Henry Lowther at 85

It seemed entirely typical of the trumpeter Henry Lowther that, during last night’s concert in celebration of his 85th birthday, he should wait to deliver his first solo until the third piece of the evening. As ever, his improvisation was beautifully conceived and perfectly flighted, with that perfect tone. But Henry is a man whose modesty is as deeply rooted as his talent, despite a career that has made him one of the most remarkable figures in contemporary British music. Born in Leicester, Henry learned to play the cornet with a Salvation Army band. He came to London to study the violin at the Royal Academy of Music but gave up those studies in favour of a life in jazz and related fields. I wrote a bit about his remarkable CV five years ago, when he turned 80 and played the Vortex with his quintet, Still Waters, but here at the American International Church in Tottenham Court Road there was a chance to hear his compositions for large ensemble interpreted by the London Jazz Composers…