Lofthouse 2000 Brass Band
Conductor: Andrew Whitaker
Lofthouse Recordings: LOFTCD001
Total Playing Time: 70 mins

It’s not often you get to hear a CD inspired by a quotation from the contemporary American writer Robert Brault.

But then again, if you are to start your debut release with Goff Richards’ sparky ‘Trailblaze’ it is best to find something that fits the bill.

It’s a good job MD Andrew Whittaker didn’t decide to go with an arrangement of Bob Dylan’s ‘Death is not the end’…

Right foot

It also sets this celebratory recording off on the right musical direction too (the band was formed a decade ago as the names uggests).

That bright, pulsating opener is followed by 15 well constructed tracks from the Yorkshire based Third Section outfit that feature eight excellent soloists and plenty of solidly performed ensemble playing.

It all ends with Goff’s ‘Breezin’ Down Broadway’ – an appropriate codical that neatly brings things to a conclusion through 360 degrees of concert showcase playing.

Intelligently chosen

The repertoire has been intelligently chosen by the MD to allow the obvious strengths of the band to shine through: The soloists are on stylish form, the ensemble is purposeful and committed and there is a warm tonality to the overall band balance.

There is also the added bonus of well chosen dynamics and relevant tempos chosen by Andrew Whitaker, who keeps a tight rein on his charges from start to finish.

There are the usual minor blemishes, over exuberance and hints of tiredness, but overall there is an admirable sense of musical as well as technical security about each of the tracks.

Artistic lead

James Whitaker is an artistic lead in ‘The Bells of Peover’, whilst Hannah Lees and Christine Bullough are lyrical voices in ‘Over the Rainbow’ and the rarely heard, ‘People Need the Lord’.  

Mark Moorhouse makes the most of his opportunity to shine with ‘Send in the Clowns’ and the percussion duo of Matthew Gould and David Richards spice up the old Louis Prima pot boiler ‘Sing, Sing, Sing,’ with a real bit of zing.

The horn section do a great impression of the mop topped Fab Four in ‘Hey Jude’.

Tragic great

Elsewhere there are well paced marches from Eric Ball and one of the tragic greats of the banding movement, Foden’s Edwardian prodigy, Edwin Firth, whilst the MD ensures the neat changes of pace and style are solidly handled with Alan Fernie’s twin vistas of fiesta time in Acapulco and sheep rearing in the Arran Isles.

Classical touches of Mozart, Satie and Purcell are also performed with controlled musical flow, and there is even a welcome bit of serious test piece work delivered in Peter Graham’s ‘Charter Fair’.

Proud

Topped and tailed by those bright concert pieces from the pen of Goff Richards, and with the whole package enhanced by sympathetic recording work as well as obvious time and effort spent in producing an informative and eye catching insert, this is a recording to be proud of.

Mr Brault wasn’t wrong: The road to success is one you certainly blaze a musical trail with.

Iwan Fox

Contents

1. Trailblaze, Goff Richards,
2. The Bells of Peover, Philip Doe (Soloist) James Whitaker
3. Mexican Holiday, Alan Fernie
4. Arran Melody, Alan Fernie
5. Kenilworth, Edwin Firth
6. Over the Rainbow, Arlen & Harburg arr. Goff Richards (Soloist) Hannah Lees
7. Hey Jude, Lennon & McCartney arr. Derek Broadbent
8. Charter Fair, Peter Graham
9. People Need the Lord, Nelson & McHugh arr. Howard Davies (Soloist) Christine Bullough
10. Trumpet Tune & Air, Purcell arr. Frank Wright
11. Send in the Clowns, Sondheim arr. Frank Bryce (Soloist) Mark Moorhouse
12. Star Lake, Eric Ball
13. Gymnopedie No 1, Erik Satie arr. Goff Richards
14. Sing, Sing, Sing, Louis Prima arr. Ray Woodfield
15. Aver Verum, Mozart, arr. Albert Jakeway
16. Breezin’ Down Broadway!, Goff Richards