Mike Westbrook - b. 21.3.36

[Serial_Apologist]

Mike saw his 85th birthday last Monday - a fact embarrassingly overseen by Yours Truly on the day.

The following link to Mike's website and some recentish clips may go some way towards making up for this omission:

http://www.westbrookjazz.co.uk/pictureshow/March2021.shtml?fbclid=lwAR2fqESMMTkshBwhWtOjg-5CEWnGydAfsaDtmuuK4T0YdeY3F4vFY2dUtek#Paris1

[Jazzrook]

Mike saw his 85th birthday last Monday - a fact embarrassingly overseen by Yours Truly on the day.

The following link to Mike's website and some recentish clips may go some way towards making up for this omission:

http://www.westbrookjazz.co.uk/pictu...Y2dUtek#Paris1

Many thanks, S_A.
One of my favourite Mike Westbrook works is 'Mama Chicago' with Kate Westbrook, Phil Minton, Alan Wakeman, Malcolm Griffith's, Steve Cook & Dave Barry.
Amazing that this film was shown on BBC TV in 1981:

https://www.YouTube.com/watch?v=m4CYAubqrtw

https://www.YouTube.com/watch?v=akRdjQpFBuA

JR

[eighthobstruction]

....Fabulous Music....

[Richard Barrett]

https://www.YouTube.com/watch?v=akRdjQpFBuA

That Phil Minton solo is one of my favourite things (better than Rodgers & Hammerstein any day).

[burning dog]

Only just discovered this, a live version of Citadel/Room 315

Recorded live in concert March 28th 1974 at Folkets Hus Södertälje, Sweden

Composed and arranged by Mike Westbrook

Commissioned by Sveriges Radio

Produced by Bosse Broberg

Personnel:
Mike Westbrook (conductor, electric piano)
John Surman (baritone and soprano saxes, bass clarinet)

The Swedish Radio Jazz Group:
Arne Domnérus (alto saxophone, clarinet)
Claes Rosendahl (tenor saxophone, flute)
Lennart Åberg (tenor and soprano saxophone, flute)
Erik Nilsson (baritone saxophone, bass clarinet, flute)
Americo Bellotto (trumpet)
Bertil Lövgren (trumpet, flugel horn)
Jan Allan (trumpet, alto horn)
Håkan Nyquist (trumpet, flugel horn, French horn)
Lars Olofsson (trombone)
Sven Larsson (bass trombone, tuba)
Rune Gustafsson (guitar)
Bengt Hallberg (piano)
Georg Riedel (bass)
Stefan Brolund (bass guitar)
Egil Johansen (drums)
Jan Bandel (drums, vibraphone, percussion)

[Bryn]

That Phil Minton solo is one of my favourite things (better than Rodgers & Hammerstein any day).

Thanks for posting that. Fond memories of attending Phi Minton and Roger Turner performances, back in the early '70s.

[gurnemanz]

I remember his striking contribution to Adrian Mitchell's Tyger in the West End in 1971. A vividly entertaining theatrical evening. Moving and humorous. I recall the repeated choral refrain "Everything that lives is holy" and the English poets from Chaucer onwards in turn coming on to greet their colleague, William Blake.

[BLUESNIK'S REVOX]

Not a huge fan of Westbrook's later output, but I have a very vivid memory of him at Ronnie's Old Place in c.1967, an all nighter where Mongezi Feza and Dick Heckstall Smith sat in, and with John Surman roaming the room playing baritone at dawn. Marvelous night. And breakfast for all from the greasy spoon opposite. Them was the days.

[Serial_Apologist]

Not a huge fan of Westbrook's later output, but I have a very vivid memory of him at Ronnie's Old Place in c.1967, an all nighter where Mongezi Feza and Dick Heckstall Smith sat in, and with John Surman roaming the room playing baritone at dawn. Marvelous night. And breakfast for all from the greasy spoon opposite. Them was the days.

Just further up along that opposite side of Wardour Street (just about where the big Chinese arch straddles what is now a pedestrianised precinct), I used to get my hair styled in a "college cut" at that time. At the point of leaving the barber would invariably discretely ask, "And might Sir be interested in a little something for the weekend?" indicating with a gesture what used to be known in polite company as "the protectives".