The Westbrook Blake - Bright As Fire
by Mike Westbrook
doctorducky
doctorducky
If I could choose one record for the proverbial desert island, this would be it.
Favorite track: London Song.
Nick Brown
Nick Brown
How could you not love this work? Brilliant, passionate, entirely topical - I never tire of it and “the Price of Experience” never fails to move me to tears.
Favorite track: Let The Slave - The Price of Experience.
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1. |
The Fields
05:39
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2. |
I See Thy Form
03:59
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3. |
London Song
07:14
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4. |
A Poison Tree
02:32
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5. |
Holy Thursday
15:04
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6. |
about
Settings of the poetry of William Blake, with music by Mike Westbrook, texts selected by Adrian Mitchell Much of the material originally commissioned by the National Theatre for the 1971 production of Adrian Mitchell’s Tyger, directed by John Dexter and Michael Blakemore. The Blake settings, sung by Kate Westbrook and Phil Minton, were an integral part of the repertoire of the Mike Westbrook Brass Band from its formation in 1973. The Westbrook Blake (Bright As Fire), a programme entirely devoted to Blake’s poetry, was first performed in 1980 and has been widely performed throughout Britain and Europe, in New York (1983) and at the Adelaide Festival (1984).
REVIEWS
"...Arguably the most majestic work to appear in recent years. Its marriage of Inspirational lyrics and uplifting scoring, performed by some of the most talented musicians in Europe, harks back to the jazz suites of Ellington..."
THE GUARDIAN
"Mike Westbrook makes full use of his two striking vocalists, Kate Westbrook and Phil Minton, and coaxes fervent performances from horn men Chris Biscoe and Alan Wakeman. He finds music to snatch the ecstasy of 'I See Thy Form' and desolation of 'London Song', turns 'A Poison Tree' into a blood-curdling tango. and fashions a magnificent anthem for 'Let The Slave/The Price of Experience', Blake's great paeans to freedom, dignity, and compassion."
THE WIRE
"Perhaps the greatest work in all British jazz"
INDEPENDENT ON SUNDAY.
"Westbrook's settings are among the greatest British music of the century...bold, optimistic and inspiring".
THE INDEPENDENT.
"Bright as Fire pulls no emotional punches, Blake's visionary words matched by some of Westbrook's most trenchant writing".
Alyn Shipton - THE TIMES
"It's one of the great fortuitous yokings together of the century: Blake's forthright lyrics, and Westbrook's English-Ellington music, the words brilliantly sung by Kate Westbrook and Phil Minton and accompanied by a septet with three great sax players in Peter Whyman, Chris Biscoe and Alan Wakeman".
Phil Johnson - THE INDEPENDENT
REVIEWS
"...Arguably the most majestic work to appear in recent years. Its marriage of Inspirational lyrics and uplifting scoring, performed by some of the most talented musicians in Europe, harks back to the jazz suites of Ellington..."
THE GUARDIAN
"Mike Westbrook makes full use of his two striking vocalists, Kate Westbrook and Phil Minton, and coaxes fervent performances from horn men Chris Biscoe and Alan Wakeman. He finds music to snatch the ecstasy of 'I See Thy Form' and desolation of 'London Song', turns 'A Poison Tree' into a blood-curdling tango. and fashions a magnificent anthem for 'Let The Slave/The Price of Experience', Blake's great paeans to freedom, dignity, and compassion."
THE WIRE
"Perhaps the greatest work in all British jazz"
INDEPENDENT ON SUNDAY.
"Westbrook's settings are among the greatest British music of the century...bold, optimistic and inspiring".
THE INDEPENDENT.
"Bright as Fire pulls no emotional punches, Blake's visionary words matched by some of Westbrook's most trenchant writing".
Alyn Shipton - THE TIMES
"It's one of the great fortuitous yokings together of the century: Blake's forthright lyrics, and Westbrook's English-Ellington music, the words brilliantly sung by Kate Westbrook and Phil Minton and accompanied by a septet with three great sax players in Peter Whyman, Chris Biscoe and Alan Wakeman".
Phil Johnson - THE INDEPENDENT
credits
released August 27, 2019
Phil Minton - vocal, trumpet
Kate Westbrook - tenor horn, vocal, piccolo
Mike Davies - piccolo trumpet, trumpet
Dave Hancock - trumpet
Henry Lowther - trumpet
Malcolm Griffiths - trombone
Alan Sinclair - tuba
Alan Wakeman - sopranino, soprano & tenor saxophones
Chris Biscoe - soprano & alto saxophones, alto clarinet
Dave Barry - drums, percussion, tympani, tubular bells
Georgie Born - cello
Chris Laurence - bass
Mike Westbrook - piano, speech
Recorded January 1980
first released on LP on Original Records (ORA 203)
subsequently issued on LP, cassette & CD by Impetus Records
Issued on CD 1991
Currently unavailable on CD
Phil Minton - vocal, trumpet
Kate Westbrook - tenor horn, vocal, piccolo
Mike Davies - piccolo trumpet, trumpet
Dave Hancock - trumpet
Henry Lowther - trumpet
Malcolm Griffiths - trombone
Alan Sinclair - tuba
Alan Wakeman - sopranino, soprano & tenor saxophones
Chris Biscoe - soprano & alto saxophones, alto clarinet
Dave Barry - drums, percussion, tympani, tubular bells
Georgie Born - cello
Chris Laurence - bass
Mike Westbrook - piano, speech
Recorded January 1980
first released on LP on Original Records (ORA 203)
subsequently issued on LP, cassette & CD by Impetus Records
Issued on CD 1991
Currently unavailable on CD
license
all rights reserved
tags
about
Mike Westbrook London, UK
Mike Westbrook, composer and pianist, has received many honours and his outpouring of work in a career stretching over 50 years, ranges from scores for full orchestra to solo piano improvisation.
discography
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Feb 2024 -
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Jan 2024
contact / help
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