The 606 Club’s 40th Anniversary: Earl Okin (7:30pm); Adriano Adewale Featuring Mishka Adams; Sugar Kings Featuring Flavio Correa; and more

My interest in Latin, and particularly Brazilian, music was first started at the old Club when in the early 80's the bass player Andy Lafone, featured in the band Olumo appearing this evening, asked me to join his then groundbreaking Latin band Tres. Since then Latin music has been a feature of the programming at the Club (including a regular monthly slot for my own band Brazilian-influenced band Samara) and tonight we celebrate the variety and breadth of the bands and musicians who bring South American music to the Club.

To start this evening of Latin music off, who better than a musician who has been performing at the Club since I opened the doors in October 1976, Earl Okin. I originally met Earl at one of the many jam sessions at the 606 Club in the early 70's. A distinctive singer/musician he played good piano in the swing style of his great idol Duke Ellington and was easily distinguished from the crowd with his distinctive bowler hat and spats. He was also very funny and went on to establish a career as a stand up comedian (well, he played guitar and piano a lot of the time so sit down comedian may be more accurate...) that has kept him in hats and spats for the last 40 years. However, as well as jazz, Earl also developed a real taste for Brazilian music, particularly Bossa Nova, and has spent many years perfecting not only his guitar playing and Brazilian Portuguese in order to sing these songs authentically, but has also written a number of songs in that style. “Exceptional…an utter delight” The Scotsman

Also appearing with his band is an artist widely considered to be one of the best Brazilian percussionists in Europe, Adriano Adewale, who has been performing here at the Club with various bands, as well as his own, for more than 12 years. In that time his high energy, immensely skilful playing has become a firm favourite both with audiences and musicians alike. My favourite story about Adriano is, after almost 10 years gigging here, we were chatting one day and he told me that after coming over from Brazil in 2000 his first ever job in London was washing dishes in a restaurant. I asked which restaurant, and he looked at me and said “This one”! “Adewale gave an extraordinary performance. Fanatical about music, he sang and handled his instruments with rapture…Superb” Jazzwise

It's not only Brazilian music that we feature at the Club, we also have a long tradition of Afro-Cuban music (Salsa) in all its forms. And representing that strand of the music will be the wonderful Sugar Kings Quartet. Led by Cuban percussionist Flavio Correa this is the "little brother" of his 8 piece Sugar Kings outfit, but is nonetheless a powerful and rhythmic band that perfectly encapsulates the Cuban rhythms that both Flav and the other Cuban musicians in the quartet exemplify. Always fun to hear and have around this is a wonderful gem of a band and perfect for this evening’s tribute to the 606 Latin vibe. “Latin and Cuban sounds from this authentic...band that bring their exultant vocals to the heart of Chelsea.” Time Out

Led by Brazilian singer Liliana Chachian, “Olumo” is 6 piece Brazilian band that is really quite special. Liliana has been performing at the Club for over 20 years with a variety of different outfits, most notably the internationally established groups Da Lata and Negrocan. But she is probably best known at the Club as the singer with the "house" Brazilian band "Samara", who she performed with from 2006 to 2013 and re-joined in 2015. The pianist, Neil Angilley, as well as being an in-demand player for the likes of Vanessa Mae, Michael Ball and “The War of The Worlds” West End show is also a regular with Samara and the bass player, Andy Lafone, is the musician who first booked me way back in the early 80's to perform with his band Tres. The material is primarily originals, performed with an energy and passion that has made this music a staple of live music the world over. Great stuff. “