Mike Westbrook surely now qualifies as the de facto godfather of modern British jazz. His big bands have seen major stars such as John Surman and Kenny Wheeler pass through their ranks. Of his 60-plus albums, the earliest ones, such as Celebration (Deram, 1967) and Marching Song (Deram, 1969) were keystones of the golden age of post-50s British jazz.
His lyric-laden works included albums celebrating the poetry of William Blake. Large-scale ventures such as The Cortege (Original, 1982) and London Bridge Is Broken Down (Venture, 1988) were landmark recordings. Westbrook even dabbled in jazz-rock, with two albums by Solid Gold Cadillac featuring amongst others the dynamic vocals of Phil Minton.
Many of Westbrook’s works from the 1980s onwards featured his wife Kate’s cabaret-style vocals. She is heard on this live recording on numbers like Yellow Dog from the album Fine ’n Yellow (ASC, 2015). She also sings on six other pieces on the album. In addition to her inimitable vocals, she wrote the lyrics to most of the songs. Chris Biscoe, long-serving stalwart of Westbrook’s many and various ensembles, gives a coruscating soprano solo on the opener, Glad Day, proving he’s lost none of his fire over the decades.
This live recording, which took place at Ashburton Arts Centre in Devon, clearly demonstrates the brilliance of Westbrook’s compositions and his ability to shine even in his late 80s. The aptly titled Band Of Bands also illustrates Westbrook knack for surrounding himself with stellar musicians such as Biscoe, saxophonist Pete Whyman and accordionist Karen Street, who have made this an absolutely must-hear album.
Discography
Glad Day; Blues For Terenzi; Johnny Come Lately; Yellow Dog; Black Market; Doll’s House; My Lover’s Coat; My Pale Parasol; Gas, Dust, Stone; What I Like (79.42)
Westbrook (p); Kate Westbrook (v); Chris Biscoe (as, ss); Peter Whyman (as, ss, cl); Karen Street (acc); Marcus Vergette (b); Coach York (d). Ashburton, 25 November 2023.
Westbrook Records WR014
