Originally issued in June 1985 on Deram Records, Michael Gibbs’s eponymous album captures the British jazz composer and arranger at a pivotal moment. The sixteen tracks, now remastered, reveal Gibbs’s deft hand in blending orchestral textures with jazz improvisation. The featured piece, “Liturgy,” exemplifies this balance, weaving layered brass and woodwinds through a measured rhythmic pulse. Though the album attracted modest attention—garnering under 700 listeners on Last.fm—it remains a noteworthy document of mid-’80s British jazz.The sessions reflect Gibbs’s lineage as both a composer and a bandleader, drawing on a roster of skilled session players who bring clarity and nuance to the arrangements. While not a mainstream fixture, this record offers a certain archival resonance, especially for those interested in the intersections of jazz orchestration and British studio craftsmanship during the era.

Originally issued in June 1985 on Deram Records, Michael Gibbs’s eponymous album captures the British jazz composer and arranger at a pivotal moment. The sixteen tracks, now remastered, reveal Gibbs’s deft hand in blending orchestral textures with jazz improvisation. The featured piece, “Liturgy,” exemplifies this balance, weaving layered brass and woodwinds through a measured rhythmic pulse. Though the album attracted modest attention—garnering under 700 listeners on Last.fm—it remains a noteworthy document of mid-’80s British jazz.The sessions reflect Gibbs’s lineage as both a composer and a bandleader, drawing on a roster of skilled session players who bring clarity and nuance to the arrangements. While not a mainstream fixture, this record offers a certain archival resonance, especially for those interested in the intersections of jazz orchestration and British studio craftsmanship during the era.