Artist: Mike Westbrook

Date of Release: 12/07/2010

Catalogue no: HSTJ014CD

Label: Gonzo

Price: £10

Add to Shopping Basket

Track Listing

Appearances by

Chris Biscoe, Kate Westbrook, Steve Berry

Hear Sound Samples on the Westbrookjazz Website

An album dedicated to the memory of Margery and John Styles commissioned by the Margery Styles Estate which was distributed to friends and family of Margery and John and to subscribers of the Smith's Academy Informer of which John and Margery were the founders.

Kate Westbrook voice
Chris Biscoe alto & soprano saxophones/alto clarinet
Peter Whyman alto & soprano saxophones/clarinet/bass clarinet
Mike Westbrook piano & keyboards
Steve Berry double bass
Jon Hiseman drums

Reviews

01/09/2010 Duncan Heining - Jazzwise

Kate Westbrook’s lyrics have been enriching partner Mike’s music since the 1970s, most recently with the Art Wolf project, but here I think she has surpassed herself. Fine ‘n Yellow was commissioned by Margery Styles as a memorial for her life and that of her husband John. The couple were close friends of the Westbrooks' and this charming record oozes affection. The closest one can ever feel to another human being lies in the sense of being known completely. It is this very thing that Kate’s lyrics suggest to me here and Mike wraps them in a music that defines companionship. The closing ‘What I like’ leaves me wishing I knew these people, while Mike’s solo blues ‘Through the Dark’ is filled with late night conviviality. The Styles’ devotion to each other is reflected in both ‘My Lover’s Coat’ and the even better ‘My Lover’s Heart’, while the playing from all involved is totally assured. This is the Westbrooks' best release in a while- and that says a lot.