It’s difficult to remember a time when Chris Jeans wasn’t at the forefront of top-level brass banding.

For over 30 years he has been an ever present beacon of excellence as principal trombone and soloist with Sun Life, Desford Colliery, Black Dyke, Grimethorpe, YBS and latterly Virtuosi GUS, where his performances have been a defining factor in the resurgence of the Kettering based band.

Remarkable

As an educator he combines his day job of Brass Co-ordinator at Leicester Grammar School with that of Artistic Director of the astonishing Youth Brass 2000, the band he founded twenty years ago and which continues to set remarkable levels of achievement.

All the more reason then that this new solo CD, recorded in conjunction with Antoine Courtois for whom Chris has been a long-standing clinician, is particularly welcome. 

Generous

With Virtuosi GUS and John Berryman providing sterling, carefully balanced accompaniment, the release is generously filled with 17 entertaining tracks, although the accent here isn’t purely on technical prowess and showboat fireworks.

They are there of course - try Alexander Goedicke’s fiendish ‘Concert Etude’, which is played with consummate artistry and dexterity; but the predominant musical feel is of relaxed, light jazz and lyricism.

Golden liquidity

These are genres that allow the soloist to engage in his most natural form of musical expression: There are not too many better exponents of such golden liquidity.

It’s a priceless attribute that come through in spades in tracks such as Morris Albert’s ‘Feelings’, Gershwin’s ‘Embraceable You’ and Hoagy Carmichael’s ‘Stardust’ , but perhaps most notable of all, is his treatment of Howard Snell’s arrangement of ‘A Nightingale Sang in Berkeley Square’ - a piece that has become something of a Jeans trademark.

All are imbued with a relaxingly languid, malleable lyricism – the startling contrast of which is provided by the opening ‘Saints’ Hallelujah’, a clever and engaging connection of ‘When the Saints’ with Handel’s ‘Hallelujah Chorus’. 

Meanwhile, Peter Kneale’s original ‘Blue John’ is a cracking piece of free flowing inspiration.

Lazily chilled

As a trombonist himself, Rob Wiffin is a man that knows the characteristics of Chris Jeans’ playing inside out, and his title track ‘Blue Jeans’ is, as the name implies, a lazily chilled slow blues standard played with a loquacious elegance. 

Perhaps slightly less effective is Michael Buble’s ‘Just Haven’t Met You Yet’, where the transition of the vocal line to the instrumental ‘voice’ doesn’t quite come off, but elsewhere, Gordon Langford’s evocative arrangement of ‘Scarborough Fair’ is a notable highlight, aided by Andrew Berryman’s subtle counter play.

Classy stamp

In addition we get everything from Puccini to Don Lusher – all played with a stamp classy authenticity, whilst you can even forgive him for ending things with a sprightly dusting off of ‘Temptress for Trombones’ - well known the world over from the legendary 'Tutti’s Trombones' album of 1970.

Chris joined by fellow GUS ‘bonemen’ John Hopkins and Nigel Love in a slick fusion of ‘Georgia on my Mind’, ‘The Girl from Ipanema’ and ‘Lulu’s Back in Town’.                  

Trusty

All in all, the outcome is a thoroughly entertaining, and a fitting showcase of Chris Jeans’ abundant talent.

After more than thirty years at the top, the man with the golden trombone remains a dominant force in the banding world; a sure sign that there is plenty of life left in those trusty old blue jeans yet.  

Christopher Thomas

Contents

1. The Saints' Hallelujah, Luther Henderson, 4.16
2. Embraceable You, George Gershwin, arr. Howarth, 4.20
3. Blue Jeans, Rob Wiffin, 3.35
4. A Nightingale Sang in Berkeley Square, Manning Sherwin, arr. Snell, 5.16
5. Blue John, Peter Kneale, 3.01
6. Feelings, Morris Albert, arr. Geldard, 3.56
7. Cry Me A River, Arthur Hamilton, arr. Morrison, 4.13
8. Stardust, Hoagy Carmichael, arr. Geldard, 3.59
9. Why Did I Choose You, Michael Leonard, arr. Farr, 3.04
10. Londonderry Air, Trad, arr. Iveson, 3.07
11. Concert Etude, Alexander Goedicke, arr. Broughton, 3.25
12. Scarborough Fair, Trad, arr. Langford, Trombone Soloists Chris Jeans & Andrew Berryman, 3.35
13. Just Haven't Met You Yet, Michael Buble, arr. Wormald, 4.18
14. Nessun Dorma, Giacomo Puccini, arr. Jeans, 2.34
15. Concert Variations, Don Lusher, 4.14
16. Sweet Lorraine, Cliff Burwell, arr. Lawrence, 3.54
17. Temptress for Trombones, arr. Roger Harvey, Trombone Soloists Chris Jeans,John Hopkins & Nigel Love, 6.01