Mike Westbrook Band
Wednesday 6 September 2023 8pm. Livermead Cliff Hotel, Torquay
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. To celebrate its 40th year the Trio is joined by saxophonist Pete Whyman, accordionist Karen Street, with Marcus Vergette on bass and Coach York on drums. A formidable septet to play the Westbrook Song Book.
The experience of touring, and of collaboration with artists in many countries, has shaped the unique repertoire around which the performance of the new septet is based. Expect re-creations of Westbrook classics alongside new compositions and arrangements of well-loved standards, interpreted and developed by some of the finest improvising musicians around.
“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 1994)