At a recent Chris Jagger gig at The Bulls Head Mick Jagger go up to join us for a song...

Various TV recordings and Rockpalast Concert Broadcasts with the great Frankie Miller...

In June/July I toured the east coast of Canada with Chris Jaggers Atcha playing the Toronto and Montréal Jazz fests plus other dates much fun and Maple syrup. 

Lynn and I have just returned from another wonderful Gorrg in Denver Colorado. We met many new friends and did lots of sightseeing, which when I played in Denver I didn’t have time for.

I had great pleasure in meeting Cheryl McCarnahan who gave a very entertaining and informative talk on the music of Gentle Giant including my contribution on Three Friends

After Gorrg we visited San Francisco while staying with friends I had the great pleasure of meeting one of my heroes the great Drummer from The Count Basie Band Harold Jones, we had delicious meal at his house and he was kind enough to show me round his Drum Studio...

It’s been a busy an interesting year us and I feel very fortunate to continue to lead this sort of life considering all trouble around the world.

Bye for now.

Merry Christmas and happy and peaceful New Year.

Malcolm

21.06.07

Video clip of MM playing with Arthur Brown Live in Manchester 2007

12.04.07

Zurich Express is album I have recently recorded and soon to be released, with my good friend and Bass master Spike Heatley.

The first track 'Fourth Parallel' is a composition by the great English Pianist and composer Brian Lemon, on it I was given an opportunity to play in a free'er style, much fun.

The second 'Callam' is by the wonderful percussionist Jim Lawless who is also heard here on doing great work on vibes and sounding not unlike Cal Tjader.

Finally 'Ran Ja Na' by Spike Heatley inspired by an acquaintance he made when in foreign parts.

Watch this space for audio clips of Zurich Express

MM

09.04.07

Just back from Jersey Jazz Fest 2007 everyone, musicians, audience; friends old and new had a great time. We launched the new Spike quartet cd. We recorded this cd over a couple of days at my house.

The GORRG held and hosted by Jose Carlos in Portugal was wonderful and at the same time tragic with the sudden death at the convention of a very good friend.

Looking forward to a mini Gorrg with John W and Kerry in later this month. In May I’m touring in Germany with Chris Jagger, End of June/July the band launches the Act of Faith cd in Canada we play various gigs including Montréal and Toronto Jazz Festival’s, we play the same day as Trio Beyond of whom I am a big fan.

August, I’m playing again with Frankie Millers Full House reunion featuring Henry McCullough at some UK festivals and gigs.  I’m also looking forward to some gigs in France in August with Tony Marshall and Bruce Adams.

MM

14.09.06

I was very happy to be teaching again in August at The Dartington Summer School, a beautiful place with lots of great Concerts to attend plus many great musicians and students to meet and chat with. The course I taught was again put together and led by Bassist Herbie Flowers with new boy to Dartington Chris Spedding on Guitar.

the new pic's are from a gig/project I did in August which went under the name of Frankie Millers Full House Reunion.
The man in the hat is Henry McColough like me an ex Frankie Miller Band member, when the pic was taken Henry was singing his version of Frankies great song Drunken Nights in the City, because of Frankies great singing/songwriting and the other musicians playing in Frankies Band, I always had a great time, and this reunion gig with Paul Cox on vocals I also had a great time.

Spike Heatley,Jim Lawless, and Andy Williams and myself are shortly to record a new cd as a tribute to the music of Bill LeSage, I looking forward to this.

MM

01.07.06

Hi all hot few days or what? Sorry about my poor updating of my news page but I have been involved in a lot of travel in the past few months. I have been out in Europe playing a club date tours with CJ's Atcha, We as part of one of the tours played two nights at Joe Zawinals club "Birdland" in Vienna, fantastic sound and sound person. ( see pic taken of me there watching Ella Fitzgerald with Duke Ellington and Benny Goodman, arr to be sure they were all in that night).

Just back from France where played gig with Spike Heatley and a great Guitarist Tony Marshall. Spike, myself and the great trumpet/flugal player Bruce Adams have just made a CD for Tony, it will be out soon.

I very pleased to say that I have been asked by Guitarist Martin Taylor ( who has a place in France) to get together with him and Spike to play.

Hugely looking forward to GORRG this October 2006 to be held in Lisbon (don't mention football) where Linn and I will see many friends, fans and ex-members of Gentle Giant and play.

Finally big thanks to Chic Keys player Rich Hilton for the invite to see, hear and meet Chic at the recent O2 fest in London, a really great show.

MM

MM

26.06.06

Much fun was had April just past at the Jersey Jazz Fest. I was playing in Spike Heatley's group and we had with us the great
tuned percussionist Jim Lawless who brought his own compositions as well as pieces by Victor Feldman.

On Guitar was Andy Williams a fine player who wowed the punters with his exciting and soulful playing, also later in the festival when he traded phrases with the fantastic Martin Taylor.

Spike was brilliant on Bass and led and presented the group as only he can. There was much good music at Jersey and I think the feeling was that it was a particularly good year. We have just heard ( Spike's group) that we are back again next year.

The gig's with Chris Jagger's Atcha have been going well and we are due to play Joe Zawinal's Club "Birdland" in later in June.

The Band "US".... Big Jim Sullivan, Herbie Flowers, Derek Austin, and me, play The Adur Festival in the South of England this month also.

I have been practising my "obrigardo's" for GORRG which will be held in near Lisbon in Portugal.

Jim Mortimore getting much praise for his playing/mixing/production of Chris Jaggers Atcha new cd 'Act of Faith' ( SPV records) in the shops now so they tell me.

MM

20.06.06

These pic's were taken last year it is, Myself, Herbie Flowers, and Barry Morgan at my house before going to do a Gig at the Komedia in Brighton.We were playing something from the Art Blakey Drum Suite...

19.06.06

Here is a couple of bits of the new Chris Jagger's Atcha! CD which is to be released on SPV records in March 2006. We all had much fun recording this CD and hope it does well.

26.12.05

Well it’s Boxing day here at Berry Cottage we/I have narrowly managed to avoid death by chocolate and now must rouse oneself to perform at the Komedia with Messer’s Flowers, Sullivan, and Austin with guest J Mortimore.

I’ve just had a nice couple of days in France just before Christmas recording a CD for Guitarist Tony Marshall nice straight ahead swinging material, featuring Trumpet ace Bruce Adams with Spike Heatley on Bass.

The Gorrg event in Quebec was great fun meeting friends and old colleagues from Gentle Giant  and then playing Giant songs that I had not played since recording Giant’s Three Friends Album back in 1971.

We had a great time in Canada I love and plan to go back. We stopped off in Woodstock NY for Halloween meeting with ex co-band member Johnny Average, always so underrated, maybe he should have changed his name again?

The old Bearsville Records Barn recording studio is up for sale, just a few dollars! I left something in there twenty-nine years ago, still couldn’t find it.

On a more commercial front C Jaggers new CD Act of Faith will be in the shops early this spring released on SPV Records. A good record with some very useful songs by CJ.

Quite a few guests on this record on which I play Kit and Perc however I want to mention Jim Motimore's work on it, all of which is very good, playing production and arranging. I have a couple of new sound bites taken from it for your perusal.

Have to go now breakfast is calling, a happy and peaceful new year to everyone.

MM

20.07.05

Played at Glastonbury festival this year for Chris Jagger,the band was well recived and we all had a great time , it's taken me till this morning to get around to sraping the pass stickers and mud off my car, it must have been fun.

Ther has been some good reviews of Spike Heatley's CD in French national news papers and Spike and I are playing a festival in Britany early next year.

Nice to meet the folks who came up to me recently at the Marlborough Festival, they had seen me with Spike's Quartet at the Jersey festival last year and then had seen my name in the program at Marlborugh I was playing very different music, nice to see people keeping an open mind to music.

I am doing a week's teaching with Herbie Flowers at the Dartington summer school this August,will be fun.varions gig's in the London all the time,

Looking foward to GORGG in Quebec City in October then some dates in Germany with Chris Jagger whos new CD should be out then, check out the sound bites from that record on my sight (these will be up shortly) I hope shorty enjoys them!

Bye for now

MM

21.03.05

Catch Malcolm playing live at the following dates...

6-10 April 2005 The Jersey Jazz Festival - The Spike Heatley Quartet

22th April @ Dorchester Jazz Club - The Spike Heatley Quartet

28th April @ Lewes Jazz Club - The Spike Heatley Quartet

29th April @ Big Jim Sullivan club Coolham Sussex - Spike heatley Quartet

25th March at Big Jim's club Coolham, Sussex - Herbie Flowers, Big Jim Sullivan and Derek Austin in 'US'

14th April @ Chichester Jazz club - Herbie Flowers, Big Jim Sullivan and Derek Austin in 'US'

11th May @ Walnut Tree, Yalding, Kent - Herbie Flowers, Big Jim Sullivan and Derek Austin in 'US'

25th May @ The Komedia (Brighton Festival) - Special guest of Herbie Flowers

11.01.05

Hi all and happy new year.

Spike heatley's latest studio albums One For Cliford... And Another One For Tubby and The Other Side Of The Coin are out now on Renella Records.

Click here to listen to track samples and find out how to purchase Spike's latest studio releases.

13.11.04

Great time in Wales at the annual Gentle Giant convention Gorgg hosted this year by John and Carol Wheathers
I played with Kerry and Gary, great fun, first time in thirty three years!

The CD I made for Dammed guitarist/songwriter Brian James has been re-issued as part of a two cd set on Pilot. If you like it raw this is for you.

The recent shows for songwriter/singer Tony Macauly went very well, a night of hit songs sung by the bloke what wrote them!

The 70's G.T. Morre And The Reggae Guitars album Move It On Up has also been re-issued.

New jazz pieces have been arriving in the post, written by Laurie Hollaway and Alan Barnes which I will be playing with the Spike Heatley group at next years Jersey Jazz festival, if not before.

Chris Jagger & Atcha new cd is sounding funky and also has good stuff on it contributed by celeb guest's. it will see the light of day soon.

23.9.2008

Just a quick note about a gig I am playing

Rentle Giant........at Big Jim Sullivans Coolham 17th October 2008

Music of Gentle Giant .........Gary Green on Gt .......... MM Drs............  Roger Carey Bs/Vox.....................  Andy Williams Gt  John Donalson  Keys

26 .7. 2008

It’s been a busy first half of this year for me making lots of short trips all over Europe to do gigs, fortunately Lynn has been able join me  some of the time ,

good ones being ………

The Doro Jazz and Blues fest in Porto. a nice gig well organized with the help of Slims Blues (agent) …I played with C Jagger and Atcha.

The Jersey Jazz fest April this year went very well with Spike Heatley on Bass playing better than ever and we are there again in 2009

The nice surprise place for me though has been Slovenia, it was my first time to visit and play there, the promoters and audience were great and it finished with a day off with C J and I taking the fast boat to Venice then sleep-walking / sightseeing round Venice.

Coming up I have a few more dates with Herbie Flowers and Richard Durrant,

Some more mini touring in Europe with C J

and a week teaching at Dartington Summer School in August at which

I and host of musicians are to perform a piece composed and conducted by David Bedford  ( Kevin Ayers Whole World for those into Rock History)

I have recently been told by Universal Records that later this year they are planning to

re-release……. a re-mastered  / sonically overhauled version of Gentle Giants

‘Three Friends Album’ (no escaping the past)

bye for now

love and peace

mm

p.s.   The pic above was taken  when recording Zurich Express and is a temporary replacement for the NOSE , a mark II nose is being worked on in a secret location known only to the those that need to nose................!

28th April 2009

The Three Friends Concert in Gothenburg Sweden went really well , the band were treated very well, by the promoters and the and the audience, the venue sold out and we have been invited back. As yet the only place to see and hear Three Friends on line is YouTube, mostly handy cam footage but it will give you an idea of what Three Friends are.

Friday 20th March 2009

“Rentle Giant” has now morphed into “THREE FRIENDS” and have been joined by the very wonderful Kerry Minnear. THREE FRIENDS current line up ..........

‘MM’ 

Gary Green

Kerry Minnear

Roger Carey Bass

Andy Williams Guitar

John Donaldson Keyboards

Mick Wilson of 10cc on Vocals             

THREE FRIENDS play at :

16th April 2009 at The Ropetackle Arts centre Shoreham on sea Sussex UK and the

http://www.ropetacklecentre.co.uk/products/Three_Friends_Thursday_16th_April/11854

17th April 2009 Three Friends can be seen at the the same venue at which the Rentle Giant clips were shot.

25th April 2009 Musikens Huf  Gothenburg Sweden

SPIKE HEATLEY QUARTET

26th- 30th March ‘MM’ is at The Jersey Jazz fest withThe Spike Heatley Qrt

CHRIS JAGGER has a new cd ‘The Ridge’ featuring ‘MM’ , John Etheridge, Danny Thompson, Andy Sheppard, and ‘Rabbit’ Bundrick and will be released in the very near future.

19th April 2009A

I have been playing with some old friends and some more recent ones in Three Friends, the first two gigs of Three Friends have gone very much better on all levels than I had expected, ( I thought they would be good )

I / we still have to get a web site etc on the go but the prospects for this new band seem very good.

see naty poster of our next gig in Sweden, I have not been to that country with Kerry and Gary since

1971. 1971.I will be putting up some links to some recordings of 3F gigs in near future ,  thanks for visiting . All the very best Malcolm.

25th June 2009

Just back from a trip to Spain and back with Arthur Brown.....Arthur is in top form now and has a new band that sounds and looks great.

Recently I played for a bandleader / fixer I had not worked for in a long time, he had always been a busy chap, but to my surprise he has now become the assistant speaker of the House of Lords.

Gawd bless yer eyes guv...........

Three Friends Gothenburg Sweden

July  12th 2009

Three Friends are busy this September with a couple of new dates added we now play.........

The Ropetackle Arts Centre  Shoreham on Sea ........10th September

The FMPM  Prog Fest Monteal Canada....................13th September

Venue ‘ Aoyama “   Tokyo Japan....................18th -21st September

Art Rock Fest Wurtzburg Germany..........................26th September

check www.threefriends.info