The Fellowship of Brass - Barrow Shipyard Band

The Fellowship of Brass
Barrow Shipyard Band
Conductors: John Durrant and Kevin Donaldson
Featuring John Durrant as Guest Soloist and Russell Gray as Guest Principal Cornet
Amadeus AMS CD063
Total Playing Time: 58.27 mins

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The Fellowship of Brass is the title given to the latest recording by Barrow Shipyard Band, which features their own Musical Director, John Durrant, as trumpet soloist, and Russell Gray as Guest Principal Cornet.  John, a former student of brass pioneer Philip Jones, and also the recipient of an open scholarship to the Royal College of Music (not Collage, as it is described in the generally excellent sleeve notes!) has been at the helm since 2002, and judging from his own expertise in the solo items is very much at ease with the lighter end of the repertoire.  Many bands find it difficult to play convincingly in a swing style but by and large the work put in seems to have paid off, and they are more successful here than is often the case in even more well known bands releases.

The programme gets off to a bright start with Sousa's fine march "El Capitan", played crisply and with good attention to the dynamics that can bring such a piece to life, although some of the notes are a little clipped, especially at the start of the bar.  Soprano cornet and Resident Conductor Kevin Donaldson makes his presence felt with a clear final note, the first of many fine contributions throughout the disc.

Few films have had more of an impact on both critics and the public in general than the various parts of the "Lord of the Rings" trilogy, and the music of Howard (another error on the sleeve, which calls him "Howarth", a la Elgar!) Shore has been widely acclaimed.  Unlike some film music, it survives perfectly well without the accompanying images, particularly when entrusted to such a skilful arranger as Andy Duncan.  His seven-minute selection calls for the band to play in a variety of styles, from the exuberant dance-like sections to the more reflective moments, and this attractive and atmospheric piece is carried off well, although there is some suspect intonation in some of the tricky cornet figurations.

"La Virgin de la Macarena" was made famous by the Mexican virtuoso Rafael Mendez, and John Durrant here plays his own arrangement, with more decoration than some other versions, with the trumpet tone carrying clearly over the band.  His second solo, "Blue Ice", is an original piece composed for him by jazz saxophonist Dr John Halton.  Written in a funk-fusion style it gives the band the opportunity to break new ground, and on the whole it works well.  John also joins the front row cornets in a performance of Bill Geldard's version of "Trumpet Blues and Cantabile".  Here the ensemble work could be a little tighter, the balance being not quite perfect, and they are not quite together as a unit, despite their obvious enthusiasm.

The second Andy Duncan arrangement is his "Cartoon Classics", featuring such familiar characters as the Pink Panther, the Flintstones and that more recent example of a well balanced, level headed family, the Simpsons!  Again the band's enthusiasm comes across powerfully, and the odd split does not mar the overall experience, although the vocal contributions - a "Yabber-dabber-doo" and "That's all, folks!" sound a little forced.

Returning to swing, "Hot Toddy" does not quite come off so well.  The clapping from the band does not quite seem together - maybe clicking fingers would have been more effective? - and they don't seem entirely at home with the more laid-back style, despite some fine work from the trombones and a light, flexible bass line. 

The Paso Doble does not seem to be such a regular feature on band programmes these days, and it is refreshing to hear "The Golden Ear", certainly not over-familiar, but attractive on the ear and offering a chance for Russell Gray to "strut his stuff" in the central section.  The band adjusts to the style well, and the various contributions of the cornets, middle of the band and the bass lines come through clearly in the final section.

Chabrier's "Espana" is often played in a foreshortened band arrangement, or even in the much-simplified version by Waldteufel, but Gordon Langford has here provided an unabridged version.  With its many cross-rhythms and constant shifting of the pulse it needs to be played confidently if it is going to work, and the players on this occasion are mostly successful.  At nearly six minutes in length it does demand considerable stamina, and there are times when the tonguing of the repeated quavers could have been a little crisper, and the trombones do not come through as clearly with the melody as anyone who knows the orchestral original would expect, but still a very fine effort.

Tim Lysons, the band's Solo Trombone, shows that he can match his MD when it comes to swing as he presents Peter Kneale's "Blue John", which he plays with considerable fluency, including an improvised solo, accompanied by the band in a similarly relaxed style.  The other soloist featured is Solo Euphonium David Scholes.  The popular Latin classic "Guantanamera" has been arranged for him by John Durrant, and gives him ample opportunity to demonstrate his easy control of the instrument.  The solo line is fairly high, with the repeated figures decorating the melodic lines being tucked in very neatly.

The third Andy Duncan arrangement, "Soul Bossa Nova", as featured in the Austin Powers films, must be one of the most played and recorded items in current band programmes.  Often sounding rather stilted in the hands of a brass band, this version is certainly more effective than most, with a fine contribution from the flugel horn.  Mark Freeh's arrangement of "Malaguena" has also done the rounds, but is definitely popular with both bands and audiences.  Listening to this track several times, the repeated tambourine figures that run through much of the piece do not seem to be perfectly steady, sometimes anticipating what the rest of the band are doing, which makes for a rather unsettled effect,

Some of John Williams' most distinctive music in recent years has been that for the "Harry Potter" films, with the use of the celesta in particular being oddly reminiscent of "Der Rosenkavalier", and the rather eerie tone colours and use of unusual intervals adding to the unworldly soundscape.  Steve Sykes's arrangement of music from "Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone" incorporates a wide range of musical styles and emotions, building both the arrangement and the disc to a fine conclusion.

Jack Quayle, the Band Chairman, opens his comments in the generous and informative sleeve notes with the words "It is with great pleasure that I present the latest CD by the Barrow Shipyard Band . . ."  As a recording  it will offer the listener much pleasure as the programme proves attractive.  The general sound of the band is a little on the bright side, with occasional moments of suspect intonation, especially amongst the cornets, but they are not such as to spoil the overall effect, and there is some first class work throughout.  The band plays with an infectious enthusiasm, and the soloists' contributions are first class.

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