30th September 2013: Reviews, Airplay and Interview for Mike Gibbs Recent Release ‘Mike Gibbs +12 Play Gil Evans’ + 4 Stars from Jazzwise & The Evening Standard
“A beautifully recorded album”
Esteemed veteran musician, composer and arranger Mike Gibbs recently launched his album Mike Gibbs + 12 Play Gil Evans on Whirlwind Recordings, and today we have in a plethora of glowing reviews and mentions for the new release.
Jazzwise have given the album 4 stars, stating that “there are many fulfilling moments, not only from soloists but of course from Gibb’s scoring and re-scoring” with the London Evening Standard also rating the album 4 stars, announcing that “those densely chorded passages on Bilbao Song, St Louis Blues and Spring is Here are what moves us”. 
On top of these two reviews, Northern Echo has noted the release as “a beautifully recorded album”, with The Jazz Mann describing it as “Immaculately arranged, played and recorded, this is an album that combines intelligence and loveliness in equal measure and is highly recommended.”
The release has also received radio airplay from Jazz FM on the Sarah Ward show, on the 103.2FM Night-Train show, Radio Cardiff and on BBC 3 Jazz Line Up.
Mike Gibbs is arguably one of the most important living composers and arrangers working in the jazz and improvised music idiom. He has worked with legendary artists including Pat Metheny, John McLaughlin, Joni Mitchell, Whitney Houston, John Schofield and Peter Gabriel in a career that spans four decades. The 76 year old Gibbs, according to The Guardian “still sparks subtly hamonized thrills from a jazz orchestra in ways that few can,” and it’s with great excitement Whirlwind Recordings has been able to capture his 12-piece ensemble performing arrangements of Gil Evans material, adapted to mark the celebration of Evan’s 100th anniversary.
Mike Gibbs +12 Play Gil Evans features an array of leading London based musicians, with Hans Koller (piano), Julian Siegel (tenor & soprano saxophones, bass clarinet), Finn Peters (alto saxophone, flutes), Lluis Mather (tenor saxophone, clarinets), Percy Pursglove (trumpet), Robbie Robson (trumpet), Joe Aukland (trumpet), Jim Rattigan (French horn), Mark Nightingale (trombone), Sarah Williams (bass trombone, tuba), Michael Janisch (double bass) & Jeff Williams (Drums).
Also in, (featured below) we have an interview with Mike Gibbs on the new release conducted by London Jazz News.
To purchase the album please check out the album page.