This was so much more than a concert. It was a true celebration of the life and work of the great Bobby Wellins, with friends and family in attendance. The audience also included bassist Adrian Kendon (from Bobby’s Quartet) and multi-instrumentalist Chris Biscoe.
The evening commenced with Gary Barber’s documentary Dreams Are Free, which is a beautifully crafted and detailed portrayal of the great tenor player. It shows Bobby going into great detail on his experiences throughout his career – from meeting players such as Bob Brookmeyer in New York, to a refreshing honesty about his experiences with drugs – all tinged with a light and self-deprecating humour.
In a 2018 LJN interview, the film’s director said, “My camera operator/co-producer, Paul Dutnall, and I went over to Bobby’s house with a camera and one light because we thought, let’s just do a test, see what it’s like filming in Bobby’s living room. Three hours later and Bobby was still talking!”. On the evidence of the film, listening to Bobby recount his experiences was as mesmerising as hearing him play live, which sadly I only managed on one occasion.
The second half of the evening was given over to a performance of a selection of Bobby’s music by a quartet, all of whose members had plenty of experience of working with the great man. Spike Wells (drums), Steve Watts (bass), Mark Edwards (piano) and Mornington Lockett (tenor sax) played a fine and varied set featuring such tunes as ‘What’s Happening, Aura’ and ‘What Is The Truth’, winding up with Bobby’s tribute to Clifford Brown, ‘C.U.C.B’.
The event was superbly staged at the University of Chichester’s Showroom Theatre. I left having gained a significant insight into the life of one of the true greats of British Jazz, and having experienced a great gig too!
