RIP Michael Garrick MBE (1933-2011)

Michael Garrick
Photo credit: Sisi Burn. All rights reserved.

Composer, bandleader, pianist, educator Michael Garrick died yesterday, November 11th  at Harefield Hospital, at the age of 78. He had suffered from heart problems for some years, and had been admitted to hospital on Monday.

Steve Voce once said that it was "not pretentious to describe him as the British Duke Ellington." Writer Roger Cotterell asked the question:  "Who else, apart from, say Maria Schneider and Mike Gibbs, consistently writes such fresh and uncliched big band music today?" Michael Garrick has been one of the essential irreplaceble figures in British jazz. A full tribute will appear shortly. In sadness.