The Cortège is an album by the Mike Westbrook Orchestra, performing a composition for jazz orchestra composed by Westbrook with texts from Federico García Lorca, Arthur Rimbaud, Hermann Hesse, William Blake, Giuseppe Gioachino Belli, John Clare, Pentti Saarikoski, and other European poetry, which was recorded in 1982 and first released as a triple LP on the Original label and reissued as a double CD on Enja in 1993 and 2011.Mike Westbrook discography: album details accessed July 17, 2018
Reception
The AllMusic review by Dave Lynch called the album "an often stunning work of massive scope and an indisputable highlight of Westbrook's career" and stated "The Cortège might be too sprawling for a first investigation of Westbrook, but it warrants consideration as the centerpiece of any Westbrook collection".
On All About Jazz, Chris May called it "one of finest achievements of British orchestral jazz".May, C., All About Jazz Review, accessed July 17, 2018
The Observer'''s Dave Gelly noted: "It's only recently that the evolution of distinctly European forms of jazz has been acknowledged, but it began decades ago. One of the first milestones was this huge, unsettling work. .... The Cortège'' evolved over several years and, if there is a definitive version, this 1982 recording is it".Gelly. D. The Observer Review, accessed July 17, 2018
Track listing All compositions by Mike Westbrook "It Starts Here" – 5:18 "Democratie" – 7:55 "Berlin 16.2.79" – 9:25 "Erme Estuary" – 8:40 "Guitar Solo" – 2:31 "Knivshult/Ash Wednesday" – 4:54 "Ruote Che Girano" – 6:48 "Piano" – 3:06 "Leñador" – 11:32 "July '79" – 12:49 "Enfance" – 14:03 "Cordoba" – 8:11 "Santarcangelo: Flee as a Bird" – 1:18 "Santarcangelo: Evening" – 1:35 "Santarcangelo: Jerusalem" – 2:27 "Santarcangelo: Dawn" – 1:50 "Santarcangelo: Piped Music" – 3:35 "Santarcangelo: Dirge" – 0:55 "Santarcangelo: Didn't He Ramble" – 1:41 "Santarcangelo: Cadenza" – 3:39 "Kyrie" – 6:12 "A Hearth Burns: The Toper's Rant" – 8:49 "A Hearth Burns: Une Vie" – 1:15 "Graffitti" – 6:24 "Duet" – 2:45
Personnel
Mike Westbrook – piano, tuba Phil Minton – trumpet, voice Dave Plews, Guy Barker, Dick Pearce – trumpet Malcolm Griffiths – trombone Kate Westbrook – tenor horn, piccolo, bamboo flute, voice Alan Sinclair, Dave Powell – tuba Chris Hunter, Phil Todd, Chris Biscoe – saxophones Lindsay Cooper – bassoon, oboe, saxophone Brian Godding – guitar Georgie Born – cello Steve Cook – bass Dave Barry – drums
References
External links Lindsay Cooper in "Democratie" from Mike Westbrook's The Cortege - at YouTube