1. Music Is 6.26
(Mike Westbrook)
2. Mama Chicago 6.27
(Mike Westbrook/Kate Westbrook/Michael Kustow)
3. Goin’ to Chicago 6.03
(Mike Westbrook)
4. Aggro-Vancouver-Desperado 5.27
(Mike Westbrook, Kate Westbrook)
5. View From The Drawbridge 5.08
(Mike Westbrook)
6. July ’79 7.08
(Mike Westbrook)
7. Wasteground And Weeds 5.40
(Mike Westbrook, Kate Westbrook)
8. Music Is 5.22
(Mike Westbrook)
9. Wasteground And Weeds 8.53
(Mike Westbrook, Kate Westbrook)
alternative take: only available with download version
A Chris Biscoe Recording
Track Listing
Sound Samples
Personnel
Catania - Live in Sicily 1992
Love and Understanding
Selected Recordings
Says The Duke 2022
London Bridge Live in Zűrich 1990
Says The Duke 2020
Band Of Bands
the piano and me
take one
the piano and me
take two
the piano and me
take three
The Birds of Dartmoor
the piano and me
take four
unedited improvisations
the piano and me
takes one to four
Chris Biscoe - Dave Whitford
John Scott - Mike Outram
Kate Williams
Music Is - Chris Biscoe
Plays Mike Westbrook
Chris Biscoe soprano sax; alto sax; baritone sax; alto clarinet
Dave Whitford double bass
Jon Scott drums
Mike Outram guitar
Kate Williams piano
Information
Music composed by Mike Westbrook,
arranged for this recording by Chris Biscoe
Produced by Chris Biscoe
Mixed and mastered by Andrew Cleyndert
as a Download, only from Bandcamp
The idea behind Chris Biscoe's 'Music Is' is a simple one: take some of these great pieces by Mike Westbrook out of their context and play them with a small jazz group as you might an Ellington, Monk or Gershwin song.
Mike Westbrook is one of the most important composers in jazz with a huge body of work from small band jazz through big bands, cabaret, fusion, chamber works, opera, settings of poetry, creative re-workings of Rossini and The Beatles' Abbey Road, while always retaining his unique character.
Chris Biscoe has worked with Mike and Kate Westbrook since 1979, from Mama Chicago and The Cortege through On Duke's Birthday, London Bridge is Broken Down, Bar Utopia, Art Wolf and many other shows. Their closest and most enduring collaboration is The Trio, which has toured extensively and produced four records.
Arrangements are simple, or even created in the studio in partnership with input from the members of the quintet. The title track, 'Music Is', appears twice, in its original ballad tempo, and in a spontaneous trio recasting as a medium tempo waltz. There are also two unaccompanied sax tracks, one of them a multitrack improvisation for alto sax, alto clarinets and field recording of street sounds.
See Mike Westbrook's Notice Board piece about the album.
More information about Chris Biscoe can be found on his website.