Frankly Speaking

Travelsphere Holidays Band
Conductor: Russell Gray
Recorded by B&H Sound Services Ltd
International Music Publications Ref: 9268A
Total Playing Time: 68.44

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Frankly speaking, the "Frankly Speaking" CD release from Travelsphere Holidays Band is like receiving one of those large tins of "Quality Street" off your grandmother at Christmas.

Everyone like chocolates, but even in a big tin full you'll get your favourites (usually the purple ones with the hazel nut in), the odd ones (those little green ones tasting of caramel) and the ones only your grandmother eats (the hard boiled ones covered in marzipan). The same comes when you get a CD made up of 17 releases in the form of an aural sales catalogue from a music company – for this in reality is what "Frankly Speaking" is.

It's still a welcome prezzie though, even if the immediate thought of the title being an awful pun on the name of the bands Musical Director is thankfully nothing more than a strange coincidence, as it's taken from the "Frank Sinatra/Henry Mancini" set featured on the disc.

The newly released Warner Brass Band Catalogue represents a very significant entry into the publishing world by a giant company, who have teamed up with International Music Publications to be able to access the vast amount of music that comes under the Warner Brother Company label. It will mean a new source of music for brass that in the future could be very important as well as entertaining.

Travelsphere are on fine form throughout and have obviously done a lot of work in preparing the pieces. Russell Gray directs well and the standard of playing from the band over the 17 tracks is excellent. Soloists, especially Alan Morrison are on top of their game and a special mention must be made of the percussion team, who are first rate on all the tracks – never over dominant.

The mix of tracks is eclectic to say the least and are skilfully arranged, although some come off better than others. Steve Sykes, Mark Freeh, Jan Magne Forde and Ider Torkangerpoll all contribute items and for the most part they are as tasty as strawberry creams. There are a few odd shaped toffees that stick on the musical teeth a bit and a couple that would be better off remaining in the tin to give to the pet dog, but overall it's good quality musical confectionary.

There's some meaty playing in the superb opener from "Ben Hur" (Chuck Heston taking on the Romans aboard his horse drawn two wheeler) and from the "Wings" inspired "Live and Let Die" which is a mile better than the crappy Guns and Roses version.

The odd sweeties come in the form of the Norwegian entries, which includes a flugel solo that sounds as if was recorded in a gents urinal such is the echo and feeling of strange loneliness – we liked it though. The others are pretty good but there's still too much higgledy piggledy stuff which can sound boring, but we would have loved to be at the wedding featured in Jan Magne Forde's "Wedding March – Bruremarsj" – brilliantly bonkers.

The two medleys of "A Touch of Mancini" and "Frankly Speaking" work very well and will surely be good concert fillers, but "Angels" and "Rhapsody in Blue" don't work at all for us and are a disappointment although there will always be someone who'll like them.

As a commercial release to highlight what they have to offer, "Frankly Speaking" is a success for both Warner Brass and Travelsphere Holidays Band and reflects very well on both parties. There's plenty of good quality playing to admire and the band has done a good salemans job for the product. Open the tin and have a dip.

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