Chris_T

I should have mentioned that this has been happening for some weeks and there are 8 films to watch at the moment. https://bit.ly/3e4bD3w

You may have missed that during this period of there being no live performances, Kate and Mike Westbrook have delved into their film archive and we are showing a new film from 11.30am UK time every Friday on the WestbrookJazz website at https://bit.ly/3e4bD3w - all previous items will stay on the site indefinitely. This week on 22nd May there is some Big Band Westbrook from Big Band RTV Slovenia with Mike on piano. Please pass the word around.

The CD version (not the vinyl) also available direct from the artist here https://www.westbrookjazz.co.uk/mikewestbrook/love_understanding_cd.shtml Please support the artist.

The Big Band is back again! A Cool Christmas with Mike & The Uncommon Orchestra at the Grand Hotel, Torquay. http://www.westbrookjazz.co.uk/emails/Torquay-xmas-19c.html

Ahh so that's who you are I've only just added Last Night at the Old Place for sale today as Mike has some copies now. I'll let you know when they are posted. Thanks for your order

This is indeed the single CD studio album (also excellent - and different) recorded around the same time as the live one. It's on offer until Saturday. I should warn you that if you order on Friday or Saturday there may well be a delay in receiving the order as the orders are posted by Mike or Kate and they are going to be away this weekend.

Two independent videos were made of the performance and I am told that the cluster of microphones just in front of the band were well placed to reduce the overwhelming reverb of the hall on one of the videos being recorded. The balance of PA sound was very different in parts of the hall. It must have been a nightmare to get it even this good. Despite all that it was an absolute triumph with the band playing superbly. Particular mention should be made (and has been made) about Matthew Bourne's playing. He was marvellous throughout and particularly so in DTTM. There is talk of a repeat performance next year. Meanwhile, talking of Westbrook Rossini I should mention that the original small band version is currently on offer on WestbrookJazz, reduced from £14 inc International postage and £12 inc UK postage to £9 & £7 respectively. Only until the end of August though so you'll have to move fast. http://tinyurl.com/36jgwup

If you would like to support the artist, Mike Westbrook is selling advance copies of Starcross Bridge. We are not advertising it on Westbrookjazz at the moment as we do not want to move attention away from GRANITE by Kate Westbrook with music by Mike Westbrook. Starcross Bridge is £12.00 inc UK postage and £14.00 inc International postage. Please email me at westbrookrecords@westbrookjazz.co.uk if you'd like a copy. Payment with Paypal.

The Lou Gare tribute album is indeed available from the Westbrookjazz website along with Kate Westbrook's GRANITE which we are selling prior to its official release. We can ship to anywhere in the world. http://westbrookjazz.co.uk/westbrookrecords/index.shtml If you order outside the UK please be sure to pay the correct postage. Sorry to say that we don't stock the Cadillac albums or Marching Song.

Just to add a little note to this. When Love Songs is reissued on Vinyl only later this year it will include a 7 inch single of Original Peter & Magic Garden.

Alan Wakeman's first Westbrook Gig since his heart surgery. Looking forward to seeing this myself when it comes to Southampton. This is an expanded version of a piece first performed at Vout O Renees in London Last year. It's good fun with some terrific playing. Alan was too ill for the Vout gig and Chris Biscoe stood in. In addition to this I should mention that the Blake at Kings Place on 17th March has Chris Biscoe in place of Karen Street, but not playing accordion of course. Phil Minton will be replaced by John Winfield at the Bury St Edmunds Blake. Phil Minton will be performing as usual at Kings Place.

There appears to have been some kind of misunderstanding regarding the permission problems with the Vocalion release of Love Songs. It would seem that the album is owned by Universal after all, and they can do what they like regarding reissues. For the forthcoming LP release Universal have granted a license to another company to reissue it. We have asked for the same sleeve changes that were done for the Vocalion release, and Mike has suggested that the two bonus CD tracks be included, as he feels that Magic Garden is the strongest piece from the sessions. Whether they do any of this is very much up to them.

I was at the Bath performance Bev, we must try and say hello to each other at one of these events in the future. I have just heard that Karen Street will not be able to play at the Kings Place performance. So it will be interesting to hear what changes Mike will make to the music and who, if anyone, will take her place and on what instrument.

For those of you interested in re-issues, there is going to be a re-release of LOVE SONGS on vinyl only, sometime next year. There will also be a UK CD release of the 1972 LIVE album with bonus tracks and also a CD re-release of Marching Song. We are currently preparing The Westbrook Blake for a download only release on WestbrookJazz. Watch this space... as they say.

Excellent It might well have been me. There were two of us at the desk.