Mike Westbrook

The Profile

English jazz pianist, composer and bandleader known for leading large ensembles and for cross-genre projects that blend jazz with other forms.

Noted for arranging and adapting non-jazz material for jazz ensembles (for example the Westbrook-Rossini project) and for prolific work leading bands and composing since the 1960s.

A positive appraisal of Mike Westbrook's Rossini arrangements as performed in Zurich 1986. The review praises the album's spontaneity, New Orleans-inspired jazz approach and strong solos. Recommended for listeners who enjoy jazz reinterpretations of classical themes.