Henry Lowther

In a career lasting more than five decades, trumpeter Henry Lowther (born 1941) has shown himself to be one of the most versatile performers in British jazz. In the 1960s, he played with many of the ground-breaking groups of the period including bands led by Mike Westbrook, Graham Collier and John Dankworth and with the New Jazz Orchestra. At the same time, he established himself as a first call session musician recording with Bing Crosby, Nelson Riddle, Simon Rattle, Paul McCartney and Elton John among many others. Lowther played lead trumpet with both Gil Evans and George Russell. He has also been a successful bandleader with his 1970s group Quaternity, where he played trumpet and violin alongside Trevor Tomkins, Phil Lee and longtime collaborator bassist Dave Green. In the 1990s, he formed the band Still Waters with Pete Hurt, Ian Thomas, Peter Saberton and Dave Green, which showcases his compositions. More recently he has co-led the Great Wee Band with guitarist Jim Mullen, Stu Butterfield and the ever present Dave Green, recording 'The Sound of Music' in 2010.