Mike Westwater

Brother of Jock. Interest in music began with skiffle in late 1950s and he started on guitar and banjo. Converted to jazz via his uncle’s record collection. Played with guitar player Kenny Ramage (NB: not the trombone player of the same name). Was given a clarinet for his 16th birthday and taught himself to play. While still a schoolboy began playing with others with an interest in jazz who lived nearby including brother Jock, clt player George Duncan and drummer Jimmy Elliott. At University met Gerard Dott who invited him to sit in with the ‘Mound City JB’, by then composed mainly of students at the Royal Dick Veterinary College, and subsequently joined this band. Following a break in his jazz activity, moved to the Borders where he was a founder member of the ‘Borders Big Band’ for whom he also transcribed and arranged, before forming his own ‘Tweed Valley JB’ with which he played jazz festivals including Peebles, Hawick, Kirkcudbright and Kewick. With ‘Dave Keir’s Hot Five’ in 2000s. Had stopped playing by 2022.