The Mike Westbrook Orchestra "The Cortège" 1968 - disc 1

The Mike Westbrook Orchestra's 1982 opus The Cortège, initially released as a sprawling three-disc vinyl set by Original Records (re-released on CD by Enja) and winner of that year's Grand Prix du Disque de Montreux, is an often stunning work of massive scope and an indisputable highlight of Westbrook's career...
...Originally commissioned by the Bracknell Jazz Festival in 1979 and subsequently performed at a number of European festivals, The Cortège is themed around the idea of a New Orleans funeral procession, from its dirges to its final exuberance, but this theme is used as a framework for excursions into territory that is pure Westbrook -- namely a marriage of creative jazz orchestra and European poetry written by Federico García Lorca, Arthur Rimbaud, Hermann Hesse, William Blake, and others. To be sure, the impassioned, theatrical, and -- to some -- even occasionally eccentric interpretations of the texts by singers Kate Westbrook and Phil Minton do not fit within what might traditionally be considered "jazz vocals"; both Westbrook and Minton draw mainly from European cabaret, musical theater, the avant-garde, and even opera. And they throw themselves into their performances, holding nothing back. They possess extraordinary range, control, and interpretive skill, and anyone open to a melding of jazz and European art music -- which honor each other here -- should find much to admire in the performances...to be continued... - Review by Dave Lynch
trax:
01 It starts here 02 Democratie 03 Berlin 04 Erme estuary 05 Knivshult / Ash Wednesday 06 Ruote che girano 07 Piano 08 Leñador 09 July'79

This music is dedicated to the tradition of Johnny Diego's Rock 'n' Roll Free Sunday!