Mike Westbrook RIP

[Roger Farbey]

Mike Westbrook, the UK's premier jazz composer and bandleader died yesterday, 11 April at the age of 90. I was lucky to witness one of his last concerts at Blackheath last December where there was a fabulous recital of the Westbrook Blake. At the concert he came onstage in a wheelchair but was able to recite some of Blake's poetry. His body of work was incredibly important and included masterpieces such as The Cortege and On Duke's Birthday. But his earlier albums were the launching pad for legendary musicians such as John Surman as heard on Celebration and Marching Song. He also wrote with jazz rock in mind as heard with his Solid Gold Cadillac group and on Mike Westbrook Live and Citadel/Room 315 and not forgetting the illustrious Metropolis featuring Norma Winstone amongst others. The Westbrook Blake album superseded his musical contribution to Adrian Mitchell's musical Tyger and became a timeless classic. He will be very much missed by many. RIP Mike.

Edited 6 hours ago by Roger Farbey

[optatio]

Oh, very sad news - he was often in Göttingen - R.I.P. ...

[T.D.]

Extremely sad to hear this. RIP and thanks for a great body of work.

[sidewinder]

This is extremely sad to hear - but Mike was 90 and was active musically right up to the end. I saw a couple of the last gigs - Lyme Regis in 2024 I think and Torquay last December with his 'Band of Bands'. Both occasions memorable. First time I saw him was on the 'Art Wolf' tour late 90s I think, to my mind this was one of his and Kate's best projects. I also saw gigs with the Rossini orchestral group, the trio with Chris Biscoe doing 'Love or Infatuation', the 'Village Band' and the Devon-based big band with Lou Gare, Dave Holdsworth and Alan Wakeman, including their recording of 'A Bigger Show'. Such an imaginative musical mind.

May he RIP and condolences to Kate and the Westbrook family. I hope Kate continues with performances of Westbrook alumni.

Richard Williams posted a good obit for Mike in the Guardian:https://www.theguardian.com/music/2026/apr/12/mike-westbrook-obituary

 

Edited 5 hours ago by sidewinder

[mjazzg]

One hell of a legacy left and life lived. A running thread through UK jazz for so long.

'Westbrook Blake' is one of the most moving live experiences of any art form I have seen. If he'd only done that it would've been a major contribution but he did so so much more.

[clifford_thornton]

Wow, RIP -- what a legacy.