Remembering jazz saxophonist Wellins
A special night at the University of Chichester will remember the celebrated jazz saxophonist Bobby Wellins (1936-2016) who lived in Bognor Regis for many years.
The evening, helped by Nick Reynolds, head of jazz at Chichester University, will be raising funds for Sage House for Dementia Support in collaboration with the university on Saturday, April 6 at 7pm. Tickets £12.50 on Eventbrite.
Dreams Are Free: A Celebration of British Jazz Saxophonist Bobby Wellins will take place in The Showroom, Chichester University, College Lane, Chichester, PO19 6PE.
Part one of the evening
(60 mins) promises a screening of Dreams Are Free, a captivating documentary charting the rise, fall and redemption of Bobby, a talented musician, composer and storyteller. The film was created by film-maker and head of Brighton Film School Gary Barber, who passed away last year. It features camera work by Paul Dutnall who will attend on the night.
Part two of the evening
(60 mins) offers a session from the cream of British jazz including two members of Bobby’s last quartet: Spike Wells (drums) and Mark Edwards (piano) with Steve Watts (double bass). Bobby’s part will be played by the tenor saxophonist Mornington Lockett. The quartet will play Bobby’s original compositions and favourite tunes.
Spike said: “Bobby had such an original approach to playing the tenor saxophone which was completely different to anybody else in his generation.
"It was a unique sound and a unique way of improvising and a very different approach to the harmonies. The most famous tenor player of his generation was Tubby Hayes, and everybody has heard of Tubby Hayes. But not enough people have heard of Bobby Wellins, though he has certainly got a good following in the jazz world.
“Bobby was great fun to work with. He had a wonderful sense of humour. He was very patient. He was very anxious to share the limelight with the rest of his band. He didn't want to be the soloist with accompanists, and that's not always the case. I met him in 1965 and after he came back from a lay-off in the early 70s, I met him again and then we played together for the rest of his life. It was very, very fulfilling artistically because he was such an original.”
Bobby's youngest daughter Fiona is delighted to be supporting Sage House for Dementia Support: “Mum developed dementia a couple of years before dad died and it was very challenging. There was no support from anywhere. It was a struggle for dad to manage and he was still trying to get work and do gigs. And then things continued after he died. It was another eight years after that. There is absolutely a reason why they call it the long goodbye. It impacts on everybody.
“I discovered Sage House and the fact is that they offer a full range of services through the whole journey of dementia. They supported mum and me enormously in the later stages. My mum passed away in October 2022.”
The Bobby Wellins Quartet double CD has launched, a reissue of two albums from the 70s.