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The Village Band:
Top: Mike Brewer, Sam Smith,
Gary Bayley, Kate Westbrook
Left: Mike Westbrook
Right: Stan Willis |
Kate & Mike Westbrook,
Chris Biscoe, Peter Whyman,
Steve Berry, Jon Hiseman
Gonzo CD HSTJ014CD
This album, recorded as a tribute to John and Margery Styles and initially circulated in a limited edition to their friends, is now generally available.
John and Margery have a special place in the hearts of everyone at Smith's Academy. John founded SAI in 1985 and, after his untimely death in 1989, Margery devotedly carried on spreading the word about all matters Westbrook both as a service to us all and as a living memorial to John. FINE’N YELLOW resulted from a bequest in Margery's will to commission an original piece of Westbrook music and the result is something special.
While specifically reflecting John and Margery’s lives and loves, the album has a universal musical and emotional appeal.
A video of one of its pieces Yellow Fig Leaf has been uploaded. Produced by Stan Willis (of The Village Band) it features Kate’s singing and painting. There’s a warm Caribbean feel to the track thanks largely to Jon Hiseman’s drums and Steve Berry’s bass, on which he achieves an unusual timbre and infectious bounce by using a chopstick on the strings. Watch the video on http://tinyurl.com/2u92dsu
Another tune from the album Through the Dark featuring Mike’s solo piano can be heard on http://tinyurl.com/2u8kzgk where it provides the soundtrack to Stan’s video of Kate Westbrook in her Devon studio. She talks about her paintings and the film provides a fascinating glimpse into the other side of Kate’s creative work.
The FINE’N YELLOW CD is available by mail order from Westbrook Records, Email us with your name and address and details of your order to westbrookrecords@westbrookjazz.co.uk
and we will send information from PayPal on how to pay. Please note: it is possible to use PayPal without opening an account with them.
Chris Biscoe, Henry Lowther,
Stu Butterfield, Larry Bartley,
Kate Williams, Trevor Mires,
Pete Hurt, Paul Clarvis, Dave Green
Trio Records CD TR585
Mike Westbrook once observed 1 that Charles Mingus (1922-79) was ‘an artist whose every performance is a defiant affirmation of the true Jazz values’
It used to be thought that only Mingus could play his music properly but bands such as Mingus Dynasty, Mingus Big Band and the Mingus Orchestra are keeping his music alive and bringing it to a new generation..
It still separates the men from the boys of course. This music requires considerable technical skill, drive, a jazz sensibility as well as sensitivity to make it work. From the outset PROFILES OF MINGUS, with its growls, slurs, cries and wails opening one of two versions of Fables of Faubus included here, it is clear that Chris Biscoe and his colleagues fully mastered the maestro’s language and have captured his spirit. The programme draws heavily on the Mingus AH-UM album. In the accompanying booklet Chris explains:- ‘(Ah-Um) has everything: gospel, blues and ballads, great passion and lyricism, as well as heartfelt and characteristically original tributes to Duke Ellington, Charlie Parker, Jelly Roll Morton and Lester Young.
PROFILES OF MINGUS presents Biscoe’s sympathetic arrangements of many Mingus favourites and authoritative interpretations by musicians steeped in this music
It is, in turn, a heartfelt and original tribute to a true jazz great Charles Mingus. Anyone with an ounce of jazz in their soul will love this.
Full details, sound clips and ordering information at www.triorecords.co.uk
and www.jazzcds.co.uk
and more information at www.chrisbiscoe.co.uk
Martin King
As mentioned earlier in this issue, we mark the official release of the new CD Fine ‘n Yellow with a film of Kate Westbrook singing Yellow Fig Leaf. You can see the film here:
http://tinyurl.com/2u92dsu
Films previously uploaded include Big Band RTV Slovenija playing Mike Westbrook’s “Viennese Waltz”, Billy Strayhorn’s “Something To Live For” and Duke Ellington and Clark Terry’s “Jones”. http://tiny.cc/5cwia
Two films of The Westbrook Trio are also available: http://tiny.cc/ki7q7
As you will see below, we have three new photos of The Westbrook Trio in performance courtesy of Frank Eichler, who rounded off his holiday in England with a visit to the 606 Club where he could be seen occasionally appearing from behind cameras and tripods to say “Sagen Sie Käse” Larger versions of the photos can be seen here: http://tinyurl.com/33tmnt5
Finally a reminder that apart from finding Westbrook CD’s in all good record shops you can also buy a number of them online direct from Westbrook Records. See here for details:
http://tinyurl.com/n5gmfo
The Westbrook Blake concert GLAD DAY has been on the road again. Informees Graham and Nohline Ruff report from Tavistock in deepest Devon and Ian Mann from The Edge, a jazz centre in Shropshire’s Wenlock,.
The organisers of this year's Festival were very kind to us Westbrook fans by putting on GLAD DAY on Saturday evening and on Sunday the Village Band played at Kelly College.
GLAD DAY was performed to a capacity audience in the impressive St Eustachius Church where the acoustics were excellent. As usual the pieces were performed with all the passion one would expect from such special texts.
Although we have heard these settings many times the combination of Mike Westbrook's music and Blake's words always send a shiver down the spine. All the players were on great form, Kate Westbrook and Phil Minton both at their subtle and powerful best. Mike, Billy Thompson and Karen Street drove the whole piece along but for me the outstanding performers on the night were Steve Berry on bass and the Big Noise Choir who must have been one of the youngest choirs to tackle these charts. The choir had only been formed last November from local 8-18 year olds (although I must say some looked even younger). It was formed specifically for this performance year so taking on Blake was an impressive feat and much praise must go to their director Marion Wood.
As always something new to us was included. This was a song The Children of Blake". The text was written by Adrian Mitchell and is a reminder that he was the inspiration behind TYGER, the first work to feature Mike's settings.
After a glorious sunny day on Saturday, Sunday was damp and dismal ,but not for long! The Village Band livened up a big audience In the Kelly College Arts Centre. Material ranged across a huge spectrum from the early 16th century choral music through Rossini and King Oliver to Monk and Morton. There were,of course, several originals and probably the most outstanding pieces were beautiful versions of Mingus's Goodbye Pork Pie Hat and Neil Hefti's Li'l Darlin’ from the great Count Basie band (Mike's arrangement made the sextet sound like a really big band).
Pasties and pints were served at the break after we'd viewed a film about the Tamar River with a score by Mike. The film highlighted the little known stretches up stream from Plymouth with the long and now forgotten industrial history along the banks. It aims to help promote a project for a specially designed solar powered vessel that will act as a floating classroom and help preserve the history and wildlife of the river, a very worthwhile project.
It was also revealed that the impressive Kelly College is Mike's Alma Mater and one of his old masters was present to ensure that ‘young Westbrook’ was still top of the class.. . . . .This was a most enjoyable weekend for all those present and the appreciative audience included a huge age range at both events.
Graham and Nohline Ruff
The Edge Arts Centre in the small Shropshire town of Much Wenlock has established itself as one of the major venues on the UK Jazz Circuit. Manager/Artistic Director Alison Vermee has attracted a stunning array of talent to The Edge in recent years. The Edge is one of THE success stories of British jazz in recent years and the place is an absolute godsend to non city dwelling jazz fans like myself.
The Westbrook concert was probably Alison’s most audacious piece of programming yet. Mike’s musical settings of the texts of William Blake are a fairly demanding listen but the skill of his writing and the quality of the performances by an eclectic ensemble of singers and musicians carried the day, quickly winning over a large and attentive audience in the bigger of The Edge’s two performance spaces.
The ensemble he brought to Wenlock included the St. Pancras Singers (Emilia Hughes, Sarah Shorter, Sam Jackson and David Neal) alongside featured vocalists Kate Westbrook and Phil Minton. An unusual instrumental line-up comprised of Westbrook himself on piano, Billy Thompson on violin, Karen Street on accordion and Steve Berry on double bass. Although there was no conventional jazz soloing per se Westbrook gave considerable space for Street, Berry and particularly Thompson to establish their credentials as soloists. Enjoyable as these moments were the real emphasis was on Westbrook’s writing, the distinctive qualities of the singing by Kate Westbrook and Phil Minton and the sheer poetry of Blake’s words.
Solo violin began Let The Slave with Phil Minton taking the lead vocal. In other contexts Minton is a real experimenter, pushing the human voice to its limits. Here he sang with passion and in a well enunciated English accent. Mike Westbrook himself recited the poem The Price Of Experience before Thompson took another jaw dropping solo, bowing frantically above the choral backdrop of the St. Pancras Singers.
Next came The Children Of Blake, a setting of a poem by Adrian Mitchell movingly sung here by Kate Westbrook, the only accompaniment being Berry’s deeply resonant bass. Westbrook’s Lullaby then provided the bridge into the lengthy Holy Thursday featuring Kate Westbrook’s impassioned vocals as Blake rails against the poverty and injustice of his London.
The two closing items The Fields and I See Thy Form were a segue and something of a tour de force for Minton as Blake namechecks various London locations in his search for salvation.. The singer’s intensity was more than matched by the rest of the ensemble in a stirring climax that evoked a rapturous response from a hitherto spellbound audience.
Ian Mann
quoted with the author's kind permission. See Ian’s website at www.thejazzmann.com
The 606 Club in Chelsea is becoming something of a London base for the Westbrooks. The Duo have played here before, the Off Abbey Road band is scheduled again for the autumn, but this time it was the turn of the Trio.
Having recently seen the Duo, and thoroughly enjoying their take on a wide-ranging repertoire, it was revealing to witness the Trio in action. The addition of Chris Biscoe adds new dimensions of texture, harmony and counterpoint, and a greater emphasis on improvisation. Pieces such as Love for Sale and Alabamasong developed into performances of great momentum and intensity.
The two sets both included a couple of duets for Chris and Mike: The Streams of Lovely Lucienne (from Platterback) and Billy Strayhorn’s A Flower is a Lovesome Thing in the first half, a Blues in F and Strayhorn’s Johnny Come Lately in the second.
Billy Strayhorn featured prominently this evening, and the Kate’s powerfully yearning interpretation of Something to Live For provided a particular high point.
Perhaps it was the location by the Thames in London that influenced the Trio to open with Limehouse Blues. The Westbrooks always try to incorporate some local flavour and language into their gigs, though maybe the accents at Chelsea are not quite the same as those heard further downstream.
Martin King
Harry Beckett
May 30, 1935 – July 22, 2010
We are all greatly saddened by news of the death of Harry Beckett.
 One of our most distinctive trumpet players, Harry brought his highly personal style and generous personality to all of the many and varied contexts he worked in. We played together in the 60s and early 70s, especially in my orchestra. His solo on the last track of the Metropolis album is one I particularly treasure.
Kate, Chris Biscoe and I often ran into Harry on the road, and it was always a delight to spend time with him, and to hear that irrepressible trumpet.
He was a much loved figure throughout the European jazz scene. In his long career he must have played with nearly everybody. We are all going to miss him terribly.
Mike Westbrook
Alan Plater
15 April 1935 – 25 June 2010
 The recent death of Alan Plater deprived jazz of one of its greatest advocates, and
robbed us of one of our most valued supporters. His prolific output as a writer of
television drama, as well as stage plays, often featured jazz themes.
We first met at a Brass Band gig in a pub in Hull in the 70s. On the strength of that encounter Alan wrote a short TV play featuring the band, and a young Denis Waterman, “Give us a Kiss, Christabel”.
It was shot in Crisp Street Market, in the East End of London, where Kate and I were living at the time.
Subsequently he and his partner Shirley were often a very welcome presence at our London gigs. The last time we saw him was after the Blake performance at The Foundling Museum. Alan was greatly moved, as indeed we all were. Rest in Peace.
Mike Westbrook
See the diary pages on the website for full details where you can also subscribe to our RSS feed and keep up to date with changes to the website and the latest news.
Kate’s Diary - http://tinyurl.com/cal8m2
Mike’s Diary - http://tinyurl.com/cpc8ku
Mike Brewer Kate Westbrook Sam Smith
Stan Willis Gary Bayley Mike Westbrook
The Ronnie Scott’s BRITJAZZ FEST
Wednesday August 11, 2010
Ronnie Scott’s Jazz Club
47 Frith Street,
London W1D 4HT
bookings 020 7439 0747 www.ronniescotts.co.uk
doors open 6.00pm
first set 7.30pm CAROL GRIMES
second set 9.15pm THE VILLAGE BAND
John Winfield Kate Westbrook
Brian Godding Pete Whyman
Alan Wakeman Simon Pearson
Andy Grappy Mike Westbrook
Wednesday October 6, 2010
606 club, London
Sunday October 10, 2010
Porgy and Bess, Vienna
Kate Westbrook Mike Westbrook
Chris Biscoe Pete Whyman
Karen Street Chris Caldwell
Saturday April 2, 2011
Kings Place,
London
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