Artist: Henry Lowther

Date of Release: 01/01/2003

Catalogue no: GWB 444

Label: GWB

Price: £12

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Track Listing

Appearances by

Jim Mullen

The Henry Lowther/Jim Mullen Quartet has been in existence since early 1999, and affords its members regular playing opportunities in contrast to some of their other musical ventures. There's a special rapport and evident relaxation whenever this quartet performs, and the record label, GWB, comes from a comment Jim made to Henry on leaving the stand between sets at one gig, "This is a great wee band!" Since this time, The Great Wee Band, or GWB for short, has been how the band members have referred to this project. The programme is of favourite show tunes, ballads and jazz standards, and the vast experience within the band allied to a genuine love of the material keeps this fresh. This is certainly true of the present recording, captured live at a favourite watering hole in North London in April of this year. The band features Henry Lowther - trumpet, Jim Mullen - guitar, Dave Green - bass, Stu Butterfield - drums, tenor saxophonist Simon Picard sits in on the title track, a calypso by Blue Mitchell.

Reviews

01/01/2004 Humphrey Lyttleton

"…music making of the highest quality…catches the band in full lyrical flood"

01/01/2004 Dave Gelly

"The Best of Jazz" BBC Radio 2 "…I doubt whether either (Lowther or Mullen) has ever played better…the whole thing is a delight"

01/01/2004 Barry Witherden

"Lowther canters through this nicely chosen programme with considerable melodic fluency, wit and imagination... Mullen responds with some of his freshest playing… Green was on good form; but then, when isn't he? Butterfield's playing is crisp…the recording is alive and vivid"

01/01/2004 Cadence Magazine

"the quartet sound like they're having a great time…this is an enjoyable, very playable disc"