Jazz & Jazz

Jazz painting of Roger Nicholls on banjo and Pat Elms on drums

One of my favourite Jazz portraits, especially as so sadly, Pat Elms is no longer with us having passed away early in 2015. But here he is on drums alongside Roger Nicholls on banjo with Bob Thomas and The Thomcats playing at “Jazz on the Island” in Lemsford, Hertfordshire, back in 2011.

Fine art print of Jazz Portrait of Roger Nicholls and Pat Elms

A Strummin’ and a Drummin’

Cymbals afire, drums aglow,
Pat on percussion, timing the flow,
For Roger on banjo in rhythmic solo.

Jazz&Jazz Copyright © 2011 Peter M Butler. All rights reserved.

Fine Art Giclée Prints of this portrait are available, with or without my descriptive poem. Simply email: [email protected] to place your order and help support jazz.

Left to right: Tony Rico, Paul Bonner and Ben Martyn

Jazz painting of Paul Bonner, Tony Rico and Ben Martyn playing with The Fallen Heroes at a “Jazz In the Barn” concert back in 2009 in Throwley, Faversham, Kent. Sadly Paul Bonner died in January, 2011, after an illness spanning several months. I got to know Paul at The 100 Club and Fallen Heroes gigs. He was very personable and always had the time for a chat.
Recently I met up with Tony Rico again and we spoke about Paul.
So I decided to dedicate this jazz portrait to his memory.

Fine art print of Jazz Portrait of Tony Rico, Paul Bonner and Ben Martyn

Sax, Trumpet and Bass

Triple ace,
Sax, trumpet and bass,
Rico, Bonner and Ben,
Fallen Heroes’ men,
Setting the pace.
Martyn on vocals,
Fourth ace high,
As the Heroes reach for the sky!

Jazz&Jazz Copyright © 2011 Peter M Butler. All rights reserved.

I write a poem to accompany each fine art print of my jazz paintings and although this verse was written before Paul Bonner’s untimely death, after some reflection I decided the words highly appropriate.

Fine Art Giclée Prints of this portrait are available, with or without my descriptive poem. Simply email: [email protected] to place your order and help support jazz.

River Boat Shuffle

Fred describes his latest work, “River Boat Shuffle, memory of an bygone golden afternoon”, as very childlike and primitive. Pure expressionism.

Similarly he describes “Jamming” (below) as free flowing, naturalistic and evocative of improvisation at its best.

"Jamming"

For further information about the availability of Fred’s jazz art you can either email:  [email protected] or [email protected]

Jazz Portrait of Gerry Birch on Sousaphone

Gerry Birch hails from East Kent where, besides playing sousaphone and double bass and leading his own Stour Valley Jazz Band, he organises increasingly popular weekly jazz gigs on Thursday nights for fans at The Star, Old Wives Lees, just outside Canterbury.

But there’s more! He also runs his own business repairing and restoring brass instruments, so trumpeters, you know where to go to get those valves loosened up! Other bands that feature for Gerry at The Star include Anything Goes, Vocalion, Tuxedo and The Southfield Stompers. My Jazz Painting of Gerry features him at The George, an earlier jazz venue in Shalmsford Street, Chartham, Kent.

Fine art print of Jazz Portrait of Gerry Birch

Jazz at The George
Gerry hot wired,
Sousaphone fully fired,
For Jazz at The George
Intense, inspired.

Jazz&Jazz Copyright © 2011 Peter M Butler. All rights reserved.

Fine Art Giclée Prints of this portrait are available, with or without my descriptive poem. Simply email: [email protected] to place your order and help support jazz.

For details of Gerry’s programme at The Star email him at [email protected] or call The Star on 01227 732527.

Jazz Painting of Barry Martyn at London’s 100 Club

Jazz Portrait of New Orleans based jazz great Barry Martyn in characteristic form on drums with his Young Bloods at The 100 Club in Oxford Street in February, 2010. Born in London, Barry moved to the USA in the early 1960s and has been a key figure in the revival of New Orleans Jazz since 1984.

“I hail from London,” Barry told his 100 Club fans, “In fact I was conceived under that grand piano.”

Barry studied drums with Cie Frazier, appeared in sessions with Barney Bigard, and as has frequently been the youngest member in the bands which he has led. He toured Europe with New Orleans giants of jazz including George Lewis, Albert Nicholas, Louis Nelson, Captain John Handy and Percy Humphrey. During an interlude in Los Angeles in 1972 he founded the Legends of Jazz ensemble, making several worldwide tours and recording extensively.

As a jazz historian Barry has collaborated in reissuing back catalogues and has researched and published books such as “New Orleans Jazz The End of the Beginning” and his latest work, “Walking with Legends: Barry Martyn’s New Orleans Jazz Odyssey”.

I was privileged to present my fine art print of the portrait to Barry at Dew Drop Hall, New Orleans, in April, 2010, along with a print of my portrait of his son Emile on Drums. He asked for both to be passed around the fans remarking, “Take a look at these! Compared with me, Emile is already going grey, and he’s my son!“

Barry has since written to me encouraging me to “keep doing what you are doing”. Thank you, Barry, for being so supportive of my jazz portraits. I was sad to hear you may no longer be touring London and the UK. But in your sons Emile and Ben Martyn and their band “The Fallen Heroes” your UK legacy lives on.

Fine Art Print of the Jazz Portrait of Barry Martyn.

Barry Martyn at the 100 Club
Hail to a Legend of Jazz
And showman supreme
Whose flare and pizzaz
Revived the New Orleans Dream

Jazz&Jazz Copyright © 2011 Peter M Butler. All rights reserved.

Fine Art Giclée Prints of this portrait are available, with or without my descriptive poem. Simply email: [email protected] to place your order and help support jazz.