Mick Hutton

Mick Hutton (born 5 June 1956 in Chester, UK) is a British jazz bassist and composer.

Career Classically trained on the piano, Hutton taught himself to play the bass, developing his own technique using three basic positions with the left hand coupled with three fingers on the right hand. He has been well known on the British jazz scene since 1980 and has toured extensively in Europe, Scandinavia, USA and Japan. He has recorded more than 100 jazz CDs and also worked in film and television, recording several hundred radio broadcasts in Europe and the USA.

He has recorded with Julian Argüelles, Iain Ballamy, Django Bates and Ken Stubbs (First House), the Chris Biscoe Sextet and Bill Bruford's Band Earthworks. In addition, Hutton worked throughout his career with Alan Barnes, Peter Erskine, Tina May, Jim Mullen, John Scofield, Alan Skidmore, Tommy Smith, John Taylor, Stan Tracey, and Kenny Wheeler. In 2002, he played on Robin Williamson's album Skirting the River Road, and the same year he played in a trio with Martin Speake and Paul Motian (Change of Heart).

In the 1990s, in addition to leading his own band, Hutton started working with Steve Argüelles, Kenny Wheeler, John Taylor, John Surman, Gary Husband and numerous American artists, including John Scofield, Bob Berg and Randy Brecker.

Hutton had a thirty-year association with Trinidadian pianist and steel pannist Russ Henderson MBE, one of the founders of the Notting Hill Carnival; Hutton wrote Henderson's obituary for The Independent newspaper on 8 September 2015. Hutton was a member of the Humphrey Lyttelton band for several years, during the course of which he also played with Acker Bilk, George Melly and Kenny Ball. Hutton has studied and recorded with various other instruments, such as steel pan and cuatro. Since 2004, he has had his own band, The Boat Rockers, featuring Paul Robinson, Gary Hammond and Andy Panayi. Most recently, Hutton recorded a film with Emeli Sande about Nina Simone for Sky Arts. Hutton is currently recuperating after a head injury that occurred at Christmas 2024.

Selected discography

With Harry Beckett 1985: Pictures of You (Paladin)

With The Gordon Beck Quintet 1985: Celebration (JMS)

With First House 1986: Eréndira (ECM) 1989: Cantilena (ECM)

With The Chris Biscoe Sextet 1986: Eréndira (Walking Wig)

With Bill Bruford's Earthworks 1987: Earthworks (Edition) 1997: Heavenly Bodies (Venture)

With John Taylor Trio 1991: Blue Glass (Ronnie Scott's Jazz House)

With Tommy Smith 1991: Standards (Blue Note)

With Steve Argüelles 1991: Steve Argüelles (Ah Um)

With Nick Purnell 1991: Onetwothree (Ah Um)

With Lysis 1991: The Wings of the Whale – You Yangs (Soma)

With Stan Sulzman 1991: Feudal Rabbits (Ah Um)

With Estelle Kokot 1999: Alternative Therapy (Sayin' Somethin')

With Ken Stubbs 2000:Ballads (Cherry )

With Robin Williamson 2002: Skirting the River Road (ECM)

With Elkie Brooks & Humphrey Lyttelton 2002: Trouble in Mind (Slave to the Rhythm)

With Gary Husband 2004: Aspire (Jazzizit)

With Liam Noble Group 2004: In the Meantime (Basho)

With Martin Speake 2006: Change of Heart (ECM)

With Joanna Eden 2007: My Open Eye (Mr. Riddles)

With The Boat-Rockers 2007: Live at Appleby 2004 (Mick Hutton)

With Tim Garland 2015: Return to the Fire (Edition)