Black Dyke's CD release, 'Bliss — Works for Brass Band' conducted by John Wilson continues to make a mark on the classical music world.

Although a raft of new releases from the major labels has pushed it out of the top 20 for the moment in the official Specialist Classical Chart, that is likely to change in the next week following a review in The Gramophone magazine.

Wonderful album

In calling it "a wonderful album in every way, highly recommended", reviewer Jeremy Nicholas says that the idea by Chandos of producing an album of the brass band music of Bliss "was a good one".

He reinforces the point by adding, "we hear too little of the English brass band repertoire on the airwaves and very little of it in the concert halls."

The manor born

He also describes Black Dyke Band as "one of the best", whilst adding that John Wilson conducts "to the manner born".

He says, "The ensemble balance is superb, the internal voice clear and detailed, the execution punchy, delicate, breezily confident and heartfelt by turn."

The review follows acclaim for the release in the brass banding media, as well as with the wider general media, with the highly respected classical music journalist Fiona Maddocks stating that the "wonderful album may help restore his reputation."