Artist: Mike Westbrook

Date of Release: 03/09/2007

Catalogue no: 1269

Label: HatArt

Price: £10

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Track Listing

Appearances by

Chris Biscoe, Kate Westbrook

Hear sound samples on the Westbrookjazz Website

Mike Westbrook (piano)
Phil Minton (trumpet, voice)
Kate Westbrook (tenor horn, bamboo flute, piccolo, voice)
Brian Godding (guitar)
Dominique Pifarely (violin)
Georgie Born (cello)
Danilo Terenzi (trombone)
Steve Cook (bass guitar)
Toni Marsh (drums)
Chris Biscoe (baritone, alto, & soprano saxes, alto clarinet, piccolo)
Stuart Brooks (trumpet, flugelhorn)

Recorded live May 12th, 1984 Le Grand Théâtre,
Maison de la Culture, Amiens.

Reviews

31/12/1985 Richard Williams - The Times

Mike Westbrook's homage to Duke Ellington, his first and deepest inspiration, is the very best kind of tribute, in which one man uses his own language to evoke the spirit of another. You will find no imitations of the Ellington trademarks, no cheap exploiting of the Cotton Club fad, in the 80 minutes of 'On Duke's Birthday', but there will be moments in which every listener will glimpse the shadows of the master.

30/12/1985 David Ilic - City Limits

... all the Westbrook trademarks are there - the dexterous arrangements with their attention to gripping instrumental contrasts... and the cyclic progressions, embroidering the themes in different ways. Westbrook strikes at the very heart of Ellington's method - of setting the solos to manuscript - of integrating the individual and collective... the results here make for an almost seemless whole... a majestic pagentry of solos... sections of powerhouse swing, contrasting with later, haunting stretches of dissonant activity... in short, magnificent.

29/12/1985 Geoff Andrew - Time Out

...the music is written and played with the spirit of Ellington presiding, while remaining true to Westbrook's distinctively modern vision., which combines mainstream, rock elements, a hint of avant-garde and a touch of European 'serious' music. The overall effect... is quite simply uplifting.