It’s Friday night. You’re out on the town.

Take a Ferry Across The Mersey….well, the Holman Street Ferry across the Brisbane River…and you’re at the Brisbane Jazz Club.

Tonight, it’s Annie Street, Kangaroo Point…but it could be Bourbon Street in New Orleans…or a 1930’s Prohibition-era Speakeasy in New York…as on stage, there’s a long cool woman in a black dress with a big black rose in her hair…and five just-as-cool dudes in black shirts, black pants, black hats and white ties….

‘So, please put your hands together for Nicole Parker Brown and The Jazz Kings…here to entertain you with a night of toe-tapping, swinging Jazz, heart-touching Blues and sexy, simmering Soul. And for the launch of their great new album, Blue Jazz’.

This combo is very well named…because they are, indeed, Brisbane Jazz Royalty!!

Five Kings and one Queen to rule them all. They are….

Nicole Parker-Brown. Vocals and occasional touches of percussion.

Inspired by the lady legends of Jazz and Blues, such as Nina Simone, Bessi Smith, Diana Krall and Ella Fitzgerald, Nicole has been singing Jazz and Blues for most of her life. She has performed with greats such as the late Wiley Reed, and has written and recorded many of her own songs.

Peter Uppman. Trumpet, flugelhorn and vocals.

World-class trumpet-player, singer and songwriter, Peter has worked with dozens of internationally renowned artists, in presenting a repertoire which embraces every imaginable music style.

Gordon Matheson. Electric and acoustic guitars.

Talented guitarist, Gordon has worked with many world-class acts, including The Seekers, Liza Minnelli, Peter Allen, John Farnham, Tina Arena, and Winifred Atwell. He is the principal guitarist with the Gold Coast Big Band.

Col Atkinson. Electric bass and vocals.

Sublime subtlety is the hallmark of Col’s bass playing and Latin Jazz Standard vocals. Across the years, the big names that he has played with include Norman Wisdom, the Karl Denver Trio, Bert Weeden, Kamahl, Kerry Anne Kennelly and Galapagos Duck. He is the principal bass player with the Gold Coast Big Band.

Rodney Ford. Drums and vocals.

Before taking up the drums, Rod played trombone, trumpet and clarinet. As a drummer, he has toured and recorded extensively with  Galapagos Duck, and featured in many big stage productions such as The Wiz, Man of La Mancha and Chorus Line.

Jose McLaughlin. Piano, Nord electro keyboard and vocals.

Keyboard maestro and singer-songwriter, Jose is probably best known as a former member of Gerry and the Pacemakers…and for having his portrait hanging on the walls of the Brisbane Jazz Club. He has performed and recorded with many international music stars including The Doobie Brothers, Thelma Houston, Chuck Berry, Peter Allen, Stan Getz, Blood Sweat and Tears, Jose Feliciano, Ronnie Scott, the Czech Philharmonic Orchestra…and Australian artists and bands, such as Vince Jones, James Morrison, Marcia Hines, Broderick Smith, Pantha, Daniel, Hired Hands, The Executives and Crossfire.

Across two power-packed sets, these six talented musicians, in combinations that changed regularly across the night, lived up to their promotional material by treating a grateful and enthusiastic audience to a wonderful night of ‘…standard jazz and blues classics combined with some originals and unique arrangements and delivered with light-hearted humour and extraordinary talent’.

Lead vocal responsibilities were shared by Nicole, Peter, Jose, Col and Rod. And each of the instruments was featured in timely, expertly delivered solos.

And EVERY song was a highlight…but to mention a few…

From the Blue Jazz album…

They gave us a cruisy instrumental version of the Jimmy Dorsey classic, On Green Dolphin Street.

Nicole gave us big and Bluesy renditions of How Blue Can You Get, Georgia On My Mind and Moanin’.

Jose gave us Popsicle Toes and a seriously Swinging arrangement of Ferry Across The Mersey.

Col told us the sad tale of Brooks Bowman, before giving us the unfortunate lyricist’s East Of The Sun.

Rod gave us his own song, Rockin’ Gold…a rollicking 12-Bar Rocker, which he said he talked the band into believing would be a classic Jazz Ballad!!

And from Peter, we got Still Got The Blues. And for the night’s Big Finish…an original; All Funked Upp.

Among the non-album numbers were…

Maria Elena, with Gordon playing lead on his Almansa Flamenco acoustic, and Jose on Rhythm guitar. Beautiful!!

Nicole’s Black Coffee. How else could you have it, given their dress theme?

Rod’s busy, buzzy interpretation of Misty…and his tribute to Fats Waller, with Honeysuckle Rose.

Jose’s All Of Me and Don’t Let The Sun Catch You Crying…the latter, a former UK #1 that he co-wrote with Gerry Marsden.

Crooner Col’s Night and Day.

Peter and Nicole on vocals for Blue Drag. Apparently written as a dirge….they certainly did NOT perform it as one!!

And Peter…with help from the enthusiastic audience…gave us the Blues Brothers classic, Flip Flop Fly. An appropriate choice, as they were all dressed as if they had just stepped off the movie set…on a mission from God!!

What a great night!!

Thank you…Nicole, Peter, Gordon, Col, Rod and Jose.

Alan Smith

Brisbane Jazz Club