Discography
The Impossible Gentlemen
The Impossible GentlemenReleased June 2011
The Band
Mike Walker - Guitars
Gwilym Simcock - Piano and melodica
Steve Swallow - electric bass
Adam Nussbaum - drums
"Packing more into eight tracks than many could manage in that number of albums ...it’s simply outstanding" 5 STARS ***** BBC Music Magazine
"This shimmering jewel of style and substance is jazz at its most exalted, and simply has to be heard. Here's a crude and approximate map reference, but one that gets close to the buried treasure. Imagine guitarist Pat Metheny's trio masterpiece, Day Trip (Nonesuch, 2007), add a pianist of commensurate genius, and you are banging on the disc's front door. It is that good" - Chris May, All About Jazz, May 30th 2011
Buy 'The Impossible Gentlemen' from Jazz CDs
Mike Walker Solo
Madhouse and the Whole Thing There
Released April 2008
The Band
Mike Walker - Guitars
Iain Dixon - Tenor Sax, Baritone Sax, Clarinets
Myke Wilson - Drums
John Ellis - Fender Rhodes, Organ
Sylvan Richardson - Bass Guitar
The Vocals
Djamila Skoglund-Voss, Kirsty Almeida, Laura Hassell, Georgina Bromilow, Evette Walker, Paul Bentley, Caju, Mike Walker, Jack Walker
Additional Players
Djamila Skoglund-Voss - Lead Vocals (Track 1)
Nikki Iles - Acoustic Piano Solo (Track 6)
Paul Kilvington - Synths (Track 1, 4, 6)
Les 'Cizerace' Chisnall - Acoustic Piano (Track 6)
Alan Tokely - French Horn (Track 1, 4, 5)
Suzanne Higgins - Flute (Track 6)
John Helliwell - Melodica (Track 1)
Chris Manis - Conga, Pandeiro, Percussion (Track 1, 3, 6)
Caju - Percussion (Track 1)
En Hudson - Harp (Track 1)
Mark Heart - Voice (Track 2)
Paul Newton - Trumpet (Track 2, 6)
Neil Yates - Trumpet (Track 2, 6)
Andy Schofield - Alto Sax (Track 2, 6)
Madhouse Strings (Track 1)
"Mike Walker is one of the most powerful jazz guitarists in Europe ... This is his first album under his own name but, far from sounding like an insular personal journey, this debut is a soaringly confident piece of idiosyncratic contemporary fusion." - John Fordham, The Guardian May 23rd 2008
"... seldom can there have been a more impressive debut in British Jazz than this. Walker has an imagination of enormous sweep but also the skill and taste to realise his vision." - Stuart Nicholson, Jazzwise Magazine July 2008
Buy 'Madhouse and the Whole Thing There' from Amazon.co.uk, CD Baby or Jazz CDs
With George Russell and the Living Time Orchestra
80th
Birthday Concert 2005
Brad Hatfield - Keyboards
Steve Lodder - Keyboards
Mike Walker - Guitar
Bill Urmson - Fender Bass
Billy Ward - Drums
Pat Hollenbeck - Percussion
Stanton Davis - Trumpet
Tiger Okoshi - Trumpet
Stuart Brooks - Trumpet
Andy Sheppard - Tenor/Soprano Saxophone
Chris Biscoe - Alto Saxophone
Pete Hurt - Baritone/Bass Clarinet
Dave Bargeron - Trombone
Richard Henry - Bass Trombone
"This is a band at the peak of its potential, capable of great power, but also of great range." - Duncan Heining, Jazzwise, August, 2003
Buy the '80th Birthday Concert' from Amazon.co.uk
It's
About Time 1996
Buy 'It's About Time' from Amazon.co.uk
With Vibration Music Society
Primo
2007
Eryl Roberts – drums
Andy Schofield – alto saxophone
Mike Walker – guitar
John Ellis – organ, keyboards
Gary Cullshaw - Bass
Wayne Clarke
"Eryl’s group adopts a pulsating new nomenclature for his highly personal, mixed repertoire of originals, songs, film themes and driving, funky grooves, played by a throbbing ensemble of Manchester’s outstanding musicians – join the club…" - Manchester Jazz Festival, 2007
Buy 'Primo' from erylroberts.com
With Framework
Lovers and Others
2007
Cassidy M Shipley – Vocals, Guitar and Piano
Dan Owens - Bass and Vocals
Helle Singsaas - The Angel's Voice
Mike JS Walker - Lead Guitar (Electric and Acoustic), Vocals
Karl Penney - Drums and Percussion
Womb - Programming the madness, Minimoog
Iain Dixon - Woodwind and Piano
Na Morley - Trumpet
Jakob 'da bear' Anthoff - Rap
Katie Sunderalingham - Piano
"Framework combine the beautiful with the absurd to create something odd yet strangely attractive. This quartet, formed from all corners of the globe, bring together influences from Jefferson Airplane to Squarepusher, from Willie Nelson to Vaughn-Williams to make music which soars." - Framework MySpace
Buy 'Lovers and Others' from http://www.myspace.com/frameworkmusic
With John Helliwell
Creme
Anglaise
2006
John Helliwell - Saxophone
Mark Hart - Vocals, guitar and keyboards
Mike Walker - guitar
Geth Griffith - Double bass and bass guitar
Arthur Lea - Piano
Ben Bryant - Drums
Buy 'Creme Anglaise' from Voiceprint
With Anthony Braxton and the Creative Jazz Orchestra
Composition
No. 175 / No. 126
2006
Personnel: Mark White & Richard Iles: trumpet; Chris Bridges: trombone; Robin Hayward: tuba; Iain Dixon, Jim Hunt & Andy Schofield: reeds; Susanna Gibbon & Steve Wilkie: violin; Sara Swain: viola; Andrew Wardle: cello; Jackie Perkins, Lesley Davies, Paul Phoenix & Paul McNamara: voice; Phillippa Tunnell: harp; Mike Walker: guitar; Roy Powell: keyboards; Nikki Iles: piano; Gary Culshaw: bass; Eryl Roberts: drums; Liz Gulliver: tuned percussion; Anthony Braxton: conductor; Nick Purnell: artistic director.
Buy 'Composition No. 175 / No. 126' from CDQuest
With Stevie Williams
4
am 2006
Musicians: Andy Kingslow, Pat Illingworth, Iain Dixon, Steve Gilbert, Pete Simpson, Simon Willescroft, Graeme Flowers, Mark Creswell, Mike Walker, Johnny Heyes, Stuart McCallum, John Ellis, Paul Kilvington, Eryl Roberts, Paul Bentley, Doreen Edwards, John McCallum.
Buy '4 am' from Signal2Noise
Lo-Fi 2001
Stevie Williams - fretted/fretless bass; tenor bass; synth.
bass
Mike Walker - guitar
Paul Kilvington - Wurlitzer piano
Steve Gilbert - drums
Paul Bentley - vocals
Simon Willescroft - sax (Softly & Lo-Fi)
Fyza - vocals (Ain't no sunshine)
Iain Dixon - plastic '74 flute (Lo-Fi)
Skyward
Bound 2000
Steve Williams - bass & tenor bass
Paul Kilvington - keyboards
Mike Walker - guitar
Steve Gilbert - drums
With Phil Bancroft
Headlong2004
Phil Bancroft - saxophone
Thomas Strønen - drums
Steve Watts - bass
Mike Walker - guitar
"Guitarist Mike Walker is a sweetly melodic presence much of the time, though his occasional use of distortion brings out a distinctly feral, rockist edge to his playing" - Peter Marsh, BBC Jazz Review, September 2004
"A guitar genius from England" - Scottish Arts Council
Buy 'Headlong' from Amazon.co.uk
With Steve Berry
In
An Ideal World : live at Manchester Jazz Festival
2004
Steve Berry - bass
Les Chisnall - piano
Andy Schofield - saxophones
Mike Walker - guitar
Dave Walsh - drums
With The Tony Faulkner Jazz Orchestra
Thad
Jones and the Ellington Effect
2006
Musicians: Andy Schofield (ss/as/clt), Tim France (as/flt), Russell van
den Berg (ss/ts), Suzanne Higgins (ts/clt), Tony Harper (bs/bs.clt); Bryan
Davis, Ryan Quigley, Rob Robson, Henry Lowther, Graham Hardy or Richard Iles
(trumpets); Mike Carton, Rick taylor, John Kenny or Andy Hillier (trombones);
Sarah Williams (bass trombone); Mike Walker (guitar), Graham Hearn (piano),
Dave markee (bass) and Peter Fairclough (drums).
With Julian Argüelles
As
Above, So Below 2004
Julian Argüelles - tenor/soprano
Stan Sulzmann - flute/alto flute
Ian Dixon - clarinet/bass clarinet
Henry Lowther - trumpet flugel horn
Jim Rattigan - french horn
Mike Walker - electric, acoustic guitars
Steve Watts - double bass
Martin France - drums
"... Then, the jazzers enter, Mike Walker's guitar gently plucked like a harp as Arguelles darts above the billowing string arrangements" - Martin Longley, BBC Jazz Review, March 2004
Buy 'As Above, So Below' from Provocateur Records
Escapade1999
Julian Argüelles - tenor/soprano
Django Bates - tenor horn
Ian Dixon - bass clarinet, tenor sax
Mark Bassey - trombone
Mario Laginha - piano
Mike Walker - electric, acoustic guitars
Steve Watts - double bass
Martin France - drums
Buy 'Escapade' from Provocateur
Records
Skull
View 1997
Julian Argüelles - tenor/soprano
Django Bates - tenor horn
Ian Dixon - bass clarinet, tenor sax
Mark Bassey - trombone
Mario Laginha - piano
Mike Walker - electric, acoustic guitars
Steve Watts - double bass
Martin France - drums
"... Skull View ranks as one of internationally renowned tenor saxophonist Julian Arguelles' finest moments ... Django Bates' opening solo on wah wah peck horn is enhanced by the wailing of Mike Walker's guitar" - Jazz CD of the year 1997, Independent on Sunday
Buy 'Skull View' from Jazz
CDs
Home
Truths1995
Julian Argüelles - Tenor & soprano saxophone, bass clarinet
Mike Walker - guitar
Steve Swallow - electric bass
Martin France - drums
"Superbly burbling saxophone. A true star" - CD of the year 1995. Phil Johnson, Independent on Sunday
Buy 'Home Truths' from Babellabel
With Roy Powell
Roy Powell is an excellent Olso based piano player.
North
by Northwest2001
"In Walker there is absolutely no doubt that we are in the presence of a musician of the highest international level - we are talking about a guitarist taking inspiration from rock whilst simultaneously having much in common with Pat Metheny, John McLaughlin and John Scofield."
Buy 'North by Northwest' from Amazon.co.uk
A Big Sky
1994
Buy 'A Big Sky' from Amazon.co.uk
With Richard Iles
From Here to There
1999
Richard Iles - flugel horn
Mike Walker - guitar
Iain Dixon - saxophones/clarinet/bass clarinet
Andy Schofield - saxophones
Nikki Iles - piano/keyboards
Les Chisnall - piano
Gary Culshaw - bass
Eryl Roberts - drums
Steve Gilbert - drums
Other musicians include Tim France, Suzanne Higgins, Norman Brown, Georgina
Bromilow,
Duncan Winfield, Alistair White, Malcolm Melling, Craig Wild, Jamie Coleman,
Andy Wood,
Tony Faulkner, Mark Frost.
With Peter Fairclough
Permission 1997
Peter Fairclough - Drums
Tim Whitehead - Tenor Saxophone
Mike Walker - Guitar
Dudley Phillips - Electric Bass
"The superb handling of the quartet's half-acoustic (drums, saxophone), half-electric (guitar, bass) sonorities, the inventive textures Fairclough conjures from his kit, not to mention the appeal of the compositions, mark this out as a contender for the British jazz album of the year" - Q Magazine, March 1997
Buy 'Permission' from Jazz CDs
With Steve Plews
Extracts
From Infinity 2004
Featuring Performances by: Mike Walker, Steve Berry, Iain Dixon, Jeff Clyne, Trevor Tomkins, Peter Fairclough, Duncan MacKay, Roger Heatonn Stephen Pruslin, Stuart Death, Andrew Long, Ed Jones, Phil Clarke, David Jones
Buy 'Extracts from Infinity'' from Divine-art.com
Anywhere1997
Steve Plews - piano
Mike Walker - guitar
Jeff Clyne - bass
Trevor Tomkins - drums
"Pianist Steve Plews's ASC Records does a crucial job in disseminating British jazz, and his own quartet album is well up to standard. What elevates it a notch higher is the playing of guitarist Mike Walker, voted best musician at the Glasgow Jazz Festival in 1995, but still heard too infrequently on disc. His touch and originality shine out in an already impressive group, playing the pianist's evocative compositions." - Kenny Mathieson, The Scotsman
Buy 'Anywhere' from Steveplews.co.uk
With the Mike Gibbs Orchestra
By
The Way 1996
Mike Gibbs - conductor, arranger
Iain Ballamy - saxophones
Julian Arguelles - saxophones, flute
Iain Dixon - saxophones, clarinet, bass clarinet, flute
Charlie Mariano - alto saxophone
Evan Parker - tenor saxophone
John Barclay, Kenny Wheeler, Richard Iles, Steve Sidwell - trumpets
Pete Beachill - trombone
David Stewart - bass trombone
John Rooke, Jim Rattigan, Cormac Ohaodain, Andrew Clark - French horns
Oren Marshall - tuba
John Taylor, Nikki Iles - piano
Mike Walker, John Parracelli - guitars
Steve Swallow - bass guitar
Bob Moses, John Marshall - (drums
Simone Haggiag - percussion
Buy 'By The Way' from Amazon.co.uk
With the London Trombone Quartet
Some
Of Our Best Friends 1996
Pete Beachill - trombone/valve trombone
Richard Edwards - trombone/bass trombone
Mark Nightingale - trombone
Dave Stewart - bass trombone
Featured musicians include Mike Walker, Stan Sulzmann, Ian Thomas, Frank Ricotti, Derek Watkins, Gerald Presencer, Julian Arguelles, Dave O'Higgins, Chris Laurence, Henry Lowther, John Horler, Andy Macintosh
With Tommy Smith / Sylvan Richardson (and Jason Rebello)
Pyrotechnics Jazz compilation of various artists from Blue Note UK
1993
Sylvan Richardson jr. - Bass, Keyboards, Vocals
Nicki Iles - Piano/Keyboards
Mike Walker - Guitar
Caroline Boaden - Drums
Jullian Arguelles - Saxophones
Simon Limbrick - Tabla/Percussion
With Nick Purnell (and Peter Erskine, John Taylor)
Onetwothree 1991
Nick Purnell
Dave Adams
Julian Arguelles
Django Bates
Laurence Cottle
Paul Edmonds
Peter Erskine
Mike Gibbs
Mick Hutton
Ashley Slater
Ken Stubbs
John Taylor
Mike Walker
Kenny Wheeler