Mike Westbrook
| Mike Westbrook | |
|---|---|
Westbrook performing at his William Blake Project, "Glad Day", in London on 6 December 2008
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| Background information | |
| Born |
21 March 1936 High Wycombe, England |
| Genres | Avant-garde jazz |
| Occupation(s) | Jazz pianist, composer |
| Instruments | Piano |
| Years active | 1967–present |
| Associated acts | Mike Westbrook Brass Band, The Orckestra |
| Website | www |
Michael John David "Mike" Westbrook (born 21 March 1936 in High Wycombe) is an English jazz pianist, composer, and writer of orchestrated jazz pieces.
Mike Westbrook grew up in Torquay. After a spell in accountancy and his National Service (some of it in Germany) he went to art school, studying painting, in Plymouth where he also began his first bands in 1958, soon joined by such musicians as John Surman, Lou Gare and Keith Rowe.
After moving to London in 1962, Westbrook led numerous bands, large and small, and played regularly at the Old Place and the Little Theatre Club at Garrick Yard, St Martin's Lane. Together with Chris McGregor's Brotherhood of breath, Westbrook shared the role of house-band at Ronnie Scott's Jazz Club.
He became a key figure in the development of British jazz, producing several big-band records for the Deram label, with the newly formed Mike Westbrook Concert Band, between 1967 and 1969. These featured such musicians as Surman, Mike Osborne and Harry Miller. The band varied in size from 10 to 26 musicians.
In 1968 his band made their international debut at the Montreux Festival with Malcolm Griffiths, Alan Jackson, Harry Miller, Mike Osborne and John Surman.
The 1970s saw a wide range of different projects. Cosmic Circus, jointly founded with John Fox specialised in large scale, one-off high technology shows involving high-divers, tight-rope, carnival processions and more. It was part of Earthrise Tour in the UK (May 1970 to October 1971). This included also singer/vocalist Norma Winstone who performed on several of the band's albums at the time.
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