Old Comrades

Wigan Youth Brass Band
Conductor: David J. Little
Soloists: Joanne Moss, Jonathan Ford
Amadeus Recordings: CD AMS 051
Total Playing Time: 51.57

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We really enjoyed this CD. OK, it's not playing of the standard of a YBS or Black Dyke and the pieces may not be the hardest in the repertoire, but nonetheless, from the opening bars of the William Rimmer march, right through to the last note of John Miles "Music", there was a shining quality about the endeavour, talent and enthusiasm on show which brought a smile to our weary faces.

Producing a CD for release to the general public is a massive undertaking for the very best of bands, but for a Youth band the process must have taxed the patience of a saint. However, Wigan is blessed with some fine "saintly" (perhaps this is the wrong description given the nickname of their rivals in the town of Saint Helen's, but you get our drift) members of the local authority's Instrumental Teaching Provision, and it is they who must take a very large pat on the back for their work in preparing their charges so well for this release and for making sure the end product is so well put together.

These include some familiar faces from the banding world such as Black Dyke's popular flugel horn player, John Doyle, as well as Andy Cattanach who has been a familiar face in the bass engine room of many of our top bands. Added to the MD and a backroom staff that knows what it is doing, the CD was recorded over two days earlier this year, and is a fine record of their achievements with the raw talent that passes through their hands.

The band perform admirably throughout, with the opening march from the pen of the old master Rimmer an apt choice to celebrate the "coming of age" of many of the older players of the band who have now reached the age when they must fly the nest. "Old Comrades" indeed – but ones who we are sure in twenty years or more when they become parents themselves will look back on the experience gained through the band as something that was very, very worthwhile to them. Perhaps even their own children will then be encouraged to take up music – you never know.

The band is well blessed with fine players, and the two soloists in particular give fine accounts of themselves in the spotlight – both we are sure will go on to bigger things and the banding talent scouts of Lancashire have surely noted down the names of Joanne Moss on trombone and Jonathan Ford on euphonium.

The band produces some neat balanced sounds throughout and the slower works such as "The Day Thou Gavest" and "One Voice" are very well played. The MD and staff have not gone for anything too ambitious and this is a good thing, as trying to perform works that are technically beyond players at this age can turn out to be demoralising. Playing popular easy to listen to music with a beat and rhythm is just right, and the up tempo numbers are played with a fair bit of panache and plenty of spirit.

We particularly liked the "Clog Dance" and "Fame" (memories of 1980's fashion came flooding back – good job nearly all of these pupils weren't born when we had to look foolish in leg warmers and hair that was dangerously flammable by the use of tons of hair lacquer!)

However, there is a place for some serious work as well and the band give an excellent account of Kenneth Downie's "Music from Kantara" which tests the band to the full but never defeats them. The band sound very well prepared and the sense of musicality shines through – a credit to the teachers and pupils. The final bash on the old classic "Music" (another piece that an older generation remember in the pop charts all those years ago, when flared trousers were something new and exciting!) brings things to a satisfying close.

As we said at the beginning, we really enjoyed this CD. Well done to Wigan for investing so well in youthful talent and well done to the pupils for showing that the investment was well worthwhile. Lets hope it continues for many years to come.

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