The
"Guardian" wrote: "
This the Westbrook project (originally
only a mail-order release) that started life as a Blackheath Concert Halls
commission in 1998. It takes a contemporary Brecht/Weillian look at a group of
travellers heading by train from an imaginary countryside to an imaginary city
at the time of an imaginary impending war. Mike and Kate Westbrook have been
creatively using the traditions of jazz, poetry, cabaret and music-theatre for
years. The ensemble consists of accordion, cello, tuba, voices and piano -
the sonorities of the first two replacing Westbrook's more usual horns. It
draws some vivid impressions of careering trains, receding happiness, hope,
nostalgia and doubt from Kate Westbrook's story and lyrics. Karen Street's
accordion is a constantly evocative ensemble colour, as is John Winfield's
voice - with its capacity to veer from former Westbrook singer Phil Minton's
anguished free-fall to a soulful purr. The love song My Sum and Substance has
something of the ringing simplicity of the Westbrooks' Blake material, while
the hoe-down cello figures (eventually finding their way to a classical
elegance) and thumping accordion beat give Stiltsville Yodel a leaping
eagerness. The lyrical countermelodies between cello and accordion in Streams
of Lovely Lucienne are among the set's most striking episodes. This is perhaps
not quite as characterful, musically explosive or capable of absorbing you in
the fortunes of the cast as some Westbrook ventures, but it is still typically
quirky and un-formulaic. "
"Good Friday' project continues the long awaited reissues of the 'Westbrook Music Theatre' productions. The music is arranged and directed by Mike Westbrook with vocals by Kate Westbrook. This work is a must buy for all the lovers of world music. Indeed, it is a first class product. A world-class musical masterpiece.
Another challenging, refreshing and monumental recent work of the Westbrooks is the mighty Westbrook Trio Creation which releases the "L'Ascenseur/The Lift". A true musical-vocal gem. No musical library, no discotheques and no well enriched musical collection is totally complete without it. It just elevates you to a higher dimension of joy, hope, enchantment and unspolied half human half divine beauty. It is almost perfect." Read this: With this immensely powerful work Westbrook reinstates his claim to international pre-eminence among the heirs of Duke Ellington and Charles Mingus' - The Times/." Massively affirmed Westbrook's stature as a giant of contemporary music" - The Guardian. L''Ascenseur/The Lift, a piece conceived by Kate Westbrook and developed collectively by the trio, exists in English, French, German, Portuguese and Italian versions, reflecting the group's European history. The premiere of this new piece in Nancy in 2002 was followed by performances in Metz, Zurich and Esch, Luxembourg. Further performances, including the Brit-Jazz festival in Dortmund (recorded by WDR) and Braga, Portugal, preceded the recording of this album with Jon Hiseman. CONTINUES NEXT