Blacks of Inkberrow - The Kitchen & Bathroom Studio

SPONSORED BY BLACK'S OF INKBERROW

Following this success, Inkberrow Jazz is following up with a visit from Joe Lee Wilson & The Kirk Lightsey Trio. These two great Americans are over for a tour including a stint at Ronnie Scott's. Rhythm section, Steve Watts (bass) & Dave Wickens (drums).

Here are some comments from the press & pundits on recent performances & some background on
Joe Lee & Kirk.

WHAT THE EXPERTS SAY..............

JOE LEE WILSON

'...powerful & dramatic...'Humprey Lyttelton
'...performs persuasively & with utter conviction...'Blueprint Magazine
'I doubt if we'll hear a more inspiring, affirmative performance this (or any other) year'City Life
'He is a beautiful musician & a beautiful human being' Saxophonist Peter King
' ...a penetrating forthrightness of approach & vibrant, wide-horizon sound..with the look of a man who enjoys his work' John Fordham, The Guardian
'Wilson's impassioned but controlled delivery held the audience spellbound' James Griffiths, The Guardian

KIRK LIGHTSEY

'..consistently excellent...long ago developed his own sound within the hard bop tradition' US Critic Scott Yanow
'Lightsey is a piano dancer. His percussive single-note melody lines sparkle...' US Critic Stuart Troup
'Lightsey delights in shading & re-shading a theme, enhancing without obliterating the material as he applies his own personal touches' US Critic Bob Blumenthal
'A chunky & assertive accompanist, he grunted & sang to himself as he played, stamping his foot on the ground & reeling off bluesy riffs & darting runs as if his live depended on it' James Griffiths, The Guardian

BIOGRAPHICAL NOTES

JOE LEE WILSON is 65 and in great voice. He was born in Bristow Oklahoma of part Creek Indian stock - a heritage of which he is very proud. He trained in Los Angeles, starting his professional career in LA before spending a year in Mexico and finally arriving in New York in 1962. Soon he was being featured with important musicians from Sonny Rollins and Freddie Hubbard to Miles Davis and Archie Shepp. In the 70's Joe Lee was one of the innovators of New York's 'JAZZ LOFT' movement, owning and running a flourishing club which allowed many of today's well known jazz musicians opportunities to play, denied them by other jazz clubs. In 1973 he appeared at the Newport Jazz Festival.

S ince then he has travelled the world and performed in most Continents and major cities - the perennial globetrotter with bases in Paris, New York, Tokyo and the UK ( Brighton). A modern link in the chain of a great vocal tradition that extends back to Billy Eckstine, Eddie Jefferson and Joe Williams, he is endowed with a very special voice that is extraordinarily warm, powerful and rich; enabling him to make the most of an extensive repertoire in which he mixes ageless standards, blues and gospel with songs following newer trends; written by himself and other contemporary composers. Add an easy going and captivating stage presence and you have an artist who enthralls wherever he plays.

KIRK LIGHTSEY hails originally from Detroit where he started learning the piano at the age of five. Important early professional work was as an accompanist to a range of singers including Ernestine Anderson and Lovelace Watkins. He recorded his first instrumental album with Sonny Stitt and went on to make five albums with Chet Baker and to work for four years with Dexter Gordon.

Having moved to Paris in 1993, he now tours Europe extensively with his current trio and quartet and is the pianistic force behind the 'ROOTS' supergroup: his latest trio CD GOODBYE MR EVANS (Evidence Records) was top rated by the jazz magazines. Downbeat giving it 4.5 stars. He also features on Joe Lee's live album ACID RAIN, recorded in Paris and issued on the French Bloomdido label.

Joe Lee & Kirk are joined by two of the UK's finest rhythm men, STEVE Watts ( Double Bass ) and Dave Wickens ( Drums ).