Mike Westbrook - finally the big band is back...

[sidewinder]

Even Tracey Emin gets  mention !

 

Edited November 25, 2015 by sidewinder

[Chris_T]

Both are mentioned in similar text on the previous Westbrook album "Waxeywork Show" by the Village Band where much of "A Bigger Show" was derived from.  :)

[A Lark Ascending]

2 hours ago, Chris_T said:

Both are mentioned in similar text on the previous Westbrook album "Waxeywork Show" by the Village Band where much of "A Bigger Show" was derived from.  :)

Ah! That one didn't make much of an impression on me. I will have to revisit in the light of the new piece. 

[sidewinder]

Well - I was looking forward to seeing the Westbrook band at the Barnfield tonight. Unfortunately the lack of parking and traffic congestion near the venue conspired against me. Unprecedented gig disaster...

Edited December 17, 2015 by sidewinder

[A Lark Ascending]

10 hours ago, sidewinder said:

Well - I was looking forward to seeing the Westbrook band at the Barnfield tonight. Unfortunately the lack of parking and traffic congestion near the venue conspired against me. Unprecedented gig disaster...

Sorry to hear that, sidewinder. I did something similar at a concert by the Full English in Sheffield a couple of years back. Left leaving work too late, forgetting traffic and then arriving with ten minutes to spare at an unfamiliar venue and could not find a place to park. After 30 mins I gave up and went home. Had a similar experience in Cambridge on Monday - thought I'd given myself plenty of time to cross Cambridge and then got snarled in the evening rush hour, not quite sure which road to take. I was lucky and made it with ten minutes to spare (I'd planned on an hour!). 

[sidewinder]

Thanks  - Must admit that in many years of gigs in Exeter that is the first time it has ever happened to me. The area around Barnfield was just mayhem, park n ride would have been the only realistic option. Of course, what I didn't realise was that the Westbrook gig coincided with Xmas late shopping night. 

I'll console myself with a few listens to the fine 2 CD set this weekend.

[A Lark Ascending]

1 hour ago, sidewinder said:

Thanks  - Must admit that in many years of gigs in Exeter that is the first time it has ever happened to me. The area around Barnfield was just mayhem, park n ride would have been the only realistic option. Of course, what I didn't realise was that the Westbrook gig coincided with Xmas late shopping night. 

I'll console myself with a few listens to the fine 2 CD set this weekend.

I was in Sheffield on Saturday around 7.00 - I usually have no problem parking near the centre at that time but it was mad. I put it down to Xmas parties!

Listened to the CD last night...it really is one of his strongest pieces. 

[sidewinder]

Roz Harding, altoist with the Westbrook Band, has a gig coming up at the Barnfield in April. Looks tempting (parking permitting).

Gig Details

Edited March 23, 2016 by sidewinder

[sidewinder]

Caught the gig at Brewhouse Theatre, Taunton last night which was re-scheduled from last year. One lineup change from the Barnfield CDs - Pete Wyman in place of Gary Bayley on tenor sax for this performance. As with the CDs, the second half of the show really shone out, in particular 'Juxtapositions' and 'Gas, Blood, Stone'. The way this show mixes theatre and jazz reminds me somewhat of Sun Ra in this eclectic mix, although where both bands are coming from and their styles/modus operandii is very differerent. In fact it is very English in its way, with the fairground banter interludes, libretto from Kate W. and almost meditative feel of some passages, leading into more uproarious sections.

I think the 'Uncommon Orchestra' play Kings Place in London next month plus some more Devon gigs this Summer. Hope to catch at least one of them. Audience numbers last night were dissappointingly low but then again it is Taunton on a Friday night I guess..

 

Edited April 2, 2016 by sidewinder

[A Lark Ascending]

30 minutes ago, sidewinder said:

Caught the gig at Brewhouse Theatre, Taunton last night which was re-scheduled from last year. One lineup change from the Barnfield CD - Pete Whyman in place of Gary Bayley on tenor sax for this performance. As with the CD, the second half of the show really shone out, in particular 'Juxtapositions' and 'Gas, Blood, Stone'. The way this show mixes theatre and jazz reminds me somewhat of Sun Ra, although very differerent. In fact it is very English in its way, with the fairground banter and almost meditative feel of some passages, leading into more uproarious sections.

I think the 'Uncommon Orchestra' play Kings Place in London next month plus some more Devon gigs this Summer. Hope to catch at least one of them. Audience numbers last night were dissappointingly low but then again it is Taunton on a Friday night I guess..

 

Glad that went well, sidewinder. As I think we've both said before, one of Mike's best pieces. Sits proudly alongside his extended works of the past.  

I saw a copy of the album for sale in the Bull Ring HMV in Birmingham the other day. Westbrook goes mainstream! 

[sidewinder]

Yep, picked up a spare set of the CDs last night, they were on sale for £10 which was a good deal. PIcture of the band thrown in as well !

Criminal that it wasn't better attended - hope they get a great reception in London.

[A Lark Ascending]

Some nice news on the Westbrook front:

"MIKE WESTBROOK SOLO IN PARIS
Jon Hiseman will record two solo performances by Mike Westbrook at Helene Aziza’s 
gallery, 19, rue Paul Fort, PARIS 75014 on July 19th and 20th.(see diary for details). An 
album will be released in the Autumn.
As with A Bigger Show, Patrons will be invited to pledge support in advance of the 
release. More details soon. "

According to an e-mail this was recorded and orders are being taken. The website doesn't seem to have been updated yet but anyone interested in being a 'patron' just needs to e-mail as follows:

"If you would like to become a Patron of the PIANO-LIVE album,
please email us at admin@westbrookjazz.co.uk with:

1. Your name

2. Your postal address

3. The number of copies of the CD that you wish to order

4. The sum that you wish to pay" 

Sept 1st is the cut-off date - after that you are a mere customer rather than a patron! 

Looking forward to this. Mike's 'Piano' of the 70s is one of my most played solo piano records. It may not have the virtuoso flash (not to mention length!) of Jarrett's records but contains wonderful little gems with a very distinctive harmonic approach. Been hoping for a new solo record for many years.   

[Chris_T]

Thanks for posting this Bev.  I should add that becoming a Patron means helping with pre-production costs of the album and your name is added to the list of Patrons in the sleeve of the album.  More details: http://www.westbrookjazz.co.uk/emails/Piano_Live_a.html

I do hope you will help support Mike's album.  A new Piano album is long overdue.

[jazzscriveyn]

On 6 August 2016 at 9:09 AM, A Lark Ascending said:

Some nice news on the Westbrook front:

"MIKE WESTBROOK SOLO IN PARIS
Jon Hiseman will record two solo performances by Mike Westbrook at Helene Aziza’s 
gallery, 19, rue Paul Fort, PARIS 75014 on July 19th and 20th.(see diary for details). An 
album will be released in the Autumn.
As with A Bigger Show, Patrons will be invited to pledge support in advance of the 
release. More details soon. "

[...]

Looking forward to this. Mike's 'Piano' of the 70s is one of my most played solo piano records. It may not have the virtuoso flash (not to mention length!) of Jarrett's records but contains wonderful little gems with a very distinctive harmonic approach. Been hoping for a new solo record for many years.   

Got it in the post yesterday. Just finished first listening, winding down after work.- Wonderful.

I envisage some nice dark winter evenings with my favourite cuppa or tipple & this album.

[A Lark Ascending]

19 hours ago, jazzscriveyn said:

Got it in the post yesterday. Just finished first listening, winding down after work.- Wonderful.

I envisage some nice dark winter evenings with my favourite cuppa or tipple & this album.

Mine is here too. Haven't listened yet - planning to listen as the late afternoon commences its early fade. Ideal for the last gasp of British Summer Time (if that's not too depressing a thought!). 

[A Lark Ascending]

Listened yesterday (at twlilight as planned). This could sound like faint praise but it's meant as a mark of enthusiasm - this record sounds exactly as I expected it too. Mike calmly and gently works his way through twenty tunes of varying length drawn from his own writing and from pieces by musicians he admires from Ellington to the Beatles. Especially taken by the highly distinctive harmonisations he uses - a familiar tune and then just a chord or run of chords and you are in his world. Even a tune as crude as 'She Loves You' gets transformed into music that glows (he even tackles The Stylistics!).

High point for me lies at the centre - an extended rumination on 'View from the Drawbridge' (from 'Citadel Room 315'). Has you hanging on every note and chord.

Mike seems to have entered a real purple patch in the last few years, live and on record. Long may it continue.    

[mjazzg]

Thought the Westbrook fanclub might enjoy reading this appreciation.

https://thebluemoment.com/2016/11/20/mike-westbrook-at-the-piano/

I loved the bit about how he's come across his piano style 

[medjuck]

I was at that concert and discussion.   Good description of it.  Very meditative. 

[A Lark Ascending]

Nice review from Richard Williams - a pity he ended up majoring in sport; always liked his writing. Remember him fronting 'Disco 2', the programme that became 'The Old Grey Whistle Test' in the early 70s. 

Like this bit from Westbrook - “I often enjoy playing the piano in a crowded room where people are talking. Though almost no one is paying any attention to the music, it nevertheless affects the general atmosphere.” The ambient impact of music can be greatly underestimated.  

[Chris_T]

On 22/11/2016 at 6:57 AM, A Lark Ascending said:

Nice review from Richard Williams - a pity he ended up majoring in sport; always liked his writing. Remember him fronting 'Disco 2', the programme that became 'The Old Grey Whistle Test' in the early 70s. 

Like this bit from Westbrook - “I often enjoy playing the piano in a crowded room where people are talking. Though almost no one is paying any attention to the music, it nevertheless affects the general atmosphere.” The ambient impact of music can be greatly underestimated.  

Were you there Bev? Very few people came to the WestbrookJazz desk to say hello. We did sell a fair few copies of the album though.

[medjuck]

1 hour ago, Chris_T said:

Were you there Bev? Very few people came to the WestbrookJazz desk to say hello. We did sell a fair few copies of the album though.

I was there and I bought both cds that were for sale, maybe from you.  

[Chris_T]

1 hour ago, medjuck said:

I was there and I bought both cds that were for sale, maybe from you.  

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

[Chris_T]

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.

Edited November 24, 2016 by Chris_T
Tidying up

[A Lark Ascending]

13 hours ago, Chris_T said:

Were you there Bev? Very few people came to the WestbrookJazz desk to say hello. We did sell a fair few copies of the album though.

Afraid not. I was in London on Wed/Thu and went to the Norma Winstone 75th but couldn't stay on to Saturday. Would have gone if I'd been there. 

12 hours ago, Chris_T said:

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.

Good news. I don't have Live and I'm working off an CD-r transfer from my old LP of Westbrook Blake. 

The new solo record really is a beauty. 

[mjazzg]

I'm not sure if this is old news (it's definitely not fake news) but The Westbrook Blake is being performed at Kings Place 17th March. Just bought my ticket - will be my first exposure (not even heard the recordings)