This album was recorded following a 2019 tour of my International Quartet, featuring U.S guitarist, Wayne Wilkinson and South Korean pianist Jinjoo Yoo, now resident in New York and with the addition of Alison Rayner on bass.

The music we played was a mix of standards and originals based on musicians who had inspired the members of the band.

Festooned With Trumpets (arranged by Diane McLoughlin) – is a tune inspired by the late Humphrey Littelton that I composed for the tour. Some years ago, I received a phone call from Adrian Macintosh to say Humphrey Lyttelton had accidentally left his trumpet on the hall table and asked if I could hurry to the Bulls Head with a couple of horns for Humph.
I duly did and he played my spare Selmer 99. A week later, I was listening to the Best of Jazz and Humph played a track from one of my CDs and recounted the story, saying that I had “turned up like the US Cavalry, festooned with trumpets”.

Body And Soul – is a popular jazz standard, written by Johnny Green in 1930 for Gertrude Lawrence. This version features Jinjoo Yoo, Wayne and Alison.

Almost like being in Love (arranged by Max Brittain) – is from Lerner and Loewe, written for the 1947 musical Brigadoon and later performed in the 1954 film version by Gene Kelly.

Two Hats And A Paper Bag – was composed by Alison Rayner. In 1984 she was on tour in the US with the Guest Stars and saw Jaco Pastorius playing in New York. She recounts:
“Jaco had a great band that night but was by then suffering from mental illness. His performance was erratic, going from beautiful playing – to stopping – to sometimes leaving the stage altogether. Though strange, it was nevertheless inspiring, with flashes of brilliance. He appeared obsessed with two skullcaps he was wearing – one green and one blue – and kept taking them off and changing them around. After the gig, I asked if he’d give me a lesson. He was very congenial and said ‘sure’, writing his phone number on a paper bag. I later tried to contact him, but he was back in rehab. I didn’t get my lesson but this piece serves as a reminder of an amazing night listening to one of my greatest influences on electric bass – and in music”.

Angel Eyes – is an old torch song composed by Matt Dennis with lyrics by Earl Brent. It was introduced in the 1953 film Jennifer.

Martino’s Waltz – was composed by Wayne Wilkinson for the tour and is dedicated to Pat Martino who he cites as a major influence on his playing.

I Guess I’ll Have To Change My Plan (arranged by Max Brittain) – was written by Arthur Schwartz and Howard Dietz and performed by Fred Astaire and Jack Buchanan in the 1953 musical film The Band Wagon.

Everybody Knows – is a Johnny Hodges tune that was released on an album by the same name on Impulse in 1964.

I’ve Never Been In Love Before – was written by Frank Loesser and is from the 1950s musical Guys and Dolls.

In The Wee Small Hours In The Morning – features Wayne. Composed by David Mann and Bob Hilliard, it was introduced as the title track of the 1955 Frank Sinatra album In the Wee Small Hours.

Flying Home (arranged by Wayne Wilkinson) – was first recorded in 1941 by the Benny Goodman Sextet, featuring Lionel Hampton and Charlie Christian.

Chris Hodgkins April 2022

I would like to thank:
Eric Gilchrist for his help with marketing and Roger Wilson for his tour management.
Recorded at the Pizza Express | Monday 20 May 2019 Recorded and mixed by Luc Saint-Martin | Oneland Productions Ltd Design by Jane C Reid | Edited by Alison Rayner