Grimethorpe in Concert – Volume II

Grimethorpe Colliery (UK) Coal
Conductor: Richard Evans
Soloists: Mark Frost, Richard Marshall, Sandy Smith, Michael Dodd
Egon Recordings: CD SFZ 125
Total Playing Time: 74.03

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This is the second outing for the entertainment match made in brass band heaven. Richard Evans and Grimethorpe showcase their talents once more for the benefit of the listening public – and they won't be left disappointed.

Here they give us 18 eclectic tracks from their most recent concert repertoire (the CD is recorded in October 2004) which they have used to great effect not only on their marathon round of never ending concert tours, but also at their annual romp through the prizes at Spennymoor Brass in Concert. It is big, bold and clever stuff, well written and presented, and all expertly mixed (a nod to Producer Brian Hillson once more) and directed by the master showman Richard Evans.

When Grimethorpe are on top form, there is no other band in the world who can match them, but when the mood and force is not with them they can be an infuriatingly band to both listen to - and we are reliably informed, conduct: vibrant, inspired, electrifying, or dull, uninterested and a little old fashioned. A bit like the French rugby team, people love Grimey because they are unique in their approach and mentality; when they thrill (such as the Yorkshire Regionals this year) they can send shivers up the spine, but when they have a strop on, by heck they can put the shutters up and sound very ordinary indeed.

Thankfully, the recent partnership with Richard Evans at the helm has seen them back to their inspired best; the ensemble sound is broad, deep and secure, the technique has been polished up to match the best around (a bit like the great James Morrison, their technique is only as good as it needs to be), and the soloists are playing out of their skins. 

The MD should take a great deal of credit for this – his force of personality is more than a match for the hard nosed players in the ranks of the band, and there is a sneaky suspicion that there is a mutual admiration, so hard won, but so easily lost by many famous names who have fronted them over the years, that has benefited both parties; Grimey are back to their best and Tricky Dicky is having an Indian Summer Chief Sitting Bull would have been proud of.

The soloists in particular on this release are mightily impressive, as are the solo cameos from the likes of Nigel Fielding on soprano (enjoying himself on one of his last outings with the band) and Ian Shires who sparkle throughout.

Richard Marshall gives us a snorter on the Kenny Baker ‘Virtuosity', whilst Sandy Smith produces a ‘Finale' from the ‘Strauss Horn Concerto No.1' that is hewn out of Aberdeen granite.  Michael Dodd is slick and very impressive on ‘Pantomime', but it is Mark Frost and his breathtaking bass trombone playing on ‘If I were a Rich Man' that steals the show.

With a sound as round, plump and beautifully formed as J Lo's rear end, and a depth to his ‘voice' that would have put Barry White to shame, this is playing of the very highest class.  Any bass trombone player worth his salt should buy this CD just for this track: This is what a bass trombone should sound like - he plays like a happy millionaire.

The opener to the CD is a neat up beat ‘Valero' smartly arranged by Sandy Smith (who arranges no less than 12 of the tracks on show here), before Grimey try their hand at a bit of Mozart in the form of the overture from ‘Il Seraglio'.

Mozart and brass bands are not cosy bedfellows though, and this arrangement by Darrol Barry is yet another that fails to come close to capturing the essence and feel of the original. This is an overture that sparkles with wit and joy, with the mesmerising colours and timbres of the Turkish court, yet given to a brass band it feels hard and brittle, lacks subtlety and colour, and more importantly comedic wit. Grimethorpe produce as good a brass band account of it that you could ever wish for, but it's like reading a new arrangement of a PG Woodhouse novel only to find that a custard pie in the face has replaced witty repartee. 

Grimethorpe are on safer ground with a delightfully played ‘Humming Chorus' from ‘Madam Butterfly', which reveals a delicacy of tone that few bands can match, whilst the ever popular ‘Freikgeln' Polka which is usually heard at the New Year Day's Concert from Vienna (and strangely translates to mean ‘Magic Bullets') is whipped off with real brio. Makes you wonder if you are supposed to play it when shooting a Werewolf or JFK though?

The high quality playing continues with a cracking ‘New Colonial March' that has a swagger John Wayne couldn't better. Richard Evans is perhaps the best march conductor in the banding world – he knows exactly the right tempo to pitch one in on, and this is no exception; a superbly almost arrogant lilt topped with Nigel Fielding letting rip in fine style. In your minds eye you can see old Dicky really enjoying this – once an old soldier, always an old soldier.

‘Comedy Tonight' is all bubbly froth and lightness, with some splendid facile work from all the sections, whilst ‘Hymn to the Fallen' is given a thoughtful and respectful reading that does not try to over crank the emotive lines. It is a textbook piece of classic brass band playing. 

‘The Rat Pack', a collection of some of the best known tunes from the trio of Frank Sinatra, Dean Martin and Sammy Davis Jnr, is also the closest thing we have heard to a brass band mimicking the true style of Nelson Riddle and his orchestra. The MD has obviously worked hard to try and get the band and soloists to play in the right relaxed style and elastic approach to the main solo line, and for the most part it comes off in spades.

It is a little ‘corseted' in places; slightly starchy stiff and a little too precise and overstated in style, but all the players play in the same manner and the backbeat provided by an excellent percussion team does give an authentic rhythmic undercurrent to all five pieces.  However, all three singers were masters at elongating the solo line with an elasticity that would have kept the knickers on a 10 dollar madam, and this is the one thing that is missing here in what are fabulous arrangements by Sandy Smith. It still sounds as if the band and solo lines are reading, not feeling the music at times and that just robs them of that relaxed spontaneity that so marked out the originals. Perhaps they should try a few Martini's to loosen up as old Deano did? 

The final two items sum up Grimethorpe to a tee. ‘The ‘Danza Orgiastica' from Respighi's ballet is a superbly crafted arrangement given a superbly crafted performance, even if a brass band does lack the colour, sheer verve and audacity a full orchestra can bring to the all in scrum that is the original. Grimethorpe play it with a real sense of abandonment, although without ever losing their impressive control (more look rather than touch perhaps) over the writhing mass of musical mayhem that unfolds.

Finally, the clever and expertly played ‘Show me the way to go Home' which rounds things off in real Grimethorpe style.

If you have been to a concert by Grimethorpe and Richard Evans you know for certain that you will certainly get your monies worth, and this is what you get here in full. Great soloists, great band playing, great entertainment. Nobody does it better – until Volume III comes out that is?

Iwan Fox.

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