Past Pupils

Mike Cotton (1954)

Michael Edward Cotton was born in London on August 12th 1939. He first played professionally in 1960 with the drummer Pete Ridge's Jazzmen. From 1961 to 1971 he led his own band, which began as a traditional-jazz group; from 1963 its style took on elements of rhythm-and-blues and popular music and in 1964 it was re-formed as the Mike Cotton Sound. With the group Cotton played harmonica as well as trumpet and also sang. He worked with the Kinks, an English rock group, from 1971 until 1973, when he joined Acker Bilk's Paramount Jazz Band. He has made a number of recordings with Bilk, including Mama told me so (1980, Pye Piccadilly 128), on which his playing is heard to advantage. A strong and skillful trumpeter, Cotton also works as a freelance and has accompanied such touring American musicians as Bud Freeman, Peanuts Hucko, Kenny Davern, and Wild Bill Davison.