Mike Westbrook

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Michael John David 'Mike' Westbrook (born March 21, 1936 in High Wycombe) is a highly successful British jazz pianist, composer, and writer of orchestrated jazz pieces.

[edit] Life

Westbrook spent his childhood in Torquay and went to art school in Plymouth where he began his first bands with such musicians as John Surman and Keith Rowe.

After moving to London, he became a key figure in the development of British Jazz in the late 1960s, producing several big band records between 1967 and 1969 for the Deram label, featuring such musicians as Surman, Mike Osborne and Harry Miller.

He worked for some years in the early 1970s in the context of a jazz-rock band Solid Gold Cadillac before returning to works for large ensembles, notably in Citadel/Room 315 (1975) featuring John Surman. This was released on CD in 2006 to mark his 70th birthday.

He continues to produce well-regarded jazz scores, many for the theatre with his wife, the singer/songwriter Kate Westbrook. He was featured in the 2003 BBC documentary, Jazz Britannia.

His work for the theatre began with Adrian Mitchell's Tyger a celebration of William Blake, staged by the National Theatre in 1971. This became a vehicle for his Brass Band of the 70's and 80's and the LP 'The Westbrook Blake - Bright As Fire' followed on in 1980. A revised and expanded version of the work was re-recorded in 1997 and named 'Glad Day'. The Brass Band also recorded 'Mama Chicago' described as a Jazz Cabaret which featured the voices of Phil Minton & Kate Westbrook. The album is due for release on CD during 2007.

Further works of note include 'On Duke's Birthday' which was dedicated to the memory of Duke Ellington, and is to be reissued on CD during 2007, 'Big Band Rossini' which was featured in the 1992 BBC Proms and Chanson Irresponsable (2002), commissioned by BBC Radio 3, which brings together jazz and classical musicians in the New Westbrook Orchestra. Mike was awarded an OBE in 1988, and in 2004 the University of Plymouth awarded him an Honorary Doctorate of Music.

Mike's current projects include ART WOLF inspired by the life and work of the Alpine painter Caspar Wolf. In this Kate & Mike Westbrook are joined by saxophonists Pete Whyman & Chris Biscoe.