting Farmer’s Trust on his soprano (which is turned up like a baby alto) by Pat Metheny which has some very romantic and touching melodies. A contrasting Gerry Mulligan’s Five Brothers on of course his baritone sax and Carl Hudson on the grand piano paying the fifth brother part as featured originally by Chet Baker. Hard Times followed by Ray Charles.

A very pretty It’s A Most Desirable Residence composed by both Pat and Derek Nash. Next was a very different Mambo Inn written in 1952 by Mario Bauza, Bobby Woodlen, and Grace Sampson which featured a very busy Roger Odell on drums with the snares off. Derek’s own composition New York Walk followed by a very interesting combination of the Doobie Brothers Little Darling as featured by Count Basie and Neil Hefti’s Cute.

Polka Dots And Moonbeams by Jimmy Van Heusen was played in B- flat as it suited the rich sound of Derek’s baritone sax. The big finish was very apt with the Duke’s The Duke Is Jumping on tenor sax.

The tunes Soul Station, Farmer’s Trust, Polka Dots And Moonbeams, Little Darlin’ and Five Brothers are all featured on Derek Nash’s new album “Snapshot”

For further details of other Jazznights go to www.jazz-nights.com

Shakatak’s 30th Anniversary Concert

Shakatak celebrate their 30th Anniversary! "This music still glows as brightly as that first hearing…Shakatak aren’t just a band, they were the soundtrack to our lives" RONNIE SCOTT’S HOUSE MAGAZINE (UK) " A wild diversity seldom found anymore…tons of rhythmic and stylistic variety…slamming" JAZZIZ MAGAZINE (USA

The first 30th anniversary sell ut at High Barn, Gret Bardfield was a huge suucess in a superb  venue with incredible accolustics (even Midge Ure said about High Barn "I want one" . The band consists of the four original members Bill Sharpe (keys), Jill Saward (lead voc, perc & flt), Roger Odell (drs) & George Anderson (bs gtr), augmented with Alan Wormald (gtr) and Jacqui Hicks (tenor sax, flute and backuing vocals) producing a musically dynamic and entertaining show from the 6 piece line-up.

All the old (and new) fovourites were there: Nightbirds, Dark is the night, Emotionally Blue and of course Down On The Street. Apart from the superb musicianship, Roger Odell and Jill Saward worked there socks off. Wonderful evening.

In  2009 festival performances have included headlining at the Kutchan Jazz Festival in Japan in July, the Hua Hin Jazz Festival in Thailand in June and the Cape Town International Jazz Festival in April. In recent years the band played two headlining nights at Jakjazz, the Jakarta International Jazz Festival plus an appearance at the Bangkok International Jazz Festival.  Shakatak have alsoplayed at the UK’s Wigan International Jazz Festival and the Midsummer Music @ Spencers Jazz Festival.  In the past18 months the band have performed concert dates in Russia, Latvia, South Africa, Lithuania and Slovakia plus club dates in the UK and at the prestigious Blue Note, Billboard & Cotton in Japan. In June ’09 Shakatak played a 3 night performance in Sofia, Bulgaria and in July and August ’09the group appeared in Japan at the Tokyo, Osaka & Fukuoka Billboard Live clubs.  Throughout their 29 year career Shakatak have released over 50 CDs, 3 DVDs, plus the music book