Mellow Moments
18-Aug-2005
Iwan Williams
YBS Band
Conductor: Professor David King
Egon Recordings: CD SFZ128
Total Playing Time: 64.15
This is a wonderful exhibition of the art of traditional lyrical brass band flugel horn playing.
Iwan Williams is a sublime talent, a gifted practitioner of his chosen craft and a performer of rare intuitive musicality. In fact, it is hard to think of a flugel player currently performing with the very best bands in the country that possesses the virtues that he displays on this release.
'Mellow Moments' is a very well chosen title for it is a display cabinet of 15 tracks of such soft, mellifluous richness that is as rich and creamy as a Willy Wonka triple fudgelicious box of chocolates. You can gorge yourself on each and every one of the tracks and still want more, but you know the penalty you have to pay for doing so is maybe a trip to the equivalent of Musical Fat Club. This is calorie enhanced musicianship – all you have to do is sit back and enjoy every scrumptious morsel of it. No austere angularity, over clever pyrotechnics or well meaning but totally inappropriate ‘new age' compositions. You can leave that for others to explore on their vegan inspired PC correct flugel diets. No, this is the real thing; a true flugel horn voice, played by a true flugel horn player at the top of his form.
This is a very deliberate ploy in fact, for it is not a ‘pick and mix' selection of flugel horn standards that tries to showcase misplaced variety for variety's sake. Iwan Williams is a performer who can more than hold his own in any genre on the flugel horn, but it is as a lyrical, expressive solo voice that he so excels.
Those who have been lucky enough to hear him perform with the YBS Band as their flugel horn player (he was initially a cornet player but moved to the instrument under David King's guidance in 1996) can safely vouch for his abilities both within the band ensemble and as a featured solo player. Perhaps it is because he is a proud Welshman that he carries with him the intuitive understanding of the musical line that so stands him out from his contemporaries, but it is more likely because he is such an intelligent and understanding musical performer.
For nearly a decade now, he has shown that ability on the major concert and contest stages in the UK and abroad, and it is no coincidence that he has been one of the integral parts of the success of the YBS Band during that period of time. Other star players have come and gone over the past ten years, but he has remained as a beacon of excellence who has gained widespread respect for his playing.
The evidence unfolds in such a persuasive manner on the release as well. The tracks are well chosen (although personally we would have liked just a couple more soft jazz numbers than we get – he plays the style with such understated class) and each of the pieces rolls effortlessly into the next.
The arrangements of each of the pieces (there is just the one original track) are works of very gifted practitioners, such as Peter Graham, Darrol Barry, Adrian Drover, Leigh Baker and Rodney Newton, and each explores the beauty of the flugel voice in what are essentially song arrangements of the originals. From the traditional flowing simplicity of the melodies of Scotland, Wales and Sweden to the evocative religious inspired blessings of Caccini and Webb and to the more modern but lovingly crafted works of Wood, Raksin and Lemon and the descriptive film music of Newton and Arlen, each are given performances of the highest class.
Iwan Williams possesses one of the most pure flugel tones you are ever likely to hear, and that purity is never diluted even at the extremes of the dynamic or notational ranges. Many of the solos require immense control and extended breath control, but never does he waver, displaying a wonderful ability to fade his sound both to blend with the ensemble (YBS on very good accompanying form throughout) or to end his solo line to musical effect.
He also has the ability to darken his tone when required, and vary the intensity of vibrato, whilst his genuine adeptness to give sense to even the blandest of musical lines is a rare gift indeed. He strokes and caresses his solos like a new father cuddling his new born son.
In fact, the simpler the musical line, the more impressive the perfect note production and cleanliness of the phrase endings. It is exceptionally impressive playing.
It all adds up to a CD that reflects admirably on the performer and those involved in its release. The production work from Brian Hillson is handled with such sympathetic understanding to the soloist without forgetting the contribution of the band, whilst David King has ensured that the accompaniment is clear yet never overpowering. Rodney Newton contributes excellent sleeve notes as well as a delightful original composition, whilst the soloist himself performs with such consummate artistry.
'Mellow Moments' is one of those things in life you should indulge yourself with. Like all things made this way, sometimes you deserve to spoil yourself; so sit back, relax and enjoy yourself rotten.
Iwan Fox.
What's on this CD?
1. Y Bore Glas, Traditional arr.Baker, 3.47
2. Aye Waukin O!, Traditional arr. Drover, 5.33
3. My Ain Folk, Laura Lemon, 4.33
4. Share My Yoke, Joy Webb arr. Bosanko, 4.24
5. Mull of the Cool Bens, Traditional arr. Drover, 4.26
6. David of the White Rock, Traditional arr. Bowes, 3.09
7. Ye Banks and Braes, Traditional arr. Drover, 3.38
8. Laura, David Raksin arr. Freeh, 4.00
9. Ave Maria, Guillio Caccini arr. Wyss, 5.24
10. A Time for Piece, Peter Graham 3.58
11. A Brown Bird Singing, Haydn Wood arr. Dodd, 3.16
12. Swedish Hymn, Traditional arr. Graham, 4.59
13. Dimitri, Rodney Newton, 4.58
14. A Gaelic Blessing, John Rutter arr. Barry, 2.13
15. Over the Rainbow, Harold Arlen arr. Farr, 4.32
Total CD Playing Time: 64.15
