Simon Picard – saxophones
Gabriel Keen – piano
Alex Keen – bass
Simon Pearson – drums
A welcome return to the Vortex for a saxophonist that we used to see a great deal of at our original venue. Simon Picard first gained acclaim in the early 1980’s with the award-winning Stinky Winkles, but it was as the “P” in the superb trio, R.P.M. (with Paul Rogers and Tony Marsh) that he made an older generation of musicians take notice. Tony Marsh was already a familiar face, but the two younger men were a revelation. An expanded line-up – 7 R.P.M. – featured regularly at the Bracknell Jazz Festival, where Simon also appeared with Trevor Watts Moire Music, and John Stevens’ Folkus. Other ventures included membership of Barry Guy’s London Jazz Composers’ Orchestra, and numerous projects with Elton Dean and Keith Tippett, as well as leading his own groups. As Elton organised the Jazz Rumours nights at the Old Vortex, we saw most of these projects at the club and Simon became viewed as a regular throughout the 1990’s.
We haven’t seen as much of him in our new venue. Much of this can be put down to the sad fact that so many of his erstwhile collaborators are no longer with us, and Paul Rogers (his most long-standing associate) moved to France. However, the few sightings that we have had – notably an evening with Evan Parker, and a sumptuous duet with Liam Noble – reminded us of what we were missing. So when we heard Simon had put a new quartet together there was only one thing to do…..!