Band up to scratch with Itchy Fingers

By LEUT Aaron Matzkows

Mike Mower performs with Air Command Band members SGT David Atkinson, LAC Tim Oram, LAC Richard Maegraith and SGT Ian Waddell at RAAF Base Richmond.

Photo by CPL Brett Sherriff

TAKE a bit of playful flute, add some cool sax, twist them around some foot-tapping rhythm, throw in a hot tune, a world-famous muso with itchy fingers ... and, baby, you got jazz.

And the man with the Itchy Fingers is Mike Mower, leader of the jazz saxophone quartet of that name.

He was in Australia from his native England for a saxophone, flute and clarinet workshop in Sydney last month. Afterwards he joined up with the Air Command Band at Windsor for a jam.

Mower’s the bloke who wrote jazz classics the buffs will know, such Diddihuff, Regime and Farewell Forest. Big band material he has scored include Flightpath and Creep.

He founded and led Itchy Fingers, touring the world until the group disbanded in 1997, and now is a freelance composer and musician, playing and recording with such artists as Gil Evans, James Galway, Bjork and Tina Turner.

Air Command Band member Sergeant David Atkinson said a number of the players had attended Mower’s workshop in Sydney.

After the serious side, Mower “stopped in and had a play with our band,” SGT Atkinson said.

“It was good. He played tenor sax with about 20 of us. One piece I really liked was Goodbye Pork Pie Hat. But for me, it was most interesting to hear some of his stories,” he said.

“One of the guys in our band had met him and they were having a bit of a rave about some of the people they both knew in the jazz world.”

Mower will be touring Australia again next year and although the dates have not been set, he has already booked a gig with the band.

SGT Atkinson joked that Mower would have to do some more practice before the performance.

“I know he hasn’t played all that much lately, being more of a writer for different bands and ensembles – but our guys were better.”

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