Welcome to the website of Martijn Schok


Martijn Schok has a succesful cooperation with two American Living Legends.

- Saxofoon legend / singer Big Jay McNeely (California, USA), and
- Piano legend / singer Little Willie Littlefield (Houston, Texas, USA).

For bookings and information about shows of these legends at your event, please contact Martijn Schok: info@martijnschok, or by telephone: +31 6 51163990.

   

   

BIG JAY MCNEELY (saxophone/vocals, CALIFORNIA, USA)

A complete Big Jay McNeely show with Blues, Boogie Woogie, Jazz and Funk. With lots of wild Honking and Screaming saxophone!

Big Jay McNeely is one of the last old school entertainers of Rhythm 'n Blues and Rock 'n Roll. Full of energy, Big Jay and the band make the audience go crazy with lots of Boogies and Honking and Screaming saxophone.

Line up Package Show:
- Big Jay McNeely (tenor saxophone, vocals)
- Rinus Groeneveld (tenor saxophone)
- Martijn Schok (piano)
- Stephan Jankowski (guitar)
- Greta Holtrop (vocals)
- Hans Ruigrok (bass)
- Maarten Kruijswijk (drums)

“Rock ‘n’ roll saxophone pretty much begins with Big Jay Mc Neely. He’s the king of the honkin’, squealin’, bar walkin’, flat-on-his-back Blowin’ tenor men – the Number One “real gone guy” of the 50’s.” -- Black & White Blues (the Book)

Tenor saxophonist Cecil "Big Jay" McNeely has been "the king of the honkers" for over 60 years, and he's still going strong. Born in Watts, California, on April 29, 1927, he formed his own band with jazz legends Sonny Criss (alto sax) and Hampton Hawes (piano) while still in high school. But in late 1948, when he was asked to record for Savoy Records, he abandoned jazz for something more raucous and struck paydirt when his second release, a honked-up instrumental called "Deacon's Hop," went to 1 on the national R&B charts in February 1949.

For the next several years, Big Jay, according to The New Rolling Stone Encyclopedia of Rock & Roll, "was famed for his playing-on-his-back acrobatics and his raw, hard-swinging playing." During his act he'd leave the stage, walk across the top of the bar, and sometimes walk out the door of the club, often with a line of people following him. Once, in San Diego, during one such "walk," he was arrested on the street for disturbing the peace; inside the club, his band kept playing until someone could rush down to the police station, post Big Jay's bail, and bring him back to finish his song.

In the early- to mid-fifties, Big Jay added vocal groups to his act, beginning with Four Dots & Dash, which included, at one time oranother, 16-year-old Jesse Belvin, Marvin Phillips (later of Marvin & Johnny fame), Tony Allen and Mel Williams. In fact, Belvin made his first recordings with Big Jay, including "All That Wine Is Gone." Big Jay also worked extensively with The Hollywood Flames, The Penguins and The Medallions up and down the West Coast. In 1955-56 he shared the stage with the Clovers, the Harptones (at the Apollo Theater), Bill Haley and His Comets, the Moonglows, Little Richard, and others.

In 1959 Big Jay enjoyed his biggest hit, a blues ballad called "There Is Something on Your Mind," featuring Haywood "Little Sonny" Warner on vocals. The record stayed on the R&B charts for six months and reached as high as ..44 pop. The song was later a hit for Bobby Marchan. Other artists who have recorded Big Jay's song include B.B. King, Etta James, Freddy Fender, The Hollywood Flames, Gene Vincent, Albert King and Professor Longhair.

Big Jay retired from full-time music for 20 years, but in 1983 he returned to performing and hasn't looked back. In 1987 he played in a blues jam with B.B. King, Robert Cray, Etta James, Albert King, Junior Wells and others on the internationally-televised Grammy Awards. Two years later, he was honking outside the Quasimodo Club in West Berlin on the night the Berlin Wall came down--and the German press jokingly called him "the modern Joshua" after the rumor went around the Big Jay helped blow it down with his horn.

In 2000 the Experience Music Project in Seattle installed a special Big Jay McNeely exhibit that includes his original Conn saxophone; the Smithsonian magazine put the horn on its June 2000 issue cover, along with Jimi Hendrix's hat, Janis Jopin's feather boa, and Eric Clapton's Stratocaster. Big Jay is also the subject of Jim Dawson's Nervous Man Nervous: Big Jay McNeely & the Rise of the Honking Tenor Saxophone (Big Nickel Press, 1995), the only book ever written about the R&B sax and its influences.

These days Big Jay McNeely spends a good deal of time playing in Europe, Australia and Japan, but he has also had time to honk and shout at several Doo-Wop Society concerts, blues and jazz festivals, the Viva Las Vegas Rockabilly Festival, and the Rockin’ 50s fest in Green Bay. He has also recently appeared in several of Art LaBoe’s variety concerts. Big Jay is still tearing it up and knows how to delight and entertain an audience of any size, from small clubs to stadium crowds. One of the last true old school entertainers, Big Jay is still available for booking at select concerts, festivals and clubs. 		 



LITTLE WILLIE LITTLEFIELD (piano/vocals, HOUSTON, TEXAS, USA)

A swinging program with Boogie Woogie Piano, Blues, Rhythm 'n Blues, Jazz and soulful vocals.

Line up Package Show:
- Little Willie Littlefield (piano, vocals)
- Rinus Groeneveld (tenor saxophone)
- Martijn Schok (piano)
- Greta Holtrop (vocals)
- Hans Ruigrok (bass)
- Maarten Kruijswijk (drums)

Little Willie Littlefield began his career as a recording artist at the age of 16 for Eddie's Records in Houston. His first recording "Little Willie's Boogie" was a hit in Texas. In Houston Willie recorded 8 tracks for Eddie's Records and Freedom Records in 1948/1949.

While in Houston, word reached the Bihari brothers (owners of the Modern-label in Los Angeles) about a teenage wonderboy pianist who was currently breaking up at the Eldorado Ballroom. Before leaving Houston Jules Bihari had already inked a contract, recorded Littlefield's first side "It's Midnight" and arranged for Littlefield to come to the West Coast.

When Littlefield arrived in L.A.later that month "It's Midnight" was a big hit (peaked at 3) in the chards nationwide and he was booked in L.A.'s Melody Club and in Johnny Otis' famous Barrelhouse in Watts. He was an overnight sensation.

"It's Midnight" not only established him in the Rhythm and Blues field, but also left an impression on other upcoming stars such as Fats Domino who developed his triplet piano-style from the Littlefield recording.

Littlefield recorded about 30 tracks for Modern in 1949, 1950 and 1951 and scored some more hits such as "Farewell"and "I've been lost". He recorded with L.A.'s leading Rhythm and Blues session musicians including saxplayers Maxwell Davis and Buddy Floyd, guitarists Chuck Norris and Johnny Moore and drummers Al Wichard and Jessie Price.

In 1952 Littlefield switched to Federal Records where he cut many successful sides including the original version of "Kansas City" (original title was "K.C.Loving").

By 1957 he had moved to Northern California and recorded for Rhythm Records where he produced his hit "Ruby Ruby".

During the sixties he was content to play various clubs around the San Francisco area. In the seventies he was re-discovered and returned to the public stage with appearances at the first San Francisco Bluesfestival and the Sacramento Bluesfestival.

In the mid-seventies he recorded several sides for Blues Connoisseur Records.

In 1978 he did his first, very successful, tour in Europe.

Since 1980 Willie has been continually on the road in Europe, playing theatres, clubs and festivals.His first performance at the Montreux Jazzfestival was broadcasted on television by the BBC. He appeared at many radio- and televisionshows all over Europe. But Willie also continued his performances outside Europe. Willie toured in Canada and appeared at the Chicago Bluesfestival in 1988. He performed in the Australian film "Love in Limbo", presented at the Berlin filmfestival 1993.

During the period 1980-1997 he recorded 10 albums for several european recordcompanies. These albums were spoken in much appreciation by the music crititcs.

Being on the road for more than 50 years, Willie stopped touring in 2000. Nevertheless, he performed during the annual International Boogie Woogie Festival Holland in 2004 and in 2005. DVDs of these two sold out festival editions have been released.

In 2005, Willie announced his international comeback. A lot of concerts followed and are scheduled, included Package Shows with Dutch boogie woogie & blues pianist Martijn Schok and his band (Little Willie Littlefield & The Martijn Schok Boogie & Blues Band).