Heaven and Earth

Herb Bruce (trombone)
The Canadian Staff Band
Conducted by Brian Burditt
Herbicide Productions: HB1600
Total playing time: 48.42

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In the age of the compact disc, with its capacity to reproduce as much as 80 or so minutes of first class sound, there is a tendency when picking up a new recording to look first of all at the running time to establish whether or not the potential purchase is going to give good value for money.  Anyone making such a snap judgement with this new release from trombone virtuoso Herb Bruce is likely to miss out on a gem.  Yes, the running time is rather short but, to inversely paraphrase a much-loved TV comedy of former times, "never mind the running time, feel the quality"!

Familiar to many from his appearances with various groups such as Spiritual to the Bone and as a solo artiste, Herb Bruce was in the United Kingdom in 2005 when he was playing first trombone with the Brass Band of Central Florida at the British Open, and also at the Brass on Sundays concert the following day.  Noted in particular for the quality of his playing in a jazz style, especially in the upper reaches of the instrument, the choice of programme, largely written and arranged by those with whom he has worked closely over the years, shows his versatility, and also that of the members of the Salvation Army's Canadian Staff Band under the leadership of Brian Burditt, whose contribution is often remarkable.

The opening number, "Scherzo for Trombone and Band", is written by Jim Cheyne, a fine tenor horn player, conductor of the Sunshine Brass Band and former bandmaster of the Salvation Army's Florida Divisional Band.  A frequent contributor to both brass and wind band journals, his oeuvre includes "Rhapsody on St Denio" and "Here were heroes", a tribute to the victims and rescuers involved in the 9/11 disaster. 

The "Scherzo" is an aggressive and confrontational piece, setting the soloist against the band as if the soloist is trying to escape the pursuing hordes, with considerable technical difficulties to be overcome.  The central slower few bars seem to have an obtuse reference to Tommy Dorsey's "I'm getting sentimental over you" whilst the sounds of "Praise God from whom all blessings flow" can be heard triumphant in the closing bars.

Eric Alexander's arrangements have often been featured by Spiritual to the Bone and he has played with them on many occasions.  His first contribution, Lionel Ritchie's "Jesus is Love", provides an oasis of calm after the exertions of the first track, at least through the opening choruses, although the intensity builds up steadily as the arrangement proceeds.  His second offering, "Herbispied (Variations on a theme of espionage)", takes themes from the world of James Bond as the basis for an extended set of variations which is by far the longest item on the disc.  There is some excellent understated playing as the trombone develops the material, before a brief cadenza draws matters to a close.

Eric's New Orleans roots are to be found in "Lord, Lord, you sure been good to me", with an ostinato pattern being established before the entry of the tune, with good use being made of the band's own four trombones.  The soloist is then free to improvise at will, with the band providing vocal as well as instrumental backing, the whole enhanced greatly by the enthusiastic drumming of Patricia Dean.  His final offering, Theron Harris's "On Holy Ground", features Spiritual to the Bone's Willis Howell on bass trombone, taking the first verse and chorus in a pleasantly relaxed manner.  The accompaniment is kept light, both during his solo and when Herb enters, allowing their contributions to come through clearly

Two tunes from the world of films are included.  The first, the theme from the Walt Disney take on "Beauty and the Beast", has been arranged by Ed Gaston, a trumpet player who has often worked with Herb over the years.  The setting comes from a suite of music from the film, and again it proves an apt vehicle for Herb's improvisational skills.  There have been many notable versions of "When you wish upon a star" from the animated version of Pinocchio, but Terry Waddell's setting deserves to be there with the best of them. 

A leading studio drummer in America, Terry displays his arranging skills as he employs some juicy harmonies to support Herb's trombone, which starts off presenting the theme unaccompanied at the very top of the register, before the band takes over and the interplay between the two is developed.

Tommy Dorsey's "Trombonology" has been recorded by a number of fine players, but few are able to demonstrate the fluency which Herb reveals: he is fully at home in the idiom, with some very nifty articulation at times, and his reading is totally convincing, with the band supporting him well.

Bill Broughton is well known both as a first class trombonist and also as a fine writer for the instrument, particularly when it comes to the ballad or the devotional item.  The melody of the old gospel chorus "Let the beauty of Jesus be seen in me" lends itself to treatment in sustained ballad style, with the judicious use of slide vibrato.  With a slow jazz waltz style accompaniment, the use of vibraphone in the second verse is very effective, and the trombone ending on the supertonic is a nice touch.

For the final item, Herb has chosen to play Puccini's "Nessum Dorma", in an arrangement prepared for him by trumpeter and composer Bill Pruyn, who Bill says more or less "adopted" him in his youth. Herb's interpretation is less emphatic than some, only rising to a climax in the final bars, and the accompaniment is also more lightweight than, say, Howard Snell's version.  Nevertheless, it is a valid interpretation and works well in its own way.

The sleeve notes concentrate on the personalities involved with the recording, rather than the music itself, with particular reference to recording engineer Ted Marshall, whose secret love of rock music was revealed during the recording.  Despite the short running time, this is a recording well worth exploring, and not only for devotees of the trombone: here is a grade one artiste on the top of his form, an excellent communicator and one who never allows mere note-spinning to get in the way of the music.


Peter Bale

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