Mike Westbrook Band of Bands
Wednesday 6 September 2023 8pm. Livermead Cliff Hotel, Torquay
CANCELLED DUE TO COVID
The Westbrook Trio is the longest established and most widely travelled of all Mike Westbrook’s ensembles. The Trio’s mix of composition, song, and improvisation has been at the heart of many Westbrook projects, from the seminal Brass Band of the ‘70s to the Westbrook Orchestra. From the early ‘80s, Kate, Mike and Chris Biscoe have continued to perform regularly throughout Europe as well as touring in Canada, Australia and the Far East. The group’s geographical and musical adventures were commemorated in their 20th Anniversary album L’ascenseur/The Lift . The group’s 30th anniversary was marked by the release of Three into Wonderfull, its title taken from a Times review of a Trio performance.
The unique repertoire around which the performance of the Band of Bands is based, has been shaped by the experience of touring and of collaborating with artists in many countries. There are re-creations of Westbrook classics alongside new compositions, and arrangements of some lesser known standards, all interpreted by some of the UK’s most original and distinctive soloists.
“No one has succeeded in creating a more distinctive body of work than Mike and Kate Westbrook. Their mixture of jazz, music-theatre, poetry, street entertainment and visuals is rich and unique.” The Observer
‘some proof that three into wonderful will go’ (The Westbrook Trio reviewed in The Times in 19
Kate Westbrook ”one of the most unique, expressive and flexible voices one could find between the Atlantic and the Urals”- Jazz Magazine (France)
Mike Westbrook “Whether he is writing for a trio or a 20 piece orchestra, Westbrook’s style is unmistakable. He combines instruments in unique ways, twists conventional jazz forms into surprising new shapes and seasons it all with delicate touches of humour and irony.” – The Observer
Chris Biscoe “He’s made the territory between post-bop and free-jazz entirely his own, deploying his arsenal of bent tones, slithering runs and bluesy multiphonics.” – The Guardian
Karen Street “the accordion of the remarkable Karen Street transfixed the audience with a long unaccompanied improvisation…..the most astonishing single piece of playing I’ve heard this year.” The Blue Moment
Pete Whyman “A fine virtuoso.The level of technical certainty was awesome.” – The Guardian
Marcus Vergette “Musician, bell-maker, sculptor, Marcus was born on the banks of the Mississippi River in Southern Illinois. He is a bass player renowned for his Mingus-influenced prowess.” Paintbox
Coach York “..powerhouse kit work – very hard, granular, crystalline and totally rock solid.” London Jazz
Supported by Airshaft Trust