The West Midlands Brass Bands Association recently held their annual 'Big Brass Band' concert at Cradley Heath Salvation Army.

The band was conducted by Dave Lea and comprised 65 players from 23 different bands, with players travelling from as far as Stoke on Trent Hitchin and Humberside.

Varied programme

The varied programme included the popular overture 'Tancredi', and the T. J. Powell march 'The Bombardier', as well as 'Valero' by Jim Swearingen.

The cornets of Karl Slater, Luke Barker, Alister Rowe, Bob James, Byron Tucker and Rachel Dickens from six of the contributing bands gave a blistering performance of 'Twelfth Street Rag' before concert concluded with William Himes majestic arrangement of Wagner's 'Procession to the Cathedral'.

The band's contribution was interspersed with items by the excellent guest vocalist Hilary Crowhurst.