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Jez Nelson presents the world premiere of guitarist Mike Walker's Ropes project. Commissioned by the Manchester Jazz Festival and held at the Royal Northern College of Music, the sell-out event saw the local jazz hero accompanied by a full string orchestra and a specially assembled quartet - lifelong collaborator Iain Dixon on saxophones and clarinet, Steve Watts on bass, Les Chisnall on piano and US drummer Adam Nussbaum.

Walker has been at the core of the Manchester jazz scene for over two decades and has performed with many global names such as Anthony Braxton, Bill Frisell, Tim Berne and John Taylor. Widely regarded within musicians' circles as one of the best, yet least well-known guitarists, Walker has recently released his debut album entitled Mad House and The Whole Thing There, having worked on it for the last 10 years.

Mike Walker’s Ropes Recorded at The Manchester Jazz Festival, July 2008

PLAYLIST

JAZZ ON 3 SIGNATURE TUNE
Artist Russell Gunn (Russell Gunn – trumpet, Gregory Tardy & Bruce Williams – reeds, Andre Heyward – trombone, Chieli Minucci – guitar, James Hurt – keyboards, Rodney Jordan – bass, Woody Williams – drums, Khalil Kwame Bell – percussion, DJ Apollo - turntables)

Track Title Seventy Four Miles Away
Composer Joe Zawinul
Album Title Ethnomusicology Volume 1
Label Atlantic

JEZ NELSON INTERVIEWS MAGNUS ÖSTROM FROM E.S.T.

CD TRACK

Artist Esbjörn Svensson Trio
Track Title Ab Initio
Composer Esbjörn Svensson / Dan Berglund / Magnus Östrom
Album Title Leucocyte
Label ACT

MIKE WALKER QUINTET & AND THE MADHOUSE STRINGS RECORDED AT ROYAL NORTHERN COLLEGE OF MUSIC, PERFORMING ‘ROPES’ – A MANCHESTER JAZZ FESTIVAL COMMISSION (23RD JULY 2008)

LINE UP:

Mike Walker – guitar, composer, arranger

Iain Dixon – clarinet & tenor saxophone
Les Chisnall – piano

Steve Watts – double bass

Adam Nussbaum – drums

Madhouse Strings:
Ben Holland, Becca Thompson, Anthony Banks, Paula Smart, Julia Hanson, Sarah Whittingham, Simon Gilks, Martin Clarke, Cath Yates, Jacob Lay, Sarah White, Suzie Gibbon - violins

Rachel Jones, Alex Gayle, Jackie Anthony, Jayne Coyle - violas

Barbara Grunthal, Hannah Roberts, Tim Smedley, Esther Harriott - celli

Dan Storer, Sian Holland - basses

SET-LIST:

1) Still Slippy Underfoot (Walker)
2) Madhouse (Walker)
3) Devon Bean (Walker)

JEZ NELSON INTERVIEWS MIKE WALKER

CD TRACK

Artist Mike Walker
Track Title Real Embrace
Composer Mike Walker
Album Title Mad House and The Whole Thing There
Label Hidden Idiom

JEZ NELSON INTERVIEWS MIKE WALKER CONTINUED

SET-LIST CONTINUED:

4) Ropes 1 (Walker)
5) Ropes 2 (Walker)
6) Ropes 3 (Walker)

LINKS:

http://www.mike-walker.co.uk/
http://www.myspace.com/mikejswalker

CD TRACK:

Artist Albert Ayler
Track Title Rollins Tune
Composer Sonny Rollins
Album Title The First Recordings
Label Sonet

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